Citizens Charitable Foundation is a corporate foundation based in Johnston, Rhode Island, established in 2005. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and is affiliated with Citizens Financial Group. The foundation's primary purpose is grantmaking and philanthropy.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.6M
+20.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-39.6% YoY
Grant Count
1,602
-1.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$759.339
-38.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Citizens Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $103K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports organizations involved with:
- Affordable housing
- Hunger programs
- Economic development activities
- Financial education
The foundation also operates a Colleague Matching Gift Program that matches contributions made by employees of RBS Citizens Financial Group to nonprofit organizations on a one-for-one basis, ranging from $25 to $1,000 per employee, per year.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$250
Average Grant
$1,400
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $1,613,230
- Total Revenue: $1,572,357
- Total Expenses: $1,303,582
- Total Giving: $1,216,461
Previous Year (2023):
- Revenue: $2.2M
- Expenses: $2.01M
- Total Assets: $1.34M
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,613,230 | $1,338,872 | $1,148,802 |
| Revenue | $1,572,357 | $2,195,314 | $1,787,822 |
| Expenses | $1,303,582 | $2,010,989 | $2,217,709 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,240,168 | $2,028,340 | $2,215,844 |
| Net Investment Income | $99,004 | $64,547 | $15,302 |
| Distributable Amount | $103,090 | $77,189 | $70,834 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Citizens Charitable Foundation
Champions in Action Grant
CITIZENS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Citizens Grants: Financial Empowerment
CITIZENS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Citizens Grants: Workforce Development
CITIZENS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include E4e Relief Llc ($150,000), Access Psychology Foundation ($5,000), Alzheimer's Association Greater Cincinnati Chapter ($2,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| E4E RELIEF LLC CHARLOTTE, NC | PROGRAMMATIC GRANT | $150,000 |
| 24 FOUNDATION INC CHARLOTTE, NC | MATCHING GIFTS | $100 |
| 4 PAWS DOG RESCUE BERLIN, NJ | MATCHING GIFTS | $125 |
| 86237 FAIRFIELD COUNTY USBC NEWTOWN, CT | MATCHING GIFTS | $1,000 |
| 92 FOR 22 ALLENDALE, MI | MATCHING GIFTS | $150 |
| A SHOT FOR LIFE INCORPORATED WATERTOWN, MA | MATCHING GIFTS | $100 |
| A VETERANS NEW MISSION MURRYSVILLE, PA | MATCHING GIFTS | $260 |
| A WISH COME TRUE INC COVENTRY, RI | MATCHING GIFTS | $550 |
| ABORTION LIBERATION FUND OF PA PHILADELPHIA, PA | MATCHING GIFTS | $40 |
| ABUSED & HOMELESS CHILDREN'S REFUGE DUNN LORING, VA | MATCHING GIFTS | $260 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Barbara Cottam: President
- Michelle Hecht: President
- Denise Wolffs: Vice President
- Maria Lemberg: Co-founder
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELLE HECHT | PRESIDENT | 0.06 | — |
| DENISE WOLFFS | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.05 | — |
| KERI SANTOS | DIRECTOR OF CORP GIVING | 0.98 | — |
| CHRIS GRENIER | SECRETARY | 1.03 | — |
| DAN ASTOLFI | TREASURER | 0.09 | — |
| GARY ASHJIAN | ASSISTANT SECTRETARY | 0.01 | — |
| REZA AGHAMIRZADEH | MEMBER | 0.05 | — |
| RICK SUAREZ | MEMBER | 0.03 | — |
| MARLENE FULLER | MEMBER | 0.05 | — |
| KATHY O'DONNELL | MEMBER | 0.19 | — |
| RHONDA BETTIS | MEMBER | 0.05 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several major grant initiatives:
**$2.4M in Financial Empowerment Grants** to support 137 nonprofits (March 2024)
Citizens Announces $2.4M in Financial Empowerment Grants to Support 137\**$500,000 in Grants** to expand mental health and well-being resources (February 2025)
Citizens Announces $500,000 in Grants to Expand Mental Health & Well-Being\**$2.6 Million in Financial Education Grants** announced in recent period
Citizens Announces $2.6 Million in Financial Education GrantsThe foundation received a $10,000 grant from SJS Charitable Trust in 2023 for general support.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Citizens Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation supports organizations involved with: • Affordable housing • Hunger programs • Economic development activities • Financial education The foundation also operates a Colleague Matching Gift Program that matches contributions made by employees of RBS Citizens Financial Group to nonprofit organizations on a one-for-one basis, ranging from $25 to $1,000 per employee, per year.
How do I apply for a grant from Citizens Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 1,579 grants in recent years • Median grant size: $250 • Average grant size: $1,400 • Typical award range: $1–$750,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • E4e Relief LLC: $150,000 (Programmatic Grant) • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: $26,000 (Matching Gifts) • Bucknell University: $25,250 (Matching Gifts) **Active Grant Opportunities:** • Champions in Action Grant • Citizens Grants: Financial Empowerment • Citizens Grants: Workforce Development
Where does Citizens Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
What size grants does Citizens Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, Citizens Charitable Foundation awarded 1,602 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $759.339 per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Citizens Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Citizens Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $103K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Citizens Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Citizens Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2302039. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Citizens Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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