The Western Union Foundation is a company-sponsored operating foundation established in 2000 and incorporated in Colorado on July 20, 1999. Based in Denver, Colorado, the Foundation received support from The Western Union Company, its employees, agents, vendors, business units, customers, and other business partners. The Foundation operated as a separate charitable corporation from The Western Union Company and facilitated charitable giving programs worldwide.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.9M
-64.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.9M
-9.9% YoY
Grant Count
21
-93.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$184K
+1324.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's mission centered on creating economic opportunity for people who migrate in pursuit of a more prosperous future. Its primary focus areas included:
- Workforce Readiness – Scholarships for international students from low-income countries, market-driven skill building courses, and business boot camps
- Jobs Creation – Fellowship programs supporting leaders and entrepreneurs, seed funding for new businesses, and small business development
- Access to Employment – Inclusion programs creating equitable access to employment opportunities
- Education – Support for higher education and skill building for workforce readiness
- Humanitarian Relief – Support for communities in crisis
The Foundation's capstone initiative, Prosperity Beyond Borders, focused on supporting individuals who migrated from underserved communities with skill building, workforce readiness, and economic mobility needed to attain better jobs and increased earnings.
Grantmaking
The Foundation operated an invitation-only grant process for organizations that aligned with its Prosperity Beyond Borders focus. The Foundation is no longer accepting grant applications as of 2025.
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily funded organizations in:
- Colorado
- New York
- California
- District of Columbia
Over its history, the Foundation invested across more than 150 countries globally.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 (Most Recent Filing):
- Total Assets: $1,938,380
- Total Revenue: $1,441,817
- Total Expenses: $3,870,496
- Total Liabilities: $485,000
2023:
- Total Assets: $5,500,511
- Total Revenue: $7,564,749
- Total Expenses: $5,270,300
Historical Impact: Over its 24-year history (2001-2025), the Foundation invested more than $150 million across projects and scholarships globally, helping millions of people worldwide achieve economic mobility.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,938,380 | $5,500,511 | $2,920,950 |
| Revenue | $1,441,817 | $7,564,749 | $5,508,437 |
| Expenses | $3,717,241 | $5,270,300 | $6,085,873 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,846,831 | $5,153,942 | $6,037,074 |
| Net Investment Income | $142,936 | $169,984 | $39,016 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
221 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Ben Adams – Chair
- Karen Wolf – Treasurer
- Sohini Rajola – Board Member
- Tyler McPherson-Wiman – Board Member
- Rodrigo Garcia Estebarena – Board Member
- Rajeev Mahajan – Board Member
Staff:
- Lauren Bell – Executive Director ($206,000)
- Amy Kusek – Lead Development ($130,000)
- Robyn Burns – Manager, Marketing ($130,000)
- Mazza Farajallah – Senior Specialist ($82,000)
- Alexander Oakley – Operations Specialist ($74,000)
- Kimberly Westerfield – Lead, Programs ($72,000)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEN ADAMS | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| KAREN WOLF | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| SOHINI RAJOLA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TYLER MCPHERSON-WIMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RODRIGO GARCIA ESTEBARENA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RAJEEV MAHAJAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LAUREN BELL | ED | 40 | $206,397 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2024:** The Western Union Foundation awarded 70 scholarships to international and immigrant students for the 2024-2025 school year
Western Union Foundation Awards 70 Scholarships to International and Immigrant**2024:** The Foundation celebrated 51 social entrepreneurs selected for the 2024 Western Union Foundation Fellowship
Western Union Foundation Awards 70 Scholarships to International and Immigrant**2023:** The Foundation reported driving $150 million in wage gains in its 2023 Impact Report
Western Union Foundation Celebrates Driving $150 Million in Wage Gains in**2025:** The Western Union Foundation sunset at the end of the year, concluding its operations after nearly 25 years
Western Union Foundation Awards 70 Scholarships to International and Immigrant**Legacy Continuation:**
Although the Foundation closed in 2025, Western Union's spirit of giving continues through ongoing employee engagement and community programs. Western Union teams around the world continue to volunteer, mentor, and donate in their communities, carrying forward the Foundation's mission as part of Western Union's core purpose to help people prosper.
Western Union Foundation Awards 70 Scholarships to International and ImmigrantSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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