The Knott Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) family foundation established in 2003 and based in Syosset, New York. The foundation is dedicated to preserving the generous spirit of its founders, Henry and Marion Knott, who established the organization to merge their passions for faith, family, and community.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.1M
+40.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$651K
-18.0% YoY
Grant Count
27
+68.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-51.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Knott Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $224K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation is a Catholic family foundation committed to honoring its founders' legacy of generosity to strengthen the community.
The foundation's core values include:
- Understanding and responding to community needs through informed grantmaking
- Respecting the values of the Roman Catholic faith
- Engaging in ongoing education of trustees and staff in philanthropy and the nonprofit community
- Ensuring good stewardship of resources
- Encouraging open communication, compassion, respect, and trust among community, staff, and family
Donor Intent Principles:
- Faith First – align giving with Catholic faith values and prioritize the Catholic community
- Opportunity Opens Doors and Hearts – provide opportunities for people to be successful and get ahead
- Character Counts – support leaders and organizations demonstrating integrity and accountability
- Use Business Sense – apply business principles to charitable giving decisions
- Strengthen the Community – give locally and in ways that meet needs and strengthen the community
Primary Funding Areas:
- Arts and humanities
- Catholic activities
- Education
- Health care
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation provides funding through grants and loans to support programs in its priority areas.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation strengthens communities in central and western Maryland, while also funding organizations in New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total assets: $3,609,796
- Total revenues: $1,020,952
- Total expenses: $807,725
- Total grants, contributions: $700,000
- Investment income and dividends: $210,116
Earlier Data (2024):
- Total assets: $5,063,345
- Total giving: $651,434
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,063,345 | $3,609,796 | $3,396,569 |
| Revenue | $2,120,645 | $1,020,952 | $79,994 |
| Expenses | $667,096 | $807,725 | $896,254 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $652,434 | $794,697 | $877,098 |
| Net Investment Income | $316,931 | $308,424 | $60,838 |
| Distributable Amount | $223,781 | $167,954 | $203,390 |
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
89 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Oloisukut Conservancy Empowers Africa ($100,634), Cold Spring Harbor Lab ($100,000), Scan-harbor ($51,300).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BEIT RUTH GALA NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| CARON TREATMENT CENTER WERNERSVILLE, PA | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB COLD SPRING HARBO, NY | ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH | $100,000 |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB COLD SPRING HARBO, NY | WOMEN'S PARTNERSHIP FOR SCIENCE LECTURE & LUNCHEON | $10,000 |
| OLOISUKUT CONSERVANCY EMPOWERS AFRICA NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $100,634 |
| PROJECT NYAME NSA MANHASSET, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSESGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| SCAN-HARBOR NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $51,300 |
| UNC ARTS & SCIENCES CHAPEL HILL, NC | THE ARTS & SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $25,000 |
| YAI - KATIES FAN CLUB NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| ST JOHN'S OF LATTINGTOWN FALL FAIR LOCUST VALLEY, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID M KNOTT JR | CO-PRESIDENT TREAS AND DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
| VIRGINIA C KNOTT | VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
| VIRGINIA K LEACHMAN | CO-PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation maintains an active publication schedule, announcing grant awards regularly. Recent announcements include:
Announcing Our\_Winter 2026\_Grant Awards!\u202F\_ - The Knott FoundationWinter 2026 Grant Awards (February 18, 2026)
Announcing Our\_Winter 2026\_Grant Awards!\u202F\_ - The Knott FoundationFall 2025 Grant Awards
Announcing Our\_Winter 2026\_Grant Awards!\u202F\_ - The Knott FoundationGeneral Fund and Strategic Youth Empowerment grant recipients
Investing in the Future: First Round of Youth Empowerment Grants AwardedFirst Round of Youth Empowerment Grants
Investing in the Future: First Round of Youth Empowerment Grants AwardedThe foundation publishes annual reports documenting grantmaking and community impact, with reports available from 2012 through 2024.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Knott Family Foundation fund?
The Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation is a Catholic family foundation committed to honoring its founders' legacy of generosity to strengthen the community. The foundation's core values include: • Understanding and responding to community needs through informed grantmaking • Respecting the values of the Roman Catholic faith • Engaging in ongoing education of trustees and staff in philanthropy and the nonprofit community • Ensuring good stewardship of resources • Encouraging open communicatio…
How do I apply for a grant from Knott Family Foundation?
The foundation provides funding through grants and loans to support programs in its priority areas. **Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $500 to $410,000. **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** • Total giving: $651,434 • Made 14 grants in 2023 • Notable recent grants include: • Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps UNC Chapel Hill: $200,000 • SCAN-Harbor: $100,000 • Project Nyame Nsa: $50,000 The foundation regularly announces grant awards and maintains an active grantmaking schedule with mu…
Where does Knott Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation strengthens communities in central and western Maryland, while also funding organizations in New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does Knott Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Knott Family Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $651K — an average of about $24K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Knott Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Knott Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $224K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Knott Family Foundation's EIN?
Knott Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0495479. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Knott Family Foundation'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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