Cafesjian Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2,002,269
• Success Rate: N/A (preselected organizations only)
• Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: Average $833,000
• Geographic Focus: Armenia (primarily), Minnesota (limited)

Contact Details

Main Office

• Location: Shoreview, MN
• Phone: (612) 359-8991
• Email: info@cafesjianarttrust.org
• Website: cafesjianfoundation.com

Cafesjian Center for the Arts (Armenia)

• Address: 10 Tamanyan Street, Yerevan 0009, Armenia
• Phone: +374-10-56-72-62 (Visitor Center)
• Email: info@cmf.am
• Website: www.cmf.am

Overview

The Cafesjian Family Foundation Inc was founded in late 1996 by Gerard Leon Cafesjian (1925-2013), a prominent Armenian-American businessman and philanthropist who rose to executive vice president at West Publishing Company in St. Paul, Minnesota. Created in memory of his parents, Levon and Nora, the foundation is an independent, U.S.-based private foundation entirely dedicated to Armenian-oriented philanthropy. With total assets of $55.4 million and annual expenses of approximately $2 million, the foundation has invested more than $128 million in various Armenian projects since inception. Now led by Gerard's daughter, Kathleen Cafesjian-Baradaran, who was awarded the Gold Medal of the Ministry of Culture of Armenia in 2019, the foundation continues its mission of promoting economic development in Armenia and strengthening U.S.-Armenia relations through strategic investments and grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates exclusively through preselected grants with an average size of $833,000. There is no public application process - all grants are made at trustee discretion to organizations identified by the board.

Priority Areas

• Economic development and job creation in Armenia
• Energy independence and renewable energy projects
• Independent media and free press (Armenia TV, ArmNews)
• Arts and culture, particularly the Cafesjian Center for the Arts
• Education, including American University of Armenia
• Infrastructure development (roads, schools, community facilities)
• U.S.-Armenia bilateral relations

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations without existing relationships to the foundation
• Projects outside Armenia and Armenian-American relations
• General operating support for non-Armenian causes
• Unsolicited requests from any organization

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

• Kathleen Cafesjian-Baradaran - Chairperson, President, and Secretary (daughter of founder)
• Phil Oman - Treasurer
• Thomas Cafesjian - Director (son of founder)
• Carrie J. Martinson - Director (granddaughter of founder)
• Jaffar Baradaran - Director

The foundation represents multi-generational family commitment to Armenian philanthropy. Kathleen Cafesjian-Baradaran stated upon receiving Armenia's Gold Medal: "The foundation's mission is to support sustainable economic activity in Armenia, creating jobs and strengthening ties between Armenia and the United States."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made at the discretion of the board of trustees.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's Armenia focus and preselected approach, organizations may come to their attention through:

• Leadership in Armenia's economic development, renewable energy, or independent media sectors
• Established relationships within the Armenian philanthropic community
• Connections to the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan
• Partnership with established Armenian-American organizations like the Armenian Assembly or AGBU
• Significant impact in foundation priority areas that gains sector recognition

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion without formal application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation works with preselected organizations only.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, alignment depends on:

Critical Factors:

• Armenian Focus Required: Projects must advance Armenia's development or U.S.-Armenia relations
• Substantial Scale: Average grant of $833,000 indicates preference for transformational projects
• Economic Development Emphasis: Foundation prioritizes sustainable economic impact and job creation
• Strategic Sector Alignment: Energy independence, media freedom, arts/culture, education, and infrastructure are documented priorities
• Established Track Record: Historical grantees include major institutions like Armenian Assembly, AGBU, and Armenia Fund USA

The foundation's investment approach extends beyond traditional grants - Gerard Cafesjian invested over $128 million in Armenian ventures including television stations, financial services, renewable energy companies, real estate, newspapers, and banking. This suggests preference for entrepreneurial, sustainable business models.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - foundation exclusively supports preselected organizations through trustee discretion
• Armenian focus is absolute - foundation is "entirely dedicated to Armenian-oriented philanthropy"
• Large-scale impact preferred - average $833,000 grants indicate focus on transformational rather than incremental projects
• Economic sustainability valued - foundation emphasizes job creation and sustainable economic activity over traditional charity
• Multi-generational family commitment - three generations of Cafesjians ensure long-term continuity of mission
• Strategic priority areas clear - energy, media, arts, education, and infrastructure represent consistent funding themes
• Relationship-based giving model - foundation maintains ongoing partnerships with select organizations rather than open competitions

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Cafesjian Family Foundation Inc (EIN 81-3442853). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/813442853 (Accessed February 24, 2026)
• CauseIQ - Cafesjian Family Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/cafesjian-family-foundation,813442853/ (Accessed February 24, 2026)
• Grantmakers.io - Cafesjian Family Foundation Inc Profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/813442853-cafesjian-family-foundation-inc/ (Accessed February 24, 2026)
• Armeniapedia - Gerard Cafesjian Biography. https://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/Gerard_Cafesjian (Accessed February 24, 2026)
• Cafesjian Center for the Arts - "Mrs. Kathleen Cafesjian-Baradaran Awarded Gold Medal." https://www.cmf.am/Mrs--Kathleen-Cafesjian-Baradaran--President-of-the-Cafesjian-Family-Foundation--Awarded-with-Gold-Medal-of-the-Ministry-of-Culture/page/1 (Accessed February 24, 2026)
• ARMENPRESS - "Armenian president hosts Cafesjian Family Foundation chair." https://armenpress.am/eng/news/779950.html (Accessed February 24, 2026)
• Star Tribune - "Gerard Cafesjian helped save carousel." September 17, 2013. https://www.startribune.com/obituary-gerard-cafesjian-helped-save-carousel/226228961 (Accessed February 24, 2026)