Zoma Foundation Inc
Zoma Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado. It uses philanthropy to help communities test traditional and non-traditional approaches, pilot new models, and develop place-based strategies that can be scaled or replicated to strengthen social and economic systems.
Zoma Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Zoma Foundation Inc gave $23.0M across 45 grants in 2024 (avg $512K), mostly in Virginia. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $23,027,286
- +124.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $511,717
- +124.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $529,458,258
- +4.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (8 of 39, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Zoma Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 700 N Colorado Blvd 711, Denver, CO 80206
Phone: (303) 927-6825
Website: https://zomalab.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Zoma Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Nature Conservancy ($16.5M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $21.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
259 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 94 grants of 259 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated philanthropic work focuses on Colorado and Chile. Its Colorado early childhood work covers Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, and Jefferson counties, while its community economic development work supports rural communities across Colorado. The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Virginia (72%) and Colorado (23%), with 4% in the District of Columbia and less than 1% in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Zoma Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 39 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2.1M; repeat grants $193K. How we count
Medians: $75K first-time, $67K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 79% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $10.3M (2023) to $23.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 45 grants totaling $23.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | To advance economic prosperity and durable conservation in the great bear seasupporting sustainable livelihoods, local enterprises, and job creationby securing long-term financing through a project finance for permanence (PFP) initiative co-developed by enduring earth and 17 first nations. | $9,500,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | To support a project-finance for permanence (PFP) deal, a deal that secures long-term funding for conservation while ensuring communities benefit through sustainable livelihoods, local enterprise, and job creation tied to healthy ecosystems, developed by enduring earth with the government of mongolia, with the goal of supporting economic prosperity. | $7,000,000 |
| High Line Canal Conservancy Denver, CO | To support the high line canal conservancy and its partners to protect and revitalize the canal's natural spaces while improving the human experience, with the goal of supporting community connection and development. | $1,530,681 |
| Windward Fund Washington, DC | To support central operations of enduring earth to advance project-finance for permanence deals to drive biodiversity, durable conservation, and community economic development goals, including supporting sustainable livelihoods, local enterprise, and job creation. | $727,842 |
| Arapahoe Community College Foundation Littleton, CO | To support the Colorado health careers collaborative, led by arapahoe community college and the community college of denver, which brings together some of Colorado's largest health employers, community colleges, an innovative Colorado based instructional design company, and 7 rural and urban k-12 school districts to co-create equitable health career paths for Colorado youth. | $425,363 |
| YOUTHPOWER365 Avon, CO | To support the careerwise youth apprenticeship initiative, led by the vail valley partnership, to expand workforce development pathways toward careers for youth in Eagle county schools, grades 8-12. | $392,775 |
| Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) Denver, CO | To support strategic capacity support for Colorado education initiative's career-connecting learning. | $300,000 |
| Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) Denver, CO | To support homegrown talent initiative, a joint effort between Colorado education initiative and Colorado succeeds to develop career-connected learning experiences for k-12 students in rural communities across Colorado. | $240,000 |
| Windward Fund Washington, DC | To support the development and launch of the symbiosis coalition, a carbon market buyer's coalition that seeks to increase investment in the next generation of nature-based carbon removals projects with the goal of unlocking more private investment for community economic development programs around the world. | $217,500 |
| Colorado State University (CSU) Foundation Fort Collins, CO | To Support General Operations | $200,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $529,458,258 | $5,376,616 | $28,942,330 | $23,027,286 | 45 | $30,943,070 | $10,628,152 | $26,117,354 |
| 2023 | $504,557,339 | $7,139,327 | $17,294,533 | $10,281,818 | 45 | $20,066,180 | $8,715,158 | $20,064,011 |
| 2022 | $513,543,344 | $-6,502,322 | $13,627,817 | $10,373,833 | 50 | $11,169,054 | $6,697,842 | $30,082,217 |
| 2021 | $533,673,483 | $324,907,184 | $19,617,305 | $12,863,386 | 55 | $21,688,364 | $323,072,186 | $29,865,962 |
| 2020 | $228,655,575 | $19,208,599 | $22,709,964 | $19,885,325 | 64 | — | $17,694,008 | $12,800,156 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zoma Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $26.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation describes philanthropy as a catalytic tool for exploring approaches, piloting models, and incubating place-based strategies. Its Colorado early childhood work covers five Metro-Denver counties—Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, and Jefferson—and focuses on perinatal mental health, child maltreatment prevention and care, and parent awareness. Its Colorado workforce development work aims to reconnect education with the labor market through affordable, valuable career pathways and job-relevant skills. Its community economic development work supports rural communities in developing approaches that use local assets to catalyze economic opportunities.
