AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION is a domestic not-for-profit corporation registered with the New York Department of State under DOS ID 90160. The register gives 8 December 1954 as its initial filing date, classifies it as a charitable not-for-profit corporation and shows its status as Active on 15 October 2026. It is a grant-making foundation: it does not sell products or services. Instead it pays grants to charitable organisations.
The Internal Revenue Service lists the foundation under employer identification number 13-6123529. It is exempt under section 501(c)(3), with a ruling dated July 1956, and is classified as a private non-operating foundation. Its Form 990-PF for 2024 records 1,495 grants paid that year, totalling $23,154,432. Nearly all recipients had US addresses; a small number were in the United Kingdom and Canada. The largest grant, $3,446,817, went to the Common Purpose Charitable Trust in London for the American Express Leadership Academies. Other grants supported disaster relief, workforce programmes and environmental projects.
The same return reports $1,393,248 of revenue for 2024, which includes $1,143,248 of interest. Assets fell from $71,012,960 to $48,911,085 during the year. The foundation told the IRS that the reduction of more than 25% came from its grant-making, and that it has no plans to liquidate, terminate or dissolve. American Express Company’s 2026 proxy statement says the American Express Foundation matches eligible charitable gifts of up to $10,000 per calendar year under its Matching Gift Program.
The New York filing history records amendments to the certificate of incorporation in 1973, 1982 and 1992, the last a restated certificate. No former name or merger is recorded.
Sources
- New York Department of State, Division of Corporations — Public Inquiry entity record, DOS ID 90160 (entity record, filing history, name and merger history). Record current at retrieval; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
- Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File extract, New York (EIN 13-6123529). Monthly IRS extract; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/eo_ny.csv
- Internal Revenue Service e-file — Form 990-PF of American Express Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2024 (object ID 202503189349102565), public XML copy. Filed 14 November 2025; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://gt990datalake-rawdata.s3.amazonaws.com/EfileData/XmlFiles/202503189349102565_public.xml
- American Express Company — 2026 proxy statement, Form DEF 14A (SEC EDGAR). Filed 25 March 2026; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/4962/000110465926034163/tm2519434-8_def14a.htm
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Shareholders
Shareholders of AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION has no shareholders. It is a New York domestic not-for-profit corporation (DOS ID 90160), and section 501 of the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law prohibits such corporations from having stock or shares. Ownership in the sense of share capital therefore does not apply to the question of who owns the American Express Foundation.
The foundation’s Form 990-PF for 2024 identifies one contributor on Schedule B: American Express Company, which gave $250,000 during 2024. A contribution is a donation and does not give the donor shares or an ownership interest. The return also states that the foundation held no interest in a controlled entity.
Data availability
Not applicable: a New York not-for-profit corporation issues no shares, so no shareholder register exists. No beneficial owner in the share-ownership sense was identified, and that concept does not fit a charitable foundation of this kind. Contributor information comes from the foundation’s public IRS return.
Sources
- New York State Senate — Not-for-Profit Corporation Law § 501, Stock and shares prohibited. Revision as of 22 September 2014; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/NPC/501
- New York Department of State, Division of Corporations — Public Inquiry entity record, DOS ID 90160 (entity record, filing history, name and merger history). Record current at retrieval; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
- Internal Revenue Service e-file — Form 990-PF of American Express Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2024 (object ID 202503189349102565), public XML copy. Filed 14 November 2025; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://gt990datalake-rawdata.s3.amazonaws.com/EfileData/XmlFiles/202503189349102565_public.xml
Officers
Directors and officers of AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION
The New York Department of State record for DOS ID 90160 lists no directors or officers. Biennial statements are marked “not required” for this not-for-profit corporation. The officer information below therefore comes from the foundation’s Form 990-PF for the year ended 31 December 2024, which was filed on 14 November 2025.
That return lists eleven people. Five are trustees: Jennifer Skyler (chair and trustee), Madhulika Thomas (president and trustee), Christophe Y. Le Caillec (chief financial officer and trustee), Stephen J. Squeri and Laureen Seeger. The other officers listed are Kerri Bernstein (comptroller), Laura Stuart (deputy treasurer and secretary), David A. Kanarek (counsel), Amma Anaman (deputy counsel) and Alice Jowett (chief operating officer). The return reports no compensation paid by the foundation to any of them. Madhulika Thomas signed the return as president and trustee on 13 November 2025.
Recent officer changes
- July 2024: the return records that Alice Lin Fabiano resigned as chief operating officer.
- December 2024: the return records the appointment of Alice Jowett as chief operating officer.
- December 2024: the return records the appointment of Amma Anaman as deputy counsel.
