Cowie Family Charitable Trust
The Cowie Family Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois (EIN 36-7191705). It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic grantmaking.
Key facts about Cowie Family Charitable Trust
- EIN
- 36-7191705
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $30,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- Average grant
- $1,000
- Median grant
- $300
- New grantees (estimate)
- 3% first-time grantees (1 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Alaska (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Cowie Family Charitable Trust funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cowie Family Charitable Trust's 30 itemized 2025 grants were Alaska (33%), New York (33%) and Massachusetts (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants), Provincetown, MA (3 grants) and Truro, MA (3 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Cowie Family Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
3%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 30 grantees (3%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $250; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $300 repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Cowie Family Charitable Trust
- How to evaluate Cowie Family Charitable Trust as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$30K
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
30
-6.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1K
+6.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports general purposes and community projects. Recent grantmaking reflects interests in arts and culture, education, animal welfare, environmental conservation, reproductive rights, and religious organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation favors organizations with established track records. Approximately 27% of recent grants went to new grantees, indicating the foundation develops new partnerships slowly over time.
Grant Range
$500
Ready to take the next step with Cowie Family Charitable Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes grants across multiple states with notable concentration in Massachusetts (43% of grants). Within Massachusetts, funding concentrates in Boston (32%), Provincetown (26%), and Truro (16%). Additional grants support organizations in New York, California, Alaska, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 30 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $474,000
- Total revenue: $122,000
- Total expenses: $37,000
- Total grants awarded: $30,000
Historical (2023):
- Total assets: $649,398
Funding Trajectory: The foundation has maintained stable funding levels with a 13% change over three years, indicating consistent grant-making capacity.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
168 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include St Peters by the Sea Episcopal Church ($10,000), Cornell Jazz Ensembles Alumni ($3,000), Smith College ($3,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ST PETERS BY THE SEA EPISCOPAL CHURCH Sitka, AK | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CORNELL JAZZ ENSEMBLES ALUMNI Ithaca, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000 |
| SMITH COLLEGE Northampton, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL ARTS RELATIONS New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000 |
| CAMBA Brooklyn, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF BOSTON Boston, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| ALI FORNEY CENTER New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION Boston, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MEETING HOUSE Provincetown, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $600 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by one unpaid trustee, as reported in its most recent Form 990-PF filing.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert a Cowie | Trustee | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Cowie Family Charitable Trust provides partial support for *Shakespeare Full Circle*, an award-winning weekly podcast series that explores Shakespeare's sonnets and their contemporary relevance. The podcast won the Touchstone Award for Best Podcast in both 2022 and 2023.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cowie Family Charitable Trust fund?
The foundation supports general purposes and community projects. Recent grantmaking reflects interests in arts and culture, education, animal welfare, environmental conservation, reproductive rights, and religious organizations.
How do I apply for a grant from Cowie Family Charitable Trust?
**Grant Activity:** • Total historical giving: $123,250 across 143 grants • Latest tax year (2023): 33 grants totaling approximately $30,000 • Median grant size: $500 • Individual grant range: $100 to $10,000 **Recent Recipients (2024):** • St. Peters by the Sea Episcopal Church (Sitka, AK) — $10,000 • INTAR Theater (New York, NY) — $3,000 • Smith College (Northampton, MA) — $3,000 • Cornell Jazz Ensembles Alumni Endowment (Ithaca, NY) — $3,000 • CAMBA (Brooklyn, NY) — $2,000 • Animal Rescue Le…
Where does Cowie Family Charitable Trust make grants?
The foundation distributes grants across multiple states with notable concentration in Massachusetts (43% of grants). Within Massachusetts, funding concentrates in Boston (32%), Provincetown (26%), and Truro (16%). Additional grants support organizations in New York, California, Alaska, and other states.
What size grants does Cowie Family Charitable Trust award?
In 2025, Cowie Family Charitable Trust awarded 30 grants totaling $30K — an average of about $1K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Cowie Family Charitable Trust's EIN?
Cowie Family Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-7191705. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.