Funding search · EIN 137068398 · New York, NY

Robertson Foundation

Name: Robertson Foundation grants, 2021–2024
Creator: PaperOrbit
License: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

713
grants reported: $279.9M
total given: 2021–2024
filing years: $10,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2021–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

artworks donated robertson climate scholarship investigator work food

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is built Report an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

Climate: methane, fossil fuel supply curtailment, Latin America energy transition
NYC K-12 literacy, charter schools, teacher role redesign
Biomedical research: early career investigator awards at NY institutions
Robertson Scholars program at UNC Chapel Hill and Duke
Food systems: plant-based proteins, food loss and waste
Personal-circle giving: squash, Episcopal churches, prep schools

Typical grant

The median grant is $10,000 and half fall between $5,000 and $50,000, but that small-gift tail is family and community giving. Real program money runs $250,000 to $7 million, with climate and biomedical the largest checks (EDF at $4M and $7M, Rockefeller University at $5M, Success Academy at $10M). The big grantees repeat year over year, often with a second or third grant to the same named fund.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

“GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT”
“Early Career Investigator Awards Program”
“curtail fossil fuel supply & demand”
“reimagine the teacher role”
“philanthropic roadmap”

Positioning adjacent work

Tie work to a named theme they already fund: methane reduction, NYC Reads literacy, or early career investigator awards.
Ask $250K to $1M for a first program grant; multi-million checks go to established repeat grantees.
Emphasize young investigator recruitment and retention if biomedical; that framing recurs at Rockefeller, MSK, and NYSCF.
For climate, lead with Latin America or agricultural methane rather than generic decarbonization.

Worth knowing: This is a family foundation with two distinct halves: a professionalized program operation in climate, education, and biomedical research, and a long tail of small gifts to Chapel Hill, Greenwich, Episcopal institutions, and squash that reflect Robertson family ties. Concentration is extreme, with a handful of grantees including EDF, Rockefeller University, NYSCF, Success Academy, and the Robertson Scholars Program absorbing most of the dollars, so cold approaches without a board or staff connection rarely land.

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

Robertson Scholars Leadership Program4 grants · $31.9M
Success Academy Charter Schools4 grants · $30.0M
Environmental Defense Fund4 grants · $25.0M
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University1 grant · $21.0M
New York STEM Cell Foundation6 grants · $20.1M
The Rockefeller University7 grants · $14.7M
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center10 grants · $8.9M
The New York STEM Cell Foundation2 grants · $8.8M
Cancer Research Institute3 grants · $8.3M
United States Energy Foundation2 grants · $8.0M

Giving over time

$78.7M

2021

$75.5M

2022

$105.2M

2023

$20.6M

2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 713 grants.

