The Fred and Elli Iselin Foundation focuses on supporting youth services in the Aspen/Basalt area, funding recreational and out-of-school programs that increase access for local children and teens. Their recent grants provide scholarship funding for youth skiing and direct support for after-school and summer programming, indicating a preference for hands-on, community-based organizations serving young people.
Highly concentrated, local giving with a very small number of moderate-size grants directed to grassroots youth organizations; funding appears targeted and program-specific rather than broad or national.
The Fred and Elli Iselin Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by youth skiing and youth services in the Aspen/Basalt area, with the largest grant going to Aspen Valley Ski Club for scholarship support. That pattern is paired with direct backing for after-school and summer programming, showing a focus on access for children and teens rather than broad, generalized philanthropy. In 2024, the foundation also supported organizations that serve young people through education, recreation, and community-based programming across the Roaring Fork Valley. Its grant list includes substantial support for Aspen Youth Center, along with smaller awards to groups such as Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers and River Bridge Regional Center. The foundation also reaches into related local needs, including early learning, restorative justice, mental health clinician support, and science education in schools. Grants are usually modest in size, but the priorities are clear: hands-on programs, local service delivery, and support that helps children and youth participate in activities and services in their own communities.
Youth recreation is a defining theme. The Fred and Elli Iselin Foundation gave $20,000 to Aspen Valley Ski Club for scholarship support, and it gave $500 to Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum for program support, linking its giving to winter sports access and the local ski culture. After-school and summer programming is another core area. Aspen Youth Center received $13,500 for after-school and summer programs, while River Bridge Regional Center received $5,000 for general program support, both indicating investment in structured youth services. The foundation also backs education and child development. Aspen School District received $1,000 for Science in Schools, and Roaring Fork Valley Early Learning received $3,500 for Raising a Reader, showing support for both school-based STEM enrichment and early literacy. Smaller grants to Youth Zone for restorative justice and A Way Out for support for mental health clinicians extend that youth-focused pattern into behavioral health and justice-related services.
Grant sizes cluster at the lower end of the range: the 25th percentile is $1,500, the median is $3,500, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. The 2024 list shows a mix of larger anchor grants and many smaller awards, which suggests a portfolio built around direct program support rather than a few large commitments. Recipients are mostly Colorado organizations, and several communities appear more than once across the year, including Aspen, Basalt, Glenwood Springs, and Carbondale. The foundation funds individuals as well as organizations, and the grant list does not show a public application process.
$122K
$2.6M
$137K
$183K
Most grants fall between $2K and $5K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Notable grantees: Aspen Valley Ski Club, Aspen Youth Center
Giving is concentrated in Colorado, which accounts for 72% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Within the state, Aspen appears repeatedly, alongside Basalt, Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Vail, Alamosa, Rifle, Aurora, and Denver. The geographic footprint also reaches outside Colorado, but only within the US. Utah recipients include Kanab and Bluff, and there are single grants to organizations in Washington, DC, White Plains, NY, and New York, NY.
Its recent grants center on youth skiing, after-school and summer programs, early literacy, science education, restorative justice, mental health clinician support, and community-based services. Named examples include Aspen Youth Center, Roaring Fork Valley Early Learning, Aspen School District, Youth Zone, and A Way Out.
The grant-size distribution is relatively small: the 25th percentile is $1,500, the median is $3,500, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. The 2024 list includes both smaller awards and a few larger grants above that range.
No. Most grants go to Colorado recipients, and 72% of grants are in the HQ state, but the recent list also includes organizations in Utah, Washington, DC, White Plains, New York, and New York City. All listed grants are to US recipients.
Yes. Youth-serving organizations are a clear theme in the grant list, including Aspen Valley Ski Club for scholarship support, Aspen Youth Center for after-school and summer programs, Youth Zone for restorative justice, and Roaring Fork Valley Early Learning for Raising a Reader.