Data availability
Partial and historical. The New York register publishes no officer list for this foundation. The latest IRS return describes the position during 2024, and later changes would not appear in it. Nationality and country of residence are not disclosed in either source.
Sources
- New York Department of State, Division of Corporations — Public Inquiry entity record, DOS ID 90160 (entity record, filing history, name and merger history). Record current at retrieval; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
- Internal Revenue Service e-file — Form 990-PF of American Express Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2024 (object ID 202503189349102565), public XML copy. Filed 14 November 2025; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://gt990datalake-rawdata.s3.amazonaws.com/EfileData/XmlFiles/202503189349102565_public.xml
Group Structure
Group structure of AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION
No verified parent or subsidiary relationship based on ownership exists for AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION. As a New York not-for-profit corporation it has no share capital that another company could own. The foundation’s 2024 Form 990-PF states that it held no interest in a controlled entity.
American Express Company is connected to the foundation as a funder and sponsor, not as a shareholder. In 2024 it was the only contributor listed on the foundation’s Schedule B ($250,000). Its Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 names the American Express Foundation’s charitable giving as an activity that could affect the company’s reputation. Its 2026 proxy statement describes the foundation’s matching-gift programme. These sources do not state any ownership or consolidation relationship, so none is shown here.
Verified corporate relationships
No ownership relationship was verified. The only links supported by filings are the donor and sponsor relationship with American Express Company described above.
Data availability
Not applicable to share ownership. The New York register records no merger for DOS ID 90160. The funding links come from IRS and SEC filings dated between 2025 and 2026.
Sources
- New York Department of State, Division of Corporations — Public Inquiry entity record, DOS ID 90160 (entity record, filing history, name and merger history). Record current at retrieval; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
- Internal Revenue Service e-file — Form 990-PF of American Express Foundation for the year ended 31 December 2024 (object ID 202503189349102565), public XML copy. Filed 14 November 2025; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://gt990datalake-rawdata.s3.amazonaws.com/EfileData/XmlFiles/202503189349102565_public.xml
- American Express Company — Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2025 (SEC EDGAR). Filed 6 February 2026; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/4962/000000496226000080/axp-20251231.htm
- American Express Company — 2026 proxy statement, Form DEF 14A (SEC EDGAR). Filed 25 March 2026; retrieved 15 October 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/4962/000110465926034163/tm2519434-8_def14a.htm
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION do?
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION is a New York charitable not-for-profit corporation (DOS ID 90160, first filed 8 December 1954) and an IRS-classified private non-operating foundation (EIN 13-6123529). It makes grants to charities; in 2024 it paid 1,495 grants totalling $23,154,432.
Who owns AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION?
It has no shareholders. New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law section 501 prohibits stock or shares; American Express Company is a donor ($250,000 in 2024), not an owner.
Who is AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner)?
No ultimate beneficial owner applies or was identified; the foundation has no share capital, and no source names a beneficial owner.
What is AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's company registration number?
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's registration number is 90160, filed with New York Department of State — Division of Corporations in United States. Its current status on the register is active.
Is AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION still an active company?
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's status on New York Department of State — Division of Corporations is listed as active.
When was AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION incorporated?
AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION was incorporated on 8 December 1954, according to New York Department of State — Division of Corporations.
What is AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's registered address?
The registered address on file for AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION is NEW YORK, United States.
What is AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's revenue?
Its Form 990-PF for 2024 reports total revenue of $1,393,248 and year-end assets of $48,911,085, down from $71,012,960 because of grant-making.
Is AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION listed on a stock exchange?
The foundation is not listed and cannot be: it is a not-for-profit corporation with no shares.
Who are the officers/directors of AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION?
Its 2024 Form 990-PF, filed 14 November 2025, lists Jennifer Skyler as chair and trustee and Madhulika Thomas as president and trustee, with three further trustees and six officers. No compensation is reported.
Does AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION have a parent company or subsidiaries?
No ownership-based parent or subsidiary exists. American Express Company funds and sponsors the foundation, as its IRS and SEC filings show.
Can Zavia monitor changes to AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's ownership over time?
This profile reflects a point-in-time snapshot from New York Department of State — Division of Corporations. Zavia's monitoring API can track changes to AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's registered shareholders, officers, and group structure going forward, flagging updates as they're filed rather than requiring a manual recheck.
Can I access AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's data through an API?
Yes. Zavia's API connects directly to official government ownership registries across 195 countries and territories, including United States, so records like AMERICAN EXPRESS FOUNDATION's registration, shareholder, UBO, and group-structure data can be queried programmatically instead of viewed one page at a time.
Where does this company information come from, and how current is it?
This record is sourced directly from New York Department of State — Division of Corporations and was last synced on 29 September 2026.