The foundation’s Chile work is led by Fundación Viento Sur. Its stated early childhood priorities there include prevention and care for child neglect, maltreatment, and sexual abuse; perinatal mental health; and parent awareness.
Its 2024 grants also supported conservation and community economic development, Colorado workforce and career-connected learning, child maltreatment prevention, and other activities. Among the grantees, The Nature Conservancy describes its mission as conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. High Line Canal Conservancy says it works to preserve, protect, and enhance the 71-mile legacy canal. YouthPower365 says it prepares children in need for success through education and recreational opportunities. Illuminate Colorado says it strengthens families, organizations, and communities to prevent child maltreatment.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 45 grants totaling $23,027,286. Grant amounts ranged from $20,000 to $9,500,000, with a median of $50,000.
The largest reported awards included $9,500,000 and $7,000,000 to The Nature Conservancy for Project Finance for Permanence initiatives linking conservation with sustainable livelihoods, local enterprise, and job creation. High Line Canal Conservancy received $1,530,681 for work to protect and revitalize the canal’s natural spaces and improve the human experience. Windward Fund received $727,842 for Enduring Earth central operations and $217,500 to support development and launch of the Symbiosis Coalition. Other notable awards included $425,363 to Arapahoe Community College Foundation for the Colorado Health Careers Collaborative; $392,775 to YouthPower365 for a youth apprenticeship initiative; and $300,000 to Colorado Education Initiative for strategic capacity support for career-connected learning.
The foundation also reported providing a loan in 2024 to Emergent Forest Finance Accelerator to support approximately ten jurisdictional-scale carbon transactions and the ongoing operations of the LEAF Coalition.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Benjamin S. Walton and Lucy Ana A. Walton as directors and co-presidents, Janna Williams as secretary, and Abraham Sherman as treasurer.
Zoma Foundation Inc is led by Benjamin S. Walton, Director & Co-President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Benjamin S. Walton
Director & Co-President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lucy Ana A. Walton
Director & Co-President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janna Williams
Secretary
Treasurer → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
12 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abraham Sherman
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: M Sean Evans (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Valeria Alberola (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Lisa Montez (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Zoma Holdings LLC (2020–2021) — Management Services
- Former: Sean Evans (2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Zoma Foundation Inc
How much does Zoma Foundation Inc give each year?
Zoma Foundation Inc gave $23.0M across 45 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $10.3M across 45 grants.
What is Zoma Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Zoma Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $511,717, across 45 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Zoma Foundation Inc that year got $2.1M on average.
Where does Zoma Foundation Inc give grants?
Zoma Foundation Inc gives mostly in Virginia: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (26 grants), Arlington, VA (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Grand Junction, CO (2 grants).
Does Zoma Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of Zoma Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Zoma Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Zoma Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include The Nature Conservancy ($16,500,000 across 2 grants), High Line Canal Conservancy ($1,530,681) and Windward Fund ($945,342 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Zoma Foundation Inc?
Zoma Foundation Inc reported $529.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $30.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Zoma Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation describes philanthropy as a catalytic tool for exploring approaches, piloting models, and incubating place-based strategies. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Zoma Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and 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 Zoma Foundation Inc's EIN?
Zoma Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4630003. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Zoma Foundation Inc 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Zoma Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/zoma-foundation-inc-morg_41fc8e42a8844c1fa6afab7229c03fe8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_814630003_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Zoma Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/zoma-foundation-inc-morg_41fc8e42a8844c1fa6afab7229c03fe8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Zoma Foundation Inc'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.
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