Travelers Foundation
Travelers Foundation is a private foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota. It makes grants and donations to charitable organizations rather than conducting direct charitable activities.
Travelers Foundation at a glance
In short: Travelers Foundation gave $5.9M across 94 grants in 2025 (avg $63K), mostly in Connecticut. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,924,863
- +18.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 94
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $63,030
- +18.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $16,449,421
- +1318.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Travelers Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its program information says organizations that have not previously received Travelers funding and believe they qualify may send an inquiry to the appropriate contact. The January application cycle is invite-only for Connecticut.
- Contact
Mailing address: 385 Washington St 9275-Sb05T, St Paul, MN 55102-1396
Phone: (651) 310-7911
Website: https://www.travelers.comabouttravelerscommunity
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Travelers Foundation
Academic & Career Success Grant
Travelers Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Culturally Enriched Communities Grant
Travelers Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Thriving Neighborhoods Grant
Travelers Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Travelers Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Bernard Project Inc ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
434 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 275 grants of 434 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Travelers’ grant programs accept applications exclusively for Hartford, Connecticut, and St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Connecticut (65%), Louisiana (17%), Minnesota (7%), the District of Columbia (3%), and New York (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 94 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Travelers Foundation gives
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2020) to $6.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 94 grants totaling $5.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Bernard Project Inc New Orleans, LA | Operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Greater Hartford Arts Council Incorporated Hartford, CT | Program support for the Travelers Arts Impact Grants | $600,000 |
| United Way Inc Dba United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct Hartford, CT | Operating support to run United Way Community Impact | $315,000 |
| Hole in the Wall Gang Fund Inc New Haven, CT | Program support for The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps Hospital Outreach Program and Parent Programming | $300,000 |
| Ctdata Collaborative Inc Glastonbury, CT | Project support for the Hartford Data Collaboratives Hartford Youth and Workforce Data Hub 750000 over three years 250000 per year | $250,000 |
| Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Hartford, CT | Greater Futures Scholarship Fund - Hartford Foundation Centennial Campaign | $250,000 |
| United Way Inc Dba United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct Hartford, CT | Cradle to Career pathway for City of Hartford youth | $250,000 |
| Connecticut Science Center Inc Hartford, CT | Operating Support for the Connecticut Science Centers Mission Fulfillment Activities in 2025 225000 and Hartford Public Schools Busing Support 5000 | $225,000 |
| Hartford Promise Inc Hartford, CT | Program support for the Hartford Promise Scholarship Fund | $200,000 |
| Rebuilding Together Inc Washington, DC | Project support to put FORTIFIED roofs in hurricane-impacted and hurricane-prone areas of Florida and Texas ensuring families have safer more secure homes ahead of future storms | $200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Travelers Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $16,449,421 | $21,452,706 | $5,924,863 | $5,924,863 | 94 | $5,924,863 | $4,843 | $81,485 |
| 2024 | $1,159,578 | $5,028,999 | $5,018,663 | $5,018,663 | 94 | $5,018,663 | $5,336 | $14,213 |
| 2023 | $94,241 | $6,030,583 | $5,944,000 | $5,944,000 | 88 | $5,944,000 | $6,583 | $9,632 |
| 2022 | $1,505,158 | $5,814,888 | $6,053,719 | $6,053,700 | 87 | $6,053,700 | $1,188 | $16,730 |
| 2021 | $383,989 | $5,546,641 | $5,346,500 | $5,346,500 | 71 | $5,346,500 | $141 | $7,056 |
| 2020 | $853,849 | $3,609,667 | $3,607,352 | $3,607,352 | 1 | — | $2,315 | $13,582 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Travelers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $81K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Travelers says it supports organizations that prepare historically underrepresented students for the workforce, strengthen neighborhoods through small-business support and revitalization, and enhance lives and learning through arts and culture. Its program areas include academic and career success; safe, stable housing and neighborhood vitality; and arts and culture, including arts education and access to cultural experiences.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Greater Hartford Arts Council says it works to promote an equitable arts ecosystem in Greater Hartford. The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund says it provides camp experiences and year-round support to children and young people with serious illnesses and their families. Hartford Promise describes an integrated college-success model for Hartford students, while the Connecticut Science Center says it inspires lifelong learning through interactive science experiences.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 94 grants totaling $5,924,863. Grant amounts ranged from $1,178 to $1,000,000, with a median of $25,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $1,000,000 to St. Bernard Project Inc. for operating support; $600,000 to Greater Hartford Arts Council Incorporated for the Travelers Arts Impact Grants; and $315,000 to United Way Inc. dba United Way of Central & Northeastern Connecticut for operating support for United Way Community Impact. Other notable grants included $300,000 to Hole in the Wall Gang Fund Inc. for its hospital outreach and parent programming; $250,000 each to CTData Collaborative Inc. for a Hartford youth and workforce data hub and to Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for its Greater Futures Scholarship Fund; and $225,000 to Connecticut Science Center Inc. for operating support and Hartford Public Schools busing support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Andy F. Bessette as Director and Chairman; Marlene M. Ibsen and Lisa B. Walker as President & CEO; Tara Spain as Vice President & COO; Erin L. Haberman and Rita R. Ortiz as Assistant VPs; Scott W. Rynda and Daniel S. Frey as Treasurers; Wendy C. Skjerven as Corporate Secretary; and Lisa Caputo as Director.
Travelers Foundation is led by Marlene M. Ibsen, President & CEO since 2024 (on filings since 2021); none of the 18 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marlene M. Ibsen
President & CEO
President CEO Nonvo → President & CEO, 2024
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa B. Walker
President & CEO
New on the 2025 filing
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy F. Bessette
Director & Chairman
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine K. Kalla
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Kurtzman
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joan K. Woodward
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Caputo
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael F. Klein
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas Seminara
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean A. Ramalho
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave French
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Klenk
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel S. Frey
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erin L. Haberman
Assistant Vice President
Second Vice President → Assistant Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rita R. Ortiz
Assistant Vice President
Second Vice President → Assistant Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott W. Rynda
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tara Spain
Vice President & COO
Vice President COO → Vice President & COO, 2024
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy C. Skjerven
Corporate Secretary
On filings since 2021
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Kevin C. Smith (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Exhibit 1 Exhibit (2020) — Exhibit
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Travelers Foundation
How much does Travelers Foundation give each year?
Travelers Foundation gave $5.9M across 94 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $5.0M across 94 grants.
What is Travelers Foundation's typical grant size?
Travelers Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $63,030, across 94 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Travelers Foundation give grants?
Travelers Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Louisiana (17%) and Minnesota (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hartford, CT (31 grants), Saint Paul, MN (12 grants), Minneapolis, MN (9 grants) and New York, NY (5 grants).
Does Travelers Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 38% of Travelers Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (36 of 94) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Travelers Foundation's largest grantees?
Travelers Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Bernard Project Inc ($1,000,000), Greater Hartford Arts Council Incorporated ($600,000) and United Way Inc Dba United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct ($565,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Travelers Foundation?
Travelers Foundation reported $16.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $81K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Travelers Foundation fund?
Travelers says it supports organizations that prepare historically underrepresented students for the workforce, strengthen neighborhoods through small-business support and revitalization, and enhance lives and learning through arts and culture. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Travelers Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Travelers Foundation's EIN?
Travelers Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1924256. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Travelers Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Travelers Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Travelers Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Travelers Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/travelers-foundation-morg_b6f4462bb5fb4e5187729ed5a6139ba9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_411924256_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Travelers Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/travelers-foundation-morg_b6f4462bb5fb4e5187729ed5a6139ba9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Travelers Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Travelers Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?