The Trebek Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 2011 and based in Wilmington, Delaware. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization classified as a grantmaking foundation. The foundation focuses on philanthropic activities through direct grants and strategic giving initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.5M
+9.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$233K
-40.1% YoY
Grant Count
10
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
-16.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Trebek Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $515K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds general and unrestricted grants, with specific focus areas including:
- Pilgrimage road fund
- Guest lectureship fund in the psychology of character
- Expenditure responsibility grants
The foundation supports a diverse range of causes, including international development, food security, and geographic education initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation demonstrates consistent grantmaking activity with grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 based on recent awards.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations operating internationally and domestically, with documented grants to organizations serving Kenya and New York City.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $10.5 million
- Total Revenue: $1.23 million
- Total Expenses: $351,910
- Net Income: $881,388
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $9.6 million
- Total Revenue: $1.48 million
- Total Expenses: $499,688
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Grants and contributions: $1,021,915
- Investment income and dividends: $227,608
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $115,813
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,483,021 | $9,601,633 | $8,625,332 |
| Revenue | $1,233,298 | $1,475,989 | $843,845 |
| Expenses | $351,910 | $499,688 | $739,627 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $265,828 | $421,985 | $642,941 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,554,943 | $381,571 | $771,342 |
| Distributable Amount | $514,513 | $425,663 | $426,494 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
104 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include St Matthews Soup Kitchen Inc ($75,000), National Geographic Society ($50,000), Fordham University ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AID STILL REQUIRED SANTA MONICA, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| CHILDRENS BURN FOUNDATION SHERMAN OAKS, CA | Full Recovery Program | $20,000 |
| ELIMU-USA BEVERLY HILLS, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| FORDHAM UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | Fordham Founder's Undergraduate Scholarship Fund - 2024 | $25,000 |
| GREATER HARLEM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMUNITY FUND NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| HARLEM GROWN INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| K Chassner Asheville, NC | Short-term Emergency Assistance Grant | $6,500 |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY WASHINGTON, DC | Hubbard Council - Education | $50,000 |
| S Smith Asheville, NC | Short-term Emergency Assistance Grant | $6,500 |
| ST MATTHEWS SOUP KITCHEN INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Jean Currivan Trebek - President
- Emily Trebek - Vice President
- Matthew Trebek - Vice President
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Trebek | VP | 1 | — |
| Jean Trebek | Dir, Pres, Sec | 1 | — |
| Matthew Trebek | VP | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation supports the Trebek Initiative, which announces annual research and storytelling awards and grant recipients. The initiative has announced new projects and recipients in recent years, including programming for media educators and fellowships related to the foundation's mission.
TREBEK INITIATIVE ANNOUNCES SIX NEW PROJECTS IN 2025Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Trebek Family Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds general and unrestricted grants, with specific focus areas including: • Pilgrimage road fund • Guest lectureship fund in the psychology of character • Expenditure responsibility grants The foundation supports a diverse range of causes, including international development, food security, and geographic education initiatives.
How do I apply for a grant from Trebek Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 16 grants in 2023 • Recent grantees include World Vision (Kenya Big Dream, $100,000), St Matthews Soup Kitchen (General & Unrestricted, $75,000), and Rethink Food NYC (General & Unrestricted, $25,000) **Financial Capacity:** • 2024: $351,910 in expenses • 2023: $499,688 in expenses The foundation demonstrates consistent grantmaking activity with grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 based on recent awards.
Where does Trebek Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations operating internationally and domestically, with documented grants to organizations serving Kenya and New York City.
What size grants does Trebek Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Trebek Family Foundation awarded 10 grants totaling $233K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Trebek Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Trebek Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $515K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Trebek Family Foundation's EIN?
Trebek Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4000393. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Trebek Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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