Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation
The Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation is a private foundation based in Carmel, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including schools, health organizations, and groups focused on civic and intellectual life.
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation at a glance
In short: Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation gave $1.3M across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $66K), top state District of Columbia. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,250,000
- +22.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $65,789
- +22.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $27,185,469
- +6.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (34% 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 Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4500 Viejo Road, Carmel, CA 93923
Phone: (831) 206-5288
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Institute for World Politics ($200K). Together the top 10 received $995K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 91 (41%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia (34%) and California (32%), followed by New York (8%), Pennsylvania (7%), and Colorado (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 19 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. How we count
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% 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 $790K (2020) to $1.5M (2021). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Institute for World Politics Washington, DC | General Support | $200,000 |
| Washington Latin Public Charter School Washington, DC | General Support | $125,000 |
| Orange County Classical Academy Orange, CA | General Support | $125,000 |
| Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health Palo Alto, CA | General Support | $110,000 |
| The Moving Picture Institute New York, NY | General Support | $100,000 |
| New Civil Liberties Alliance Washington, DC | General Support | $95,000 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights in Expression Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $85,000 |
| Nurse Family Partnership Denver, CO | General Support | $55,000 |
| Santa Cantalina School Monterey, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Hunter Seven Foundation Providence, RI | General Support | $50,000 |
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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 | $27,185,469 | $3,482,922 | $1,428,493 | $1,250,000 | 19 | $1,266,428 | $5,704,293 | $1,229,791 |
| 2023 | $25,483,671 | $581,279 | $1,220,045 | $1,018,000 | 19 | $1,083,569 | $460,116 | $1,217,298 |
| 2022 | $23,496,551 | $974,816 | $1,605,956 | $1,370,150 | 19 | $1,424,715 | $822,797 | $1,261,537 |
| 2021 | $30,086,254 | $2,945,659 | $1,714,314 | $1,532,000 | 19 | $1,559,268 | $2,643,107 | $1,442,411 |
| 2020 | $28,215,536 | $16,363,683 | $863,393 | $790,000 | 15 | — | $994,319 | $755,659 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M 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
The foundation’s stated mission is “Liberty. Virtue. Civil Society.” Its grantmaking includes education, health care, and philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking. Its 2024 grantees illustrate this range: Orange County Classical Academy describes its mission as developing students through a classical liberal arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing scholarship, moral character, and civic virtue. Montage Health Foundation says it advances the vision and strategic priorities of Montage Health and works to improve community health. The Institute for Humane Studies says it supports students and scholars interested in the classical liberal tradition, while the Intercollegiate Studies Institute says it helps college students advance principles it describes as making America good, free, and prosperous.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded $1,250,000 across 19 grants. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $200,000, with a median of $50,000. Among the largest grants were $200,000 to the Institute for World Politics, $125,000 each to Washington Latin Public Charter School and Orange County Classical Academy, $110,000 to Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, and $100,000 to The Moving Picture Institute. Each was designated for general support.
Other 2024 grants included $50,000 to Hunter Seven Foundation. The foundation’s filing lists its application policy as making contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Ernst as president; David Ernst as secretary/director; and Diana Ernst, Katherine Ernst, Keri Ernst, and Michael Sanford as directors.
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation is led by Robert Ernst, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Ernst
President
Director → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David Ernst
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Katherine Ernst
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Diana Ernst
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Keri Ernst
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Michael Sanford
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Andrew McKibben (2020) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: Diana McKibben (2020) — President
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.
Frequently asked questions about Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation
How much does Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation give each year?
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation gave $1.3M across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.0M across 19 grants.
What is Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's typical grant size?
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $65,789, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation give grants?
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (32%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants) and Monterey, CA (2 grants).
Does Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's largest grantees?
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Institute for World Politics ($200,000), Washington Latin Public Charter School ($125,000) and Orange County Classical Academy ($125,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation?
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation reported $27.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “Liberty. Virtue. Civil Society.” Its grantmaking includes education, health care, and philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's EIN?
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2161280. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 6, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/charles-and-marie-robertson-foundation-morg_9f5a411fa86e45f384c4a3a2369cc89f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_462161280_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/charles-and-marie-robertson-foundation-morg_9f5a411fa86e45f384c4a3a2369cc89f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation'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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