Colcom Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 31-1479839 · since 1997colcomfdn.org·District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Virginia·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$21M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$15,000 to $380k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$60,000
Typical grant (median)
137 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • Its stated priority is southwestern Pennsylvania, and its funding interests are carrying capacity, local environment and local community, so work with a conservation, biodiversity, watershed or community-access angle in that area fits best.
  • Typical grants fall between $15,000 and $380,000, and half of its 388 grants to organisations were $66,000 or less, so a modest request near the middle of that range is realistic; its largest grant was about $2,850,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
  • Start with a Letter of Inquiry for a project it has not funded before, on a rolling basis; if it is approved, the full Grant Application is due on November 30, February 28, May 31 or August 31.
  • Its latest filing shows 93% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in an earlier filing, so a first-time applicant should expect a relationship-led route and allow time for the inquiry step before a deadline.

Overview

Colcom Foundation is a US private foundation based in Pittsburgh, PA.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

Colcom Foundation identifies Carrying Capacity, Local Environment and Local Community as its funding interests. Its ongoing land-conservation priority includes urban/suburban and rural projects in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation links conservation with safeguarding biodiversity, mitigating urban sprawl, promoting watershed health and increasing community access to nature. Its wider environmental outlook discusses habitat destruction, pollution, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse among the consequences of population growth. Together, these interests describe a focus on ecological balance, land conservation, local communities and biodiversity protection.

Themes

  • Carrying Capacity
  • Local Environment
  • Local Community

Geographic Focus

Priority: Southwestern Pennsylvania. From its grants, not stated by the foundation: Pennsylvania; District of Columbia; Virginia.

What They Don't Fund

  • Laurel Foundation only: individuals

How to apply

For a project not previously funded, the applicant submits a Letter of Inquiry on a rolling basis. If approved, the applicant is invited to submit a full Grant Application by one of the recurring deadlines.

Deadlines:

  • Grant Applications are due on November 30, February 28, May 31 and August 31.
  • The Laurel submission set has deadlines on April 1 and October 1.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 93% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 388 grants to organisations were $66,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Pennsylvania44%
District of Columbia41%
Virginia12%
West Virginia2%
Hawaii<1%
Florida<1%

5 other states: <1%

  • The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to organisations Colcom Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • 7% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

137 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $60,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 137 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$5k–$10k4%
$10k–$25k12%
$25k–$50k22%
$50k–$100k22%
$100k–$250k21%
$250k–$500k10%
$500k–$1M7%
$1M and over1%

Median $60,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Immigration Reform Law Institute · Restricted grant
    $2,000,0002024 tax year
  • Pittsburgh Trust for Cultural Resources · 8th street block civic space and cultural district streetscaping
    $1,000,0002024 tax year
  • NumbersUSA Education & Research Foundation · General operating support
    $910,0002024 tax year
  • Federation for American Immigration Reform · General operating support
    $650,0002024 tax year
  • NumbersUSA Education & Research Foundation · General operating support
    $650,0002024 tax year
  • NumbersUSA Education & Research Foundation · General operating support
    $650,0002024 tax year
  • Federation for American Immigration Reform · General operating support
    $650,0002024 tax year
  • Federation for American Immigration Reform · General operating support
    $650,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • J F Rohe — Director
  • D E Baker — Director
  • D M Panazzi — Director
  • M M Strueber — Director
  • T M Inglis — Director
  • A Phillips — VP Philanthropy
  • R P Lombardi — VP & Chief Financial Officer
  • J S Barsotti — Director / President / CIO

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$28,944,155$23,101,275$487,808,412Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$28,200,920$22,125,313$523,265,697Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$27,397,900$21,037,846$538,384,400Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

Other sources

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