James J Cotter Foundation
James J Cotter Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Los Angeles, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $5.7M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 18 grants totaling $260K. Net investment income was $261K.
Key facts about James J Cotter Foundation
- EIN
- 20-5691089
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $260,175
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- Average grant
- $14,454
- Median grant
- $6,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 18, 2024)
- Total assets
- $5,717,490
- Primary geography
- California (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who James J Cotter Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for James J Cotter Foundation's 18 itemized 2024 grants were California (51%), District of Columbia (27%) and Rhode Island (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (8 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is James J Cotter Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 18 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+19%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). 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 James J Cotter Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.7M
-0.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$260K
-0.3% YoY
Grant Count
18
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-0.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James J Cotter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $255K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About James J Cotter Foundation
Based on IRS filings
James J Cotter Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Los Angeles, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $5.7M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 18 grants totaling $260K. Net investment income was $261K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 18 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,717,490 | $5,723,985 | $5,745,673 |
| Revenue | $263,312 | $242,554 | $580,405 |
| Expenses | $269,807 | $264,242 | $257,578 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $260,175 | $261,000 | $250,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $260,812 | $242,554 | $67,891 |
| Distributable Amount | $254,662 | $260,287 | $261,969 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Georgetown University ($70,000), Brown University ($35,000), Harvard-Westlake School ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Washington, DC | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $70,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY Providence, RI | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $35,000 |
| HARVARD-WESTLAKE SCHOOL Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $35,000 |
| THE PAULIST FATHERSST PAUL THE APOSTLE Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $26,500 |
| WILL ROGERS MOTION PICTURE PIONEERS FOUNDATION Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $16,225 |
| VARIETY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $13,000 |
| MARYMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $10,000 |
| XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL New York, NY | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $10,000 |
| PROVIDENCE MISSION HOSPITAL LAGUNA BEACH Laguna Beach, CA | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $6,000 |
| THE MOTION PICTURE CLUB FOUNDATION New York, NY | UNRESTRICTED PROGRAM SERVICES | $6,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen M Cotter | Trustee | — | — |
| Margaret Cotter | Trustee | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is James J Cotter Foundation?
James J Cotter Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Los Angeles, CA. It holds $5.7M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is James J Cotter Foundation?
As of 2024, James J Cotter Foundation holds $5.7M in total assets with $263K in annual revenue. It awarded 18 grants totaling $260K in 2024.
Where does James J Cotter Foundation operate?
James J Cotter Foundation has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Indiana, North Carolina, New York, Rhode Island.
What size grants does James J Cotter Foundation award?
In 2024, James J Cotter Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $260K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is James J Cotter Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, James J Cotter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $255K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is James J Cotter Foundation's EIN?
James J Cotter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5691089. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.