The 2024 data show repeated support for the same general local youth-service pattern, but the recipient list provided does not show multi-year repeats for specific grantees. The clearest pattern is continued support for Aspen/Basalt-area youth programs in a range of program-specific awards.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASPEN VALLEY SKI CLUB | ASPEN, CO | $20,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT |
| ASPEN YOUTH CENTER | ASPEN, CO | $13,500 | 2024 | AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS |
| STEADMAN PHILIPPON RESEARCH INSTITU | VAIL, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| INDEPENDENCE PASS FNDT | ASPEN, CO | $8,750 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP | BLUFF, UT | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LA PUENTE HOME INC | ALAMOSA, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | FOOD BANK NETWORK OF THE SAN LUIS VA |
| EDUC FNDT FOR THE COLO NAT'L GUARD | AURORA, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM |
| GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NTL MNT P | KANAB, UT | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FOOD BANKS OF THE ROCKIES | GRAND JUNCTION, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ROARING FORK OUTDOOR VOLUNTEERS | BASALT, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RIVER BRIDGE REGIONAL CENTER | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YOUTH ZONE | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2024 | RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM |
| ASPEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY | ASPEN, CO | $4,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ROARING FORK VALLEY EARLY LEARNING | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2024 | RAISING A READER PROGRAM |
| FRIENDS OF THE ASPEN ANIMAL SHELTER | ASPEN, CO | $3,500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WILDERNESS WORKSHOP | CARBONDALE, CO | $2,500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| A WAY OUT | ASPEN, CO | $2,500 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS |
| LIFT UP GARFIELD COUNTY | RIFLE, CO | $2,500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KNAB, UT | $2,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE RF VALL | CARBONDALE, CO | $2,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ENGLISH IN ACTION | BASALT, CO | $1,500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY | DENVER, CO | $1,500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASPEN SCHOOL DISTRICT | ASPEN, CO | $1,000 | 2024 | SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE US | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WORLD WILDLIFE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $750 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MARCH OF DIMES | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COLORADO SKI & SNOWBOARD MUSEUM | VAIL, CO | $500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PHYS COMMITTEE FOR RESPO | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| US COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ASPEN VALLEY SKI CLUB | ASPEN, CO | $17,500 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT |
| ASPEN YOUTH CENTER | ASPEN, CO | $13,500 | 2023 | AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS |
| STEADMAN PHILIPPON RESEARCH INSTITU | VAIL, CO | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| INDEPENDENCE PASS FNDT | ASPEN, CO | $8,750 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| FAMILY VISITOR PROGRAM OF GARFIELD | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $6,000 | 2023 | PARTNERS FOR A HEALTHY BABY PROGRAM |
| LA PUENTE HOME INC | ALAMOSA, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | FOOD BANK NETWORK OF THE SAN LUIS VA |
| ROARING FORK OUTDOOR VOLUNTEERS | BASALT, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MUSIC ASSOC OF ASPEN | ASPEN, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP | BLUFF, UT | $5,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RIVER BRIDGE REGIONAL CENTER | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EDUC FNDT FOR THE COLO NAT'L GUARD | AURORA, CO | $5,000 | 2023 | TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM |
| GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NTL MNT P | KANAB, UT | $5,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YOUTH ZONE | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $4,000 | 2023 | RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAM |
| ASPEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY | ASPEN, CO | $4,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ROARING FORK VALLEY EARLY LEARNING | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $3,500 | 2023 | RAISING A READER PROGRAM |
| FRIENDS OF THE ASPEN ANIMAL SHELTER | ASPEN, CO | $3,500 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| A WAY OUT | ASPEN, CO | $2,500 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS |
| WILDERNESS WORKSHOP | CARBONDALE, CO | $2,500 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KNAB, UT | $2,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE RF VALL | CARBONDALE, CO | $2,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY | DENVER, CO | $1,500 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
ASPEN VALLEY SKI CLUB
$20,000SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT
INDEPENDENCE PASS FNDT
$8,750PROGRAM SUPPORT
FOOD BANK NETWORK OF THE SAN LUIS VA
EDUC FNDT FOR THE COLO NAT'L GUARD
$5,000TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NTL MNT P
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
FOOD BANKS OF THE ROCKIES
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RIVER BRIDGE REGIONAL CENTER
$5,000GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
ROARING FORK VALLEY EARLY LEARNING
$3,500RAISING A READER PROGRAM
FRIENDS OF THE ASPEN ANIMAL SHELTER
$3,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
LIFT UP GARFIELD COUNTY
$2,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE RF VALL
$2,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY
$1,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
ASPEN SCHOOL DISTRICT
$1,000SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS
HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE US
$1,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
COLORADO SKI & SNOWBOARD MUSEUM
$500PROGRAM SUPPORT
PHYS COMMITTEE FOR RESPO
$500PROGRAM SUPPORT
US COMMITTEE FOR UNICEF
$500PROGRAM SUPPORT
ASPEN VALLEY SKI CLUB
$17,500SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT
INDEPENDENCE PASS FNDT
$8,750PROGRAM SUPPORT
FAMILY VISITOR PROGRAM OF GARFIELD
$6,000PARTNERS FOR A HEALTHY BABY PROGRAM
LA PUENTE HOME INC
$5,000FOOD BANK NETWORK OF THE SAN LUIS VA
ROARING FORK OUTDOOR VOLUNTEERS
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
MUSIC ASSOC OF ASPEN
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BEARS EARS PARTNERSHIP
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RIVER BRIDGE REGIONAL CENTER
$5,000GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT
EDUC FNDT FOR THE COLO NAT'L GUARD
$5,000TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NTL MNT P
$5,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ROARING FORK VALLEY EARLY LEARNING
$3,500RAISING A READER PROGRAM
FRIENDS OF THE ASPEN ANIMAL SHELTER
$3,500PROGRAM SUPPORT
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF THE RF VALL
$2,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY
$1,500PROGRAM SUPPORT