The Avedisian 575 Foundation focuses overwhelmingly on Armenian community, religious, cultural and humanitarian causes, funding church infrastructure, diaspora relief (notably Artsakh/Refugee assistance), Armenian education and some health-related charity programs. Its grants prioritize institutional Armenian churches and national Armenian organizations, with occasional support for scholarships, medical treatment programs, and cultural/educational initiatives tied to the Armenian community.
A single grant for $5,000,000 to Saint James Armenian Church for land and building purchase and expansion captures the scale and priorities of Avedisian 575 Foundation Inc C/o Sonya Nersessian Esq. The foundation’s giving is centered on Armenian community institutions and humanitarian support, with church infrastructure, refugee relief, education, and health-related programs appearing across its recent awards. Another large gift, $1,023,665 to the Armenian Missionary Association of America for Project Revive-Artsakh refugees, shows a second major strand of the portfolio: assistance tied to displacement and crisis response within the Armenian diaspora. The foundation also supports religious and cultural continuity through grants such as $160,000 to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America - Eastern for church music expenses and $100,000 to the Armenian Church Endowment Fund for the Edward Onanian Memorial Endowment Fund. Education appears as a recurring theme as well, with support for college scholarships, lecture series, and school programs. Health-related giving is narrower but present, including treatment support for critical illness and cancer programs. Across the portfolio, the pattern is institutional rather than individual, with grants directed to churches, Armenian organizations, and affiliated nonprofit bodies.
Armenian religious institutions receive some of the foundation’s largest awards. In 2025, it gave $5,000,000 to Saint James Armenian Church for land and building purchase and expansion, and $50,000 to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America - Eastern for the bishop’s annual appeal. Humanitarian aid is another clear line of giving. The foundation awarded $1,023,665 to the Armenian Missionary Association of America for Project Revive-Artsakh refugees, and also gave the same organization $10,000 in 2024 for earthquake relief in Syria. Education and cultural preservation also appear repeatedly. Grants include $150,000 to the American University of Armenia for college students scholarship funding and support, $25,000 to Friends of Hrant Dink Inc for educational school programs, and $25,000 to the Armenian American Medical Association Inc for the Aram Chobanian lecture series. Health-related grants are smaller but targeted, including $130,000 to The Max Foundation for treatment of critical illness and cancer treatment programs.
$6.5M
$6.5M
$13.1M
$6.6M
Most grants fall between $10K and $59K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$59K
About 27% of grants go to recipients in NY.
PAMELA AVEDISIAN
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Highly concentrated giving to a small set of Armenian-focused institutions: a few very large grants (multi-million and seven-figure gifts) alongside repeat, smaller grants to core Armenian organizations. Predominantly religious/ethnic philanthropy with some targeted support for humanitarian relief, education, and health.
Notable grantees: Saint James Armenian Church, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America - Eastern, American University of Armenia
Recent awards range from $10,000 to $5,000,000, with a median grant size of $25,000, a 25th percentile of $10,000, and a 75th percentile of $58,750. The portfolio includes both very large institutional gifts and a long tail of smaller program-specific awards. The grants shown span 2023 through 2025, indicating activity across multiple years rather than a one-year burst. The foundation makes grants, not program-related investments, and it does not fund individuals.
Grant recipients are all in the United States. New Jersey leads by recipient count, with grants to Paramus-based Armenian Missionary Association of America and several awards to New York institutions also appearing in the recent list. Massachusetts recipients include Watertown, Cambridge, and Wellesley. Other recipient cities include Glendale, Seattle, Spokane, and Washington, DC. The foundation gives 25% of grants to recipients in Massachusetts, even though its highest grant count is in New Jersey.
Its recent grants go mainly to Armenian churches, Armenian diaspora organizations, educational institutions, and humanitarian groups. Examples in the data include church infrastructure, refugee relief, scholarship support, lecture programs, and treatment funding for critical illness and cancer.
The median recent grant is $25,000. The lower quartile is $10,000 and the upper quartile is $58,750, while awards in the recent list range from $10,000 to $5,000,000.
No. The foundation is listed as not funding individuals, and the recent grants are all made to organizations such as churches, associations, foundations, and universities.
By recipient count, New Jersey is the top state. Massachusetts is also significant, accounting for 25% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state.
The grants emphasize Armenian church capital projects, Artsakh and refugee relief, Armenian cultural and liturgical support, higher education scholarships, and targeted medical or cancer treatment support. The recent list also includes educational programs, lecture series, and disaster relief.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAINT JAMES ARMENIAN CHURCH | WATERTOWN, MA | $5,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR LAND AND BUILDING PURCHASE AND EXPANSION |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA | PARAMUS, NJ | $1,023,665 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR PROJECT REVIVE-ARTSAKH REFUGEES |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA | GLENDALE, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND SUPPORT |
| THE MAX FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $130,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE TREATMENT OF CRITICAL ILLNESS AND CANCER TREATMENT PROGRAMS |
| ARMENIAN CHURCH ENDOWMENT FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR EDWARD ONANIAN MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA - EASTERN | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR BISHOP'S ANNUAL APPEAL |
| ARMENIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION INC | WELLESLEY, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR ARAM CHOBANIAN LECTURE SERIES |
| AURORA HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR THE VARTAN GREGORIAN HUMANITARIAN FUND |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA - EASTERN | NEW YORK, NY | $160,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CHURCH MUSIC (ORGAN) EXPENSES |
| WE ARE OUR MOUNTAINS FOUNDATION | SPOKANE, WA | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA | PARAMUS, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR EARTHQUAKE (SYRIA) RELIEF |
| FRIENDS OF HRANT DINK INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR HRANT DINK EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA - EASTERN | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR THE ANNUAL APPEAL |
| CHILDREN OF ARMENIA FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF TREE PROJECT RELATED EXPENSES IN ARMENIA |
SAINT JAMES ARMENIAN CHURCH
$5,000,000SUPPORT FOR LAND AND BUILDING PURCHASE AND EXPANSION
ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
$1,023,665SUPPORT FOR PROJECT REVIVE-ARTSAKH REFUGEES
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
$150,000COLLEGE STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND SUPPORT
THE MAX FOUNDATION
$130,000SUPPORT FOR THE TREATMENT OF CRITICAL ILLNESS AND CANCER TREATMENT PROGRAMS
ARMENIAN CHURCH ENDOWMENT FUND
$100,000SUPPORT FOR EDWARD ONANIAN MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA - EASTERN
SUPPORT FOR BISHOP'S ANNUAL APPEAL
ARMENIAN AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION INC
$25,000SUPPORT FOR ARAM CHOBANIAN LECTURE SERIES
AURORA HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE
$1,000,000SUPPORT FOR THE VARTAN GREGORIAN HUMANITARIAN FUND
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA - EASTERN
$160,000SUPPORT FOR CHURCH MUSIC (ORGAN) EXPENSES
WE ARE OUR MOUNTAINS FOUNDATION
$25,000SUPPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
$10,000SUPPORT FOR EARTHQUAKE (SYRIA) RELIEF
FRIENDS OF HRANT DINK INC
$25,000SUPPORT FOR HRANT DINK EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA - EASTERN
$25,000SUPPORT FOR THE ANNUAL APPEAL
SUPPORT OF TREE PROJECT RELATED EXPENSES IN ARMENIA