Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc
The Fred L. Emerson Foundation is a private, family foundation established in 1932 and headquartered in Auburn, New York. The foundation supports a range of services across multiple sectors and maintains assets managed by its board of directors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$96.5M
+1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.5M
+4.2% YoY
Grant Count
87
-4.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
+9.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $5.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports the following areas:
- Community development
- Education
- Health and human services
- Parks and recreation
- Performing arts
- Preservation
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts proposals on a rolling basis with no set deadlines. Applicants typically receive a response within 1-3 months of submission.
Review Cycle
. Applicants typically receive a response within 1-3 months of submission.
How to Apply
The foundation accepts proposals on a rolling basis with no set deadlines. Applicants typically receive a response within 1-3 months of submission.
Ready to take the next step with Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary focus is Auburn, New York and the surrounding central New York area. The foundation defines "meaningful and direct impact" as a key criterion for funding consideration.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation maintains assets of approximately $107.44 million under management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $96,505,725 | $95,505,606 | $94,732,842 |
| Revenue | $4,590,551 | $4,340,751 | $2,372,345 |
| Expenses | $3,590,432 | $3,567,987 | $4,342,165 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,273,130 | $3,132,707 | $3,520,438 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,261,902 | $3,797,299 | $1,942,722 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,368,130 | $4,811,632 | $4,954,142 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center ($421,200), Seward House Museum ($224,868), Cayuga Co Emerson Park ($201,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SCHWEINFURTH MEMORIAL ART CENTER AUBURN, NY | TOWARD WEST END ARTS CAMPUS | $421,200 |
| SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM AUBURN, NY | TOWARD PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUND | $224,868 |
| CAYUGA CO EMERSON PARK AUBURN, NY | EMERSON PARK: CONCERT VENUE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT | $201,000 |
| BEREA COLLEGE BEREA, KY | TOWARD THE CAMPAIGN FOR TWO NEW TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN BUILDINGS | $150,000 |
| CAYUGA MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART AUBURN, NY | TOWARD WEST END ARTS CAMPUS PROJECT | $128,800 |
| HAMILTON COLLEGE CLINTON, NY | TOWARD ALEX: ADVISE, LEARN, EXPERIENCE STUDENT-CENTERED ADVISING AT HAMILTON COLLEGE. | $100,000 |
| FINGER LAKES SPCA OF CNY AUBURN, NY | FINGER LAKES SPCA SHELTER RENOVATION PROJECT | $80,000 |
| AUBURN YMCA-WEIU AUBURN, NY | AUBURN YMCA-WEIU ALLYN-RIFORD POOL HVAC PROJECT | $50,000 |
| UNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY AUBURN, NY | SUPPORT OF THE 2024-25 UNITED WAY OF CAYUGA COUNTY FALL CAMPAIGN: THE NEXT 100 YEARS | $50,000 |
| E JOHN GAVRAS CENTER AUBURN, NY | PRESCHOOL CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT | $44,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Daniel J Fessenden serves as a contact for the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL J FESSENDEN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $251,823 |
| KRISTEN E RUBACKA | DIRECTOR | 2 | $17,650 |
| W GARY EMERSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | $16,500 |
| LORI E ROBINSON | PRESIDENT | 8 | $16,800 |
| HEATHER A EMERSON | TREASURER | 4 | $16,600 |
| SALLY E WAGNER | SECRETARY | 4 | $16,750 |
| W ERIC EMERSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | $16,050 |
| ALEX KINAL-WAGNER | VICE PRESIDENT | 6 | $16,950 |
| KATELYN M PERKINS | DIRECTOR | 2 | $15,500 |
| MARY MCLEAN EVANS | DIRECTOR | 2 | $16,950 |
| ANN M HUSTON | DIRECTOR | 2 | $14,750 |
| DARLENE G MOTLEY | DIRECTOR | 2 | $14,500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation supports the following areas: • Community development • Education • Health and human services • Parks and recreation • Performing arts • Preservation
How do I apply for a grant from Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts proposals on a rolling basis with no set deadlines. Applicants typically receive a response within 1-3 months of submission. Organizations must meet all of the following criteria before submitting a proposal: • Be a qualified 501(c)(3) organization • Have a project that aligns with the foundation's grant guidelines • Demonstrate that the project will have meaningful and direct impact on Auburn and the surrounding central New York area • Have received funding from the Emer…
Where does Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's primary focus is Auburn, New York and the surrounding central New York area. The foundation defines "meaningful and direct impact" as a key criterion for funding consideration.
What size grants does Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc awarded 87 grants totaling $2.5M — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $5.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc's EIN?
Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 15-6017650. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fred L Emerson Foundation Inc'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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