Carson Family Charitable Trust
Carson Family Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in New York, NY. In 2024, it reported 120 grants totaling $50,468,073, supporting organizations including a genomic research center, universities, arts organizations, a public library, and community organizations.
Carson Family Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Carson Family Charitable Trust gave $50.5M across 120 grants in 2024 (avg $421K), mostly in New York. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $50,468,073
- +2.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 120
- +4.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $420,567
- -1.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $200,750
- Total assets
- $497,620,335
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (11 of 120, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carson Family Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 650 Madison Avenue 26Th Floor, New York, NY 10022-1029
Phone: (212) 899-5983
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carson Family Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was New York Genome Center Inc ($6.2M). Together the top 10 received $22.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
733 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 263 grants of 733 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 3% to recipients in the District of Columbia, 2% to recipients in New Hampshire, and 1% each to recipients in Massachusetts and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 120 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carson Family Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 120 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $375K; repeat grants $425K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $250K repeat.
- 86% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−19%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 230% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $49.1M (2023) to $62.2M (2021). In 2024 it made 120 grants totaling $50.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York Genome Center Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $6,221,253 |
| Robin Hood Foundation New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,772,489 |
| The Rockefeller University New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,105,128 |
| Central Park Conservancy Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,050,000 |
| Manhattan Marymount College New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,000,257 |
| Millbrook Community Partnership Inc Millbrook, NY | General Operating Support | $2,000,000 |
| Uncommon Schools Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,000,000 |
| Breaking Ground Housing Development Fund Corporation New York, NY | General Operating Support | $1,250,000 |
| Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc New York, NY | General Operating Support | $1,250,000 |
| Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn, NY | General Operating Support | $1,200,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $497,620,335 | $63,019,144 | $66,071,188 | $50,468,073 | 120 | $53,140,566 | $47,701,355 | $23,090,589 |
| 2023 | $466,593,070 | $44,605,576 | $61,143,014 | $49,087,118 | 115 | $51,497,115 | $30,706,263 | $22,462,204 |
| 2022 | $454,041,302 | $111,506,666 | $70,256,397 | $60,210,300 | 128 | $62,340,080 | $53,299,848 | $22,145,337 |
| 2021 | $345,960,754 | $127,610,877 | $68,062,169 | $62,207,870 | 170 | $63,685,354 | $71,825,574 | $18,980,851 |
| 2020 | $302,357,968 | $144,716,166 | $67,166,463 | $61,210,455 | 200 | — | $91,128,394 | $11,132,871 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carson Family Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $23.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in a range of areas. The New York Genome Center describes its mission as using advanced genomics to understand the genetic basis of disease. Rockefeller University describes itself as a research and graduate education center whose work includes clinical and basic research in the biomedical sciences and other fields. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts says its mission is to promote the performing arts and educate the public; Brooklyn Public Library says it provides free and open access to information and preserves and transmits knowledge, history, and culture.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust made 120 grants totaling $50,468,073. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $6,221,253, with a median grant of $200,750. The largest awards included $6,221,253 to New York Genome Center, $2,772,489 to Robin Hood Foundation, $2,105,128 to Rockefeller University, $2,050,000 to Central Park Conservancy, and $2,000,257 to Manhattan Marymount College. These grants were listed for general operating support.
The trust’s 2024 filing describes its program as gains on the distribution of 323,210 shares of SEM stock as grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Russell Carson, Cecily M. Carson, Edward S. Carson, Judith Carson, and Madeline Carson, who began in April 2024, as trustees. Amy Meyercord Stevens is listed as executive vice president.
Carson Family Charitable Trust's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; 4 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cecily M. Carson
Trustee
Co Trustee → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$290K (2020) → $485K (2024)
Edward S. Carson
Trustee
Co-Trustee → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $118K (2024)
Madeline Carson
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$85K (2024)
Judith Carson
Trustee
Co Trustee → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Russell Carson
Trustee
Co Trustee → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Meyercord Stevens
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$264K (2020) → $588K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $588K, to Amy Meyercord Stevens (Executive Vice President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Carson Family Charitable Trust
How much does Carson Family Charitable Trust give each year?
Carson Family Charitable Trust gave $50.5M across 120 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $49.1M across 115 grants.
What is Carson Family Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Carson Family Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $200,750, and its average grant was $420,567, across 120 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carson Family Charitable Trust that year got $375K on average.
Where does Carson Family Charitable Trust give grants?
Carson Family Charitable Trust gives mostly in New York: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (71 grants), Brooklyn, NY (19 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and Millbrook, NY (4 grants).
Does Carson Family Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Carson Family Charitable Trust's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (120 of 120) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Carson Family Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Carson Family Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include New York Genome Center Inc ($6,221,253), Robin Hood Foundation ($2,772,489) and The Rockefeller University ($2,105,128), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Carson Family Charitable Trust?
Carson Family Charitable Trust reported $497.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $53.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $23.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Carson Family Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in a range of areas. The New York Genome Center describes its mission as using advanced genomics to understand the genetic basis of disease. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carson Family Charitable Trust?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carson Family Charitable Trust's EIN?
Carson Family Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6957038. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Carson Family Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carson Family Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carson-family-charitable-trust-morg_13a35be888f04732b52e92d38d1ad1a4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136957038_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carson Family Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carson-family-charitable-trust-morg_13a35be888f04732b52e92d38d1ad1a4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Carson Family Charitable Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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