$21.0M
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · Redwood City, CA · 2023
Artworks donated - wag id: 405307 - diebenkorn, richard (ocean park no. 9, 1968)
$10.0M
Success Academy Charter Schools · New York, NY · 2023
General operating support
$10.0M
Success Academy Charter Schools · New York, NY · 2022
Systematic and meaningful improvement in school quality design and implementation
$9.7M
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · Chapel Hill, NC · 2023
General operating support and scholarships
$9.1M
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · New York, NY · 2022
Scholarships and general operating expenses
$8.3M
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · New York, NY · 2021
Scholarships and general operating expenses
$7.0M
Environmental Defense Fund · New York, NY · 2023
Decarbonizing the trucking sector, reducing methane & climate in china
$7.0M
Environmental Defense Fund · New York, NY · 2022
Decarbonizing the trucking sector, reducing methane and climate in china
$7.0M
Environmental Defense Fund · New York, NY · 2021
Oil and gas, china, science and economic programs
$6.0M
Success Academy Charter Schools · New York, NY · 2021
Systematic and meaningful improvement in school quality design
$5.1M
New York STEM Cell Foundation · New York, NY · 2021
Early career investigator awards program, stem cell prize and conference
$5.0M
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2023
Therapeutic development fund
$5.0M
United States Energy Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2022
Inflation reduction act implementation
$4.9M
New York STEM Cell Foundation · New York, NY · 2021
Robertson neuroscience investigator awards
$4.9M
The New York STEM Cell Foundation · New York, NY · 2023
Early career investigator awards program & conference
$4.9M
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program · New York, NY · 2024
General operating support and scholarships
$4.9M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · New York, NY · 2023
Stop expansion of oil and gas and alternate pathways to economic development
$4.8M
New York STEM Cell Foundation · New York, NY · 2022
Early career investigator awards program and conference
$4.7M
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2021
Therapeutic development fund
$4.5M
New York STEM Cell Foundation · New York, NY · 2022
Neuroscience investigator awards
$4.0M
Environmental Defense Fund · New York, NY · 2024
Support work to reduce agricultural methane and improve alternative fuels
$4.0M
Success Academy Charter Schools · New York, NY · 2021
Phase ii of success academy's education institute
$3.8M
The New York STEM Cell Foundation · New York, NY · 2023
Neuroscience investigator awards
$3.4M
Instituto Clima E Sociedade · 2023
General operating support
$3.0M
The Fund for Public Schools · New York, NY · 2024
Support for nyc reads - professional learning - creating structures and evaluation
$3.0M
Foundation for International Law for the Environment (File) · 2023
Curtail fossil fuel supply & demand
$3.0M
Cancer Research Institute · New York, NY · 2022
Lloud j. Old star program
$3.0M
Earthjustice · San Francisco, CA · 2022
Climate and energy program
$3.0M
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center · New York, NY · 2022
Josie robertson investigator program
$3.0M
Earthjustice · San Francisco, CA · 2021
Climate and energy program
$3.0M
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center · New York, NY · 2021
Josie robertson investigator program
$3.0M
United States Energy Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2021
Southeast program
$2.6M
Cancer Research Institute · New York, NY · 2023
Support for the lloud j. Old star program
$2.6M
Cancer Research Institute · New York, NY · 2021
Lloyd j. Old star program
$2.5M
Windward Fund · Washington, DC · 2023
Coordinate and fund plant-based and alternative proteins
$2.5M
Rocky Mountain Institute · Boulder, CO · 2021
Electricity and building electrification programs
$2.4M
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center · New York, NY · 2023
Josie robertson investigator program
$2.2M
The Broad Institute · Cambridge, MA · 2021
Precision medicine initiative
$2.0M
Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Association · Chicago, IL · 2024
Accelerate impactful, cross-disciplinary discover research
$2.0M
Methane Sat Llc · New York, NY · 2023
Support to build and launch metane sat
$2.0M
Harlem Children'S Zone · New York, NY · 2022
General operating support
$2.0M
The Nature Conservancy · Arlington, VA · 2022
Living carbon protection program
$2.0M
The Nature Conservancy · Arlington, VA · 2021
Living carbon protection program
$1.5M
Harlem Children'S Zone · New York, NY · 2023
General operating support
$1.5M
Transforma · 2023
General operating support
$1.5M
Ocean Conservancy · Washington, DC · 2022
Work at the ocean-climate nexus
$1.5M
Harlem Children'S Zone · New York, NY · 2021
Improve instructions, performance & financial management
$1.5M
Ocean Conservancy · Washington, DC · 2021
Ocean-climate nexus
$1.5M
The Wilderness Society · Washington, DC · 2021
Climate solutions strategy
$1.4M
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2022
Therapeutic development fund
$1.3M
Purpose Built Communities · Atlanta, GA · 2021
3-year turnaround plan
$1.3M
