Avenir Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Avenir Foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered; a realistic first step is a relationship that could lead to an invitation.
- Its filings show grants mainly in Colorado, to an opera company and a museum, including endowment support, general operating funds and a matching endowment fund, so an organisation with similar work in Colorado is the closest fit, though no geographic focus is stated.
- The filings give no grant range, so the size of any request cannot be judged from them, and the foundation paid $2,700,000 in its most recent filing.
- In that filing, 44% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in the previous filing, so repeat recipients are a substantial part of its giving.
- Organisations that cannot secure a preselected introduction should not send it a request.
Overview
Avenir Foundation is a US private foundation based in Lakewood, CO.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (insidephilanthropy.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings record grants to an opera company and to a museum, including endowment support for the museum. They also describe grants for general operating funds and a matching endowment fund. A report on the foundation’s earlier giving says most of its giving was devoted to Colorado’s fine arts scene. The foundation’s filed application information says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The material does not state broader eligibility criteria or identify an ongoing set of funding fields.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Colorado.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 44% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 46% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 44% of grant dollars went to organisations Avenir Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 14% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum · For the benefit of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum Endowment$1,500,0002023 tax year
- Central City Opera · General Operating Funds and matching endowment fund$1,200,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- William Dodge Wallace — President / Director
- Norman L Wilson — Treasurer / Director
- Margaret Boynton Wallace — Secretary / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,001,441 | $1,000,000 | $1,047,697 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,701,861 | $2,700,000 | $1,232,461,712 | Filing for 2023 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
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At a glance
Applying to Avenir Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Lakewood, CO
Applying to Avenir Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Lakewood, CO