Galashiels Fund Ltd
Galashiels Fund Ltd is a private foundation established in 1988 and based in Sarasota, Florida. The foundation is named after a town in the Scottish Borders and operates as part of the broader Colburn family philanthropic network. It functions as an independent foundation with a focused, trustee-directed grantmaking approach.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$150.6M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$15.1M
-6.2% YoY
Grant Count
12
-7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.3M
+1.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Galashiels Fund Ltd reported a distributable amount of $13.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for education and public policy research, with additional funding for the arts, with particular emphasis on theater. The foundation also supports charitable gift funds.
Primary funding priorities include:
- Arts & Culture: Performing arts institutions and theater companies
- Music Education: Music education programs and institutions
- Public Policy Research: Libertarian-oriented public policy research and civil liberties advocacy
- Education: Educational institutions and programs
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations identified by the trustees.
Grant Range
$100,000 to $5,000,000
Invitation Only
**: The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grantmaking is trustee-directed with no formal application cycles or programs.
Ready to take the next step with Galashiels Fund Ltd?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has a national geographic focus, with primary grantmaking activity in New York, Illinois, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (as of 2024):
- Total assets: $150,611,966
- Total revenue: $21,114,933
- Total expenses: $18,483,634
- Net income: $2,631,299
- Annual giving: $15,090,250
- Giving rate: Approximately 11% of assets
Historical Assets (2023):
- Total assets: $234,000,000
The foundation maintains significant financial resources with consistent annual distributions to its selected grantees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $150,611,966 | $146,794,859 | $151,090,151 |
| Revenue | $21,114,933 | $15,265,037 | $18,554,628 |
| Expenses | $18,483,634 | $20,037,537 | $20,069,017 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $15,147,430 | $16,130,802 | $13,685,875 |
| Net Investment Income | $17,735,341 | $9,774,655 | $8,922,276 |
| Distributable Amount | $13,110,846 | $10,700,865 | $10,045,099 |
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
75 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Institute for Justice ($5,000,000), World Bicycle Relief ($2,209,250), Challenged Athletes Foundation ($2,100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BEGINNING WITH CHILDREN FOUNDATION BROOKLYN, NY | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| CATO INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DC | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| CHALLENGED ATHLETES FOUNDATION SAN DIEGO, CA | ENDOWMENT AND ANNUAL SUPPORT | $2,100,000 |
| CRISTO RAY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL MINNEAPOLIS, MN | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| CROHN'S & COLITIS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INC NEW YORK, NY | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| GREATER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOUNDATION INDIANAPOLIS, IN | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| HOLY FAMILY MINISTRIES NORTHBROOK, IL | ENDOWMENT AND ANNUAL SUPPORT | $1,300,000 |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI NEW YORK, NY | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE ARLINGTON, VA | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $5,000,000 |
| RAILS TO TRAILS CONSERVANCY WASHINGTON, DC | ANNUAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Keith W. Colburn: President, Treasurer, and Director
- Betsy P. Colburn: Vice President and Director
- David T. Bradford: Secretary and Director
- Andrea K. Mayes: Assistant Treasurer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID T BRADFORD | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANDREA K MAYES | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
| BETSY P COLBURN | VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KEITH W COLBURN | PRES/TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Galashiels Fund Ltd fund?
The foundation gives primarily for education and public policy research, with additional funding for the arts, with particular emphasis on theater. The foundation also supports charitable gift funds. Primary funding priorities include: • **Arts & Culture**: Performing arts institutions and theater companies • **Music Education**: Music education programs and institutions • **Public Policy Research**: Libertarian-oriented public policy research and civil liberties advocacy • **Education**: Educa…
How do I apply for a grant from Galashiels Fund Ltd?
**Application Process**: The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grantmaking is trustee-directed with no formal application cycles or programs. **Grant Characteristics**: • Grant range: $100,000 to $5,000,000 • Median grant size: $1,000,000 • Recent annual giving: $15-16 million • 2023 activity: 13 grants totaling over $16 million The foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations identified by the …
Where does Galashiels Fund Ltd make grants?
The foundation has a national geographic focus, with primary grantmaking activity in New York, Illinois, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Galashiels Fund Ltd award?
In 2024, Galashiels Fund Ltd awarded 12 grants totaling $15.1M — an average of about $1.3M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Galashiels Fund Ltd required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Galashiels Fund Ltd reported a distributable amount of $13.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Galashiels Fund Ltd's EIN?
Galashiels Fund Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3059858. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Galashiels Fund Ltd's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Virgil P Warren Fdn Tr Ua
ORLANDO, FL
Assets
$4.2M
Grants
14
Total Given
$96K
Palm Valley Academy Parent-teacher
PONTE VEDRA, FL
Assets
$261K
Grants
1
Total Given
$78K
The Fritch Foundation
FT LAUDERDALE, FL
Assets
—
Grants
17
Total Given
$167K
Leiman Asterisk Foundation Inc
DELRAY BEACH, FL
Assets
$1.2M
Grants
2
Total Given
$62K
Rachel Memorial Foundation
SANTA RSA BCH, FL
Assets
—
Grants
6
Total Given
$10K
My Brother'ssister's Keeper Charitable
ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL
Assets
$462K
Grants
1
Total Given
$50K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Galashiels Fund Ltd on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Galashiels Fund Ltd to a real strategy.