The Delaware State Capitol

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 20-5012202

Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation

A private foundation in Wilmington, DE. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 16 grants and $958,425 paid in grants.

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Accepts applications

The return gives an application contact and rules, as below.

Contact
James Lang Administrator
PO Box 4556
Greenville, DE 19807
(302) 540-6389
Form and materials
Applications should adhere to the grant application guidelines (available on our website: mtcubafnd.org or by mail to james lang).
Deadlines
No deadlines.
Restrictions
Applicant needs to be a qualified non-profit organization with the IRS.

Assets and giving by year

6 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.
  • Tax year 2025

    $958,425

    Grants listed
    16
    Assets, end of year
    $6,300,553
  • Tax year 2024

    $963,886

    Grants listed
    14
    Assets, end of year
    $5,852,106
  • Tax year 2023

    $929,927

    Grants listed
    5
    Assets, end of year
    $5,897,493
  • Tax year 2022

    $1,059,646

    Grants listed
    7
    Assets, end of year
    $6,615,526
  • Tax year 2021

    $855,629

    Grants listed
    8
    Assets, end of year
    $9,308,691
  • Tax year 2020

    $812,329

    Grants listed
    8
    Assets, end of year
    $9,057,533

Grants paid in 2025

16 grants, largest first

As listed on the return. Grants to individuals show as “Individual”, with purpose and amount only.

  1. President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeBoston, MA

    General

    $250,000
  2. University of Hawaii FoundationHonolulu, HI

    General

    $243,232
  3. Carnegie ScienceWashington, DC

    General

    $118,650
  4. The Research Foundation for the SUNYAlbany, NY

    General

    $102,000
  5. The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyMcAllen, TX

    General

    $88,076
  6. Lowell ObservatoryFlagstaff, AZ

    General

    $69,070
  7. The University CorporationNorthridge, CA

    General

    $53,441
  8. Mt Cuba Astronomical Observatory- Vernon LectureWilmington, DE

    General

    $17,956
  9. Individual

    Scholarship

    $3,000
  10. Individual

    Scholarship

    $3,000
  11. Individual

    Scholarship

    $3,000
  12. Individual

    Scholarship

    $3,000
  13. Individual

    Scholarship

    $1,000
  14. Individual

    Scholarship

    $1,000
  15. Individual

    Scholarship

    $1,000
  16. Individual

    Scholarship

    $1,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Education1 grant $243,23256% of the total
  2. Science and technology2 grants $187,72044% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. Massachusetts1 grant $250,000
  2. Hawaii1 grant $243,232
  3. District of Columbia1 grant $118,650
  4. New York1 grant $102,000
  5. Texas1 grant $88,076
  6. Arizona1 grant $69,070
  7. California1 grant $53,441
  8. Delaware1 grant $17,956

Officers, directors and trustees

6 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Theodore H AshfordCHAIRMAN/TREASURER Hours 1Pay $0
  • Theodore H Ashford IIISECRETARY Hours 1Pay $0
  • Daniel D Friel JrPRESIDENT Hours 1Pay $0
  • Dave GroskiTRUSTEE Hours 1Pay $0
  • Mark PiroTRUSTEE Hours 1Pay $0
  • Grace EngbringTRUSTEE Hours 1Pay $0

The return

More foundations

Similar foundations

Same main cause (education), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.

  1. Elaine and Jeffrey Lovell FoundationWilmington, DE 34 grants Preselected only $957,500 giving
  2. Sunstone FoundationWilmington, DE 102 grants Preselected only $945,904 giving
  3. Gadomski Family FoundationWilmington, DE 11 grants Preselected only $934,000 giving
  4. Margaret Q Landenberger Research FoundationWilmington, DE 9 grants Preselected only $1,000,000 giving
  5. DW Gore Family FoundationWilmington, DE 17 grants Preselected only $1,000,000 giving