Philanthropy New York · New York, NY · 2023
Education philanthropic ecosystem initiative led by sydney morris
$1.1M
Americans for Oxford · New York, NY · 2023
Oxford big data institute
$1.1M
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2024
2nd grant supporting the julian and josie robertson fund to recruit young investigators
$1.1M
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2022
Fund for young investigators
$1.1M
Meridian Institute · Dillon, CO · 2022
Enabling mechanism that accelerate action on food systems transformation
$1.1M
Refed · Long Island City, NY · 2023
Philanthropic road map
$1.0M
International Council On Clean Transportation · Washington, DC · 2024
General operating support - work in latin america
$1.0M
Capital for Good USA · Paoli, PA · 2023
General operating support
$1.0M
Earthjustice · San Francisco, CA · 2023
Support for sustainable food and farming program
$1.0M
The Nature Conservancy · Arlington, VA · 2023
Living carbon protection program
$1.0M
Climateworks Foundation · San Francisco, CA · 2022
Leap fund - a global clean transportation regranting fund
$1.0M
Wildlife Conservation Society · Bronx, NY · 2022
Tiger program
$1.0M
Wildlife Conservation Society · Bronx, NY · 2022
Julian robertson big cat conservation fellowship - capstone grant
$1.0M
Oceana · Washington, DC · 2021
Protecting us coastal areas
$1.0M
Panthera · New York, NY · 2021
Tigers program
$1.0M
Regulatory Assistance Project · Montpelier, VT · 2021
U.s. Program
$1.0M
Wildlife Conservation Society · Bronx, NY · 2021
Tigers program
$884,624
Americans for Oxford · New York, NY · 2021
Oxford big data institute
$787,628
Americans for Oxford · New York, NY · 2022
Oxford big data institute
$750,000
Global Greengrants Fund · Boulder, CO · 2023
General operating support
$750,000
Movilizatorio Llc · 2023
Promote a just transition to a cleaner economy in latin america
$750,000
The Meliore Foundation · 2023
Support strategic communications at nexus climate & food
$750,000
The Wilderness Society · Washington, DC · 2023
Climate solutions strategy pillar
$750,000
World Resources Institute · Washington, DC · 2023
Support implementation of philanthropic roadmap on food loss and waste
$750,000
Classical Charter Schools · Bronx, NY · 2022
Systems codification in service of continued improvement
$750,000
The Wilderness Society · Washington, DC · 2022
Climate solutions strategy pillar
$750,000
Classical Charter Schools · Bronx, NY · 2021
Systems codification and launch of sharing and translation efforts
$750,000
Southern Environmental Law Center · Charlottesville, VA · 2021
Energy and transportation programs
$700,000
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2023
Julian and josie robertson fund to recruit young investigators
$700,000
The Rockefeller University · New York, NY · 2022
Julian and josie robertson fund to recruit young investigators
$686,557
The Broad Institute · Cambridge, MA · 2022
Precision medicine initiative
$680,000
Americans for Oxford · New York, NY · 2022
Wildcru - conservation of key wildcat species
$680,000
Americans for Oxford · New York, NY · 2021
Wildcru - conservation of key wildcat species
$663,333
Boys & Girls Club of America · Atlanta, GA · 2021
Building research and evaluation capacity to enhance academic programming
$640,000
Americans for Oxford · New York, NY · 2023
Wildcru - conservation of key wildcat species
$600,000
Educators 4 Excellence · New York, NY · 2024
Support for a campaign to mobilize teachers and elected officials in support of nyc reads
$600,000
Fishtank Learning · Brookline, MA · 2024
Support for the redesign of fishtank's middle school writing units
$600,000
Quillorg · New York, NY · 2024
Support for the development and initial scaling of a suite of ai-powered writing activities
$600,000
The Rector and Visitors of the Uva · Charlottesville, VA · 2021
Development of school and system-wide excellence in education
$510,000
Saint Bartholomew'S Church · New York, NY · 2021
General operating support
$500,000
Instruction Partners · Nashville, TN · 2024
Support for planning and launch of the elementary reading initiative
$500,000
Natural Resource Governance Institute · New York, NY · 2024
General operating support - energy transition in latin america
$500,000
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group · New York, NY · 2023
Support local governments - plant based foods & reduce food loss
$500,000
Fund for Public Schools · New York, NY · 2023
Support for nyc reads
$500,000
Plant Based Food Institute · San Francisco, CA · 2023
General operating support
$500,000
Protestant Episcopal High School in Va · Alexandria, VA · 2023
Creation and maintenance of a memorial garden in honor of julian robertson
$500,000
Transcend · Hastings On Hudson, NY · 2023
Assessment of the effectiveness of emerging and existing initiatives to reimagine the teacher role
$500,000
Asociacion Interamericana · San Francisco, CA · 2022
Use litigation to minimize fossil fuel expansion in latin america
$500,000
Instituto Internacional Arayara De Educacao E Cultura · 2022
Use litigation and advocacy to minimize fossil fues expansion

View all 713 grants →

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Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.

Search funders like this one

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.