Pema Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2.7-6.5 million
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: N/A (preselected organizations)
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $150,000+
• Geographic Focus: Denver/Colorado (primarily)

Contact Details

Foundation does not publish contact information for grant inquiries as they only support preselected organizations.

Overview

The Pema Foundation Inc, established in 2003 by Peter H. and Marilyn E. Coors, is a private family foundation based in Denver, Colorado with approximately $24-26 million in assets. The foundation distributed $2.74 million through 77 grants in 2023 and $6.5 million in charitable disbursements in 2024, representing 96.3% of its total expenses. As a faith-driven philanthropic organization, the foundation reflects the Coors family's Catholic values and commitment to education, opportunity, and civil society. Peter and Jeff Coors were recognized with the 2024 Simon-DeVos Prize for Philanthropic Leadership from the Philanthropy Roundtable, acknowledging nearly 50 years of philanthropic leadership.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have formal grant programs but distributes funding across five key areas:

• Catholic Education: Support for ACE Scholarships, Arrupe Jesuit High School, and Seeds of Hope
• Youth Development: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs
• Veterans & First Responders: Denver Police Foundation, Semper Fi Fund
• Public Policy: American Enterprise Institute, Steamboat Institute
• Western Heritage: Western Stock Show Association, National Western Stock Show

Priority Areas

• Catholic K-12 education for disadvantaged children
• Character development programs for youth
• Support for wounded veterans and first responders
• Organizations advancing conservative public policy
• Colorado cultural and heritage institutions

What They Don't Fund

The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by Peter H. Coors and Marilyn E. Coors, who serve as directors without compensation. Peter Coors has stated, "If you help people learn how to fish, that's probably a better service than giving them fish every day," reflecting the foundation's emphasis on self-sufficiency. Marilyn Coors describes their approach: "Philanthropy for us as Catholic Christians is really an obligation." The foundation operates with no administrative overhead, suggesting a family-run operation focused on maximizing charitable impact.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Pema Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's directors based on existing relationships and strategic priorities.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's invitation-only status and strong emphasis on Catholic values and conservative principles, organizations seeking support would need to:

• Align closely with the foundation's Catholic/conservative values
• Focus on one of their five priority areas, particularly Catholic education or youth development
• Be based in or serve the Denver/Colorado community
• Build relationships through shared board service or community involvement where the Coors family is active (Pete Coors serves on boards including Western Stock Show Association, Denver Art Museum Foundation, and previously chaired Regis University)
• Demonstrate measurable impact in helping people achieve self-sufficiency rather than creating dependency

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made internally for preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation only.

Application Success Factors

Since the Pema Foundation works only with preselected organizations, traditional application success factors don't apply. However, based on their giving patterns and stated philosophy:

• Organizations receiving support demonstrate strong alignment with Catholic values and conservative principles
• Recipients focus on education, opportunity, and character development rather than dependency
• The foundation values long-term institutional relationships - they have supported many of the same organizations since 2003
• Peter Coors' emphasis on teaching people "how to fish" suggests preference for programs that build capacity and self-sufficiency
• The foundation's high charitable payout rate (96.3%) and lack of administrative overhead indicates preference for direct service organizations over those with high overhead

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications
• Strong Catholic identity and conservative values guide all funding decisions
• Average grant size is approximately $35,600 with 70-77 grants made annually
• Focus is primarily on Denver and Colorado, though some national organizations are supported
• The foundation maintains long-term relationships with grantees rather than one-time support
• Education (particularly Catholic K-12) appears to be the highest priority area
• No public application process means relationship-building through shared values and community involvement is essential

References

• Grantmakers.io Profile - Pema Foundation Inc. (accessed February 2025)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Pema Foundation Inc, EIN 300202608 (accessed February 2025)
• "2024 Simon-DeVos Prize Winners Jeff and Pete Coors' Commitment to the American Dream" - Philanthropy Roundtable (2024)
• Instrumentl 990 Report - Pema Foundation Inc (accessed February 2025)
• Cause IQ - Pema Foundation profile (accessed February 2025)