Travelers Foundation
Preselected recipients only
Travelers Foundation is a private foundation in St Paul, Minnesota. In tax year 2025 it gave $5.9 million in 94 grants; the typical grant was $25,000 and the largest $1.0 million. It only gives to organizations it selects itself and does not accept unsolicited applications.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$5.9 million
- Number of grants94
- Typical grant$25,000
- Largest grant$1.0 million
- Assets$16.4 million
- New grantees47%
Giving in 2025 was up from $5.0 million the year before.
47% of its 2025 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $5.9 million | 88 | $94,241 |
| 2024 | $5.0 million | 94 | $1.2 million |
| 2025 | $5.9 million | 94 | $16.4 million |
How to apply
Travelers Foundation says in its IRS filing that it only makes contributions to preselected organizations, so unsolicited applications are unlikely to be considered. Organizations it funds are usually invited.
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Travelers Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 15 states, the most to Connecticut.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 41 | $3.8 million |
| Louisiana | 1 | $1.0 million |
| Minnesota | 22 | $437,500 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $200,000 |
| New York | 9 | $159,000 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $60,000 |
| Illinois | 3 | $55,000 |
| Texas | 3 | $45,000 |
| California | 4 | $34,930 |
| Colorado | 3 | $31,400 |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Bernard Project Inc | Operating support | $1.0 million |
| Greater Hartford Arts Council Incorporated | Program support for the Travelers Arts Impact Grants | $600,000 |
| United Way Inc Dba United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct | Operating support to run United Way Community Impact | $315,000 |
| Hole in the Wall Gang Fund Inc | Program support for The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps Hospital Outreach Program and Parent Programming | $300,000 |
| Ctdata Collaborative Inc | Project support for the Hartford Data Collaboratives Hartford Youth and Workforce Data Hub 750000 over three years 250000 per year | $250,000 |
| Hartford Foundation for Public Giving | Greater Futures Scholarship Fund - Hartford Foundation Centennial Campaign | $250,000 |
| United Way Inc Dba United Way of Central & Northeastern Ct | Cradle to Career pathway for City of Hartford youth | $250,000 |
| Connecticut Science Center Inc | Operating Support for the Connecticut Science Centers Mission Fulfillment Activities in 2025 225000 and Hartford Public Schools Busing Support 5000 | $225,000 |
| Hartford Promise Inc | Program support for the Hartford Promise Scholarship Fund | $200,000 |
| Rebuilding Together Inc | Project support to put FORTIFIED roofs in hurricane-impacted and hurricane-prone areas of Florida and Texas ensuring families have safer more secure homes ahead of future storms | $200,000 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford Inc | Operating support for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford | $120,000 |
| Horace Bushnell Memorial Hall Corporation | Program support for PARTNERS Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools for the 2025-26 school year | $100,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of North Central Connecticut | Project support for the construction of a single-family home at 5 Mahl Avenue North Hartford | $100,000 |
| Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation Inc | Operating support for Hartford Youth Scholars The Collegiate Academy and High School and College Success Programs | $100,000 |
| University of Connecticut Foundation Incorporated | Travelers Residential Scholarship at UConn Hartford Fund payment 1 of 5 to be made in 2025 contingent | $100,000 |
| Hartford Public Library | Operating Support for Hartford Public Librarys Teen Services Educational Initiatives | $90,000 |
| Junior Achievement of Southwest New England | Operating support to enable JA to deliver programming to Hartford students | $90,000 |
| Read to A Child Inc | Program support for The Read Aloud Mentoring Program literacy mentoring for Hartfords elementary students for schoolyear 2025-26 | $60,000 |
| Social Enterprises Trust Inc | Operating support to launch and grow Hartford businesses | $60,000 |
| College Possible | General operating for College Possible s Access and Success Programming | $50,000 |
| The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library | Capital campaign support for the Friends of Saint Paul Public Librarys Transform Our Libraries Discover Our Possibilities Campaign | $50,000 |
| Hartford Land Bank Inc | Program support for the Gap Funding Program | $50,000 |
| Local Initiatives Support Corporation | Operating support to allow LISC to do its core work of Strengthening Neighborhoods and Residents through Investments Capacity Building and Economic Security Programs | $50,000 |
| Northeast Neighborhood Partners Inc | Operating support to advance North Hartford Partnerships work in Affordable Housing Clean Energy Access and Community-Driven Economic Development | $50,000 |
| Page Education Foundation | General operating support for Page Education Foundations scholarship program | $50,000 |
| The Police Athletic and Activities League of Hartford Incorporated | Operating support for The Police Athletic & Activities League of Hartford INC Programming | $50,000 |
| Upper Albany Main Street Program Inc | Operating support for Upper Albany Main Street UAMS Programs and Initiatives | $50,000 |
| Connecticut Rise Network Inc | Operating support for promoting Grade 9 on-track and postsecondary success with Hartford Public Schools | $40,000 |
| Hartford Parent University Inc | Operating support for HPU to run its programing with Hartford Public Schools in 2025 | $40,000 |
| Bestprep | Program support for BestPreps eMentors Cloud Coach Classroom Plus and Minnesota Business Venture Programs | $35,000 |
| Connectikids Inc | Program support for the ConnectiKids Youth Development Program | $35,000 |
| Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art | Program support for School and Teacher Programs | $35,000 |
| Ctdata Collaborative Inc | Program support for the Hartford Youth Data Fellowship | $30,000 |
| Minnesota Childrens Museum | General operating support for the Play for All Access program at the Minnesota Childrens Museum | $30,000 |
| The Science Museum of Minnesota | General Operating Support for SSMs STEM Education programs | $30,000 |
| Actuarial Foundation | Program support for Math Motivators Tutoring Program and STEM Stars Actuarial Scholars Program | $25,000 |
| Community First School Inc | Operating support for Community First School | $25,000 |
| Community First School Inc | Operating support for Community First School | $25,000 |
| Operation Fuel Inc | Program support for the Fuel assistance program | $25,000 |
| Girls for Technology Inc | Program support for GradRise | $25,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Andy F Bessette
- Marlene M Ibsen
- Lisa B Walker
- Tara Spain
- Erin L Haberman
- Rita R Ortiz
- Scott W Rynda
- Daniel S Frey
- Wendy C Skjerven
- Lisa Caputo
- Dave French
- Christine K Kalla
- Michael F Klein
- Jeff Klenk
- Diane Kurtzman
Questions people ask
Does Travelers Foundation accept grant applications?
No. Its IRS filing says it only makes contributions to preselected organizations.
How much does Travelers Foundation give?
$5.9 million in tax year 2025, across 94 grants, with a typical grant of $25,000.
Who runs Travelers Foundation?
Its 2025 filing lists Andy F Bessette (Director & Chairman), Marlene M Ibsen (President & CEO), Lisa B Walker (President & CEO) and Tara Spain (Vice President & COO) among 15 officers and trustees.
What does Travelers Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, youth programs and arts and culture.