Gardner Cowles III Charitable
Gardner Cowles III Charitable is a private foundation based in Naples, Florida. In 2025, it reported 12 grants totaling $34,750 to charitable organizations, with listed grant purposes including public service and education.
Gardner Cowles III Charitable at a glance
In short: Gardner Cowles III Charitable gave $35K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state New York. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $34,750
- +12.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,896
- +12.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,375
- Total assets
- $444,334
- -5.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (3 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gardner Cowles III Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Little Harbour Lane, Naples, FL 34102
Phone: (516) 220-5837
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gardner Cowles III Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Hearts of the Herd ($10K). Together the top 10 received $33K.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 65 grants of 65 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in New York (39%), Maryland (29%), Maine (14%), Florida (9%), and Massachusetts (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Gardner Cowles III Charitable open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 12 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 82% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $31K (2024) to $42K (2020). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $35K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hearts of the Herd Frederick, MD | Public Service | $10,000 |
| Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | Educational | $5,000 |
| The Ellen Hermanson Foundation Southampton, NY | Public Service | $3,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts Somerville, MA | Educational | $3,000 |
| Bay Street Theater Sag Harbor, NY | Public Service | $2,500 |
| Southampton Hosp Foundation Southampton, NY | Public Service | $2,500 |
| Naples Therapeutic Riding Center Naples, FL | Public Service | $2,250 |
| Heart of the Hamptons South Hampton, NY | Public Service | $2,000 |
| Sag Harbor Comm Food Pantry Sag Harbor, NY | Public Service | $2,000 |
| St Ann's Episcopal Church Sayville, NY | Public Service | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $444,334 | $22,556 | $47,994 | $34,750 | 12 | $34,750 | $8,714 | $42,363 |
| 2024 | $469,772 | $16,338 | $42,019 | $31,000 | 12 | $31,000 | $4,793 | $37,577 |
| 2023 | $495,453 | $24,573 | $48,120 | $40,000 | 17 | $40,000 | $11,506 | $38,310 |
| 2022 | $545,430 | $29,222 | $45,885 | $38,000 | 12 | $45,885 | $12,667 | $38,312 |
| 2021 | $530,663 | $59,174 | $42,599 | $35,000 | 12 | $42,599 | $11,126 | $40,821 |
| 2020 | $514,088 | $28,716 | $48,256 | $41,750 | 13 | — | $10,692 | $34,554 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gardner Cowles III Charitable reported a distributable amount of $42K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included public-service and educational grants. Among the recipients, Bowdoin College describes its mission as providing a four-year liberal arts education that develops students’ minds, creative abilities, and social and leadership abilities. Naples Therapeutic Riding Center says it provides therapeutic horseback riding for children and adults with special needs. Heart of the Hamptons says it helps people in its local community who are in need, without discrimination and in a dignified manner. Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry says it provides food to people in Sag Harbor and its environs who are in need.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 12 grants totaling $34,750. Grants ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $2,375. The largest grants included $10,000 to Hearts of the Herd for public service and $5,000 to Bowdoin College for educational purposes. Other grants included $3,000 each to the Ellen Hermanson Foundation and Trustees of Tufts, and $2,500 each to Bay Street Theater and Southampton Hospital Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Elizabeth Cowles was listed as president on the 2025 filing.
Gardner Cowles III Charitable is led by Elizabeth Cowles, President on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Cowles
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Gardner Cowles III Charitable
How much does Gardner Cowles III Charitable give each year?
Gardner Cowles III Charitable gave $35K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $31K across 12 grants.
What is Gardner Cowles III Charitable's typical grant size?
Gardner Cowles III Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $2,375, and its average grant was $2,896, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gardner Cowles III Charitable that year got $2K on average.
Where does Gardner Cowles III Charitable give grants?
Gardner Cowles III Charitable's top state is New York, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maryland (29%) and Maine (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Southampton, NY (2 grants), Sag Harbor, NY (2 grants) and Naples, FL (2 grants).
Does Gardner Cowles III Charitable give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Gardner Cowles III Charitable's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Service" (10 grants).
Who are Gardner Cowles III Charitable's largest grantees?
Gardner Cowles III Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Hearts of the Herd ($10,000), Bowdoin College ($5,000) and The Ellen Hermanson Foundation ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gardner Cowles III Charitable?
Gardner Cowles III Charitable reported $444K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $35K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $42K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Gardner Cowles III Charitable fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included public-service and educational grants. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gardner Cowles III Charitable?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gardner Cowles III Charitable's EIN?
Gardner Cowles III Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3444590. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Gardner Cowles III Charitable 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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