Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation
The Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation is a private foundation based in Tucson, Arizona. Research Corporation Technologies established it in December 1998 to provide financial support for scientific research and educational programs at qualified nonprofit organizations.
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation at a glance
In short: Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation gave $9.6M across 39 grants in 2024 (avg $246K), mostly in California. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,611,804
- -20.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- -20.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $246,457
- +0.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $69,961,075
- +70.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (6 of 39, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (53% 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 Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6440 N Swan Road Suite 200, Tucson, AZ 85718
Phone: (520) 748-4420
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Medtech Innovator ($3.6M). Together the top 10 received $9.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
235 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 175 grants of 235 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports selected scientific and educational programs throughout the United States. In 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 43% to recipients in Arizona; smaller shares went to Massachusetts, Florida, and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 39 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $290K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 258% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 511% 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 $2.0M (2020) to $12.0M (2023). In 2024 it made 39 grants totaling $9.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Medtech Innovator Los Angeles, CA | Charitable Entity Support | $3,606,250 |
| C-Path Institute TRXA Tucson, AZ | Charitable Entity Support | $3,100,000 |
| Stanford Biodesign Fogarty Institute Stanford, CA | Charitable Entity Support | $1,000,000 |
| Research Corporation for Science Advancement Tucson, AZ | Charitable Entity Support | $520,579 |
| Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health Palo Alto, CA | Charitable Entity Support | $300,000 |
| Soteria Precision Medicine Foundaon San Diego, CA | Charitable Entity Support | $220,000 |
| Honorhealth Research Institute Scottsdale, AZ | Charitable Entity Support | $200,000 |
| Univ of AZ Fdtn - Pharmacy Keys Program Tucson, AZ | Charitable Entity Support | $128,000 |
| Classical Tahoe Incline Village, NV | Charitable Entity Support | $50,000 |
| Integrative Touch for Kids Tucson, AZ | Charitable Entity 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 | $69,961,075 | $38,224,453 | $4,057,520 | $9,611,804 | 39 | $9,621,255 | $4,153,952 | $1,881,550 |
| 2023 | $40,990,944 | $7,508,215 | $7,225,787 | $12,032,369 | 49 | $12,043,185 | $11,141,203 | $1,824,799 |
| 2022 | $43,384,465 | $9,396,382 | $30,502,706 | $11,992,000 | 41 | $12,034,653 | $4,085,573 | $1,914,650 |
| 2021 | $56,298,507 | $10,451,853 | $3,042,304 | $2,688,000 | 61 | $6,822,999 | $11,398,739 | $2,244,017 |
| 2020 | $51,564,715 | $11,154,134 | $6,857,835 | $1,965,600 | 45 | — | $5,971,794 | $1,685,266 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M 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 states that it provides financial support for scientific research and educational programs at qualified nonprofit organizations. Its 2024 grants included support for medical technology and drug-development initiatives, research, education, health care, and community programs.
For example, MedTech Innovator describes its work as organizing and running a global competition and virtual accelerator for medical device, digital health, and diagnostic startup companies. Harvard describes its mission as providing education and conducting research across a broad range of academic fields. Classical Tahoe says it presents performances, develops community partnerships, and provides educational programs. These are descriptions of the grantees’ work, not stated foundation focus areas.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 39 grants totaling $9,611,804. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $3,606,250, with a median grant of $15,000. The largest awards included $3,606,250 to MedTech Innovator, $3,100,000 to C-Path Institute TRxA, $1,000,000 to Stanford Biodesign Fogarty Institute, and $520,579 to Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Other notable grants were $300,000 to Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and $220,000 to Soteria Precision Medicine Foundation.
C-Path’s TRxA describes itself as a drug-development program supporting academic scientists in advancing potential therapeutics. Its first research grants included projects on glioblastoma and Prader-Willi syndrome. The foundation also awarded $40,000 to Salpointe Catholic Education Foundation, which says it works to improve the educational experiences and environment at Salpointe Catholic High School, and $20,000 to Tucson Conquistadores Foundation, which says it supports organizations serving youth and special-needs athletes in Southern Arizona.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Christopher Martin as chairman. Directors listed are Jeffrey Jacob, Shaun Kirkpatrick, James Mack, Theodore Samuels, and Mark Gilreath.
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation is led by Christopher Martin, Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christopher Martin
Chairman
President → President & Director, 2022
President & Director → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Jacob
Director
Director → Chairman, 2022
Chairman → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shaun Kirkpatrick
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore Samuels
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Mack
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Gilreath
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: John McIntyre (2020–2022) — Director · Filing note: Term ended end jan 2022
- Former: John Schaefer (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jim Mack (2020–2021) — Director
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 Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation
How much does Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation give each year?
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation gave $9.6M across 39 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $12.0M across 49 grants.
What is Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's typical grant size?
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $246,457, across 39 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation give grants?
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation gives mostly in California: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Arizona (43%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (14 grants), Sarasota, FL (5 grants) and Scottsdale, AZ (3 grants).
Does Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 39 grants with a stated purpose on Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Entity Support" (39 grants).
Who are Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's largest grantees?
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Medtech Innovator ($3,606,250), C-Path Institute TRXA ($3,100,000) and Stanford Biodesign Fogarty Institute ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation?
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation reported $70.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it provides financial support for scientific research and educational programs at qualified nonprofit organizations. Its 2024 grants included support for medical technology and drug-development initiatives, research, education, health care, and community programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that 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 Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's EIN?
Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0940147. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Frederick Gardner Cottrell 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
(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). Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/frederick-gardner-cottrell-foundation-morg_cb7d5feb6b1a4e2ea548c3eb8db2910b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_860940147_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/frederick-gardner-cottrell-foundation-morg_cb7d5feb6b1a4e2ea548c3eb8db2910b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Frederick Gardner Cottrell 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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