Nora Roberts Foundation
The Nora Roberts Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 1999 and based in Glenn Dale, Maryland. Founded by Nora Roberts, a bestselling romance novelist and first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since May 2000.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$105.4M
+7.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.5M
+23.9% YoY
Grant Count
592
-6.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+32.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nora Roberts Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: "As we believe literacy is a human right, we have made supporting literacy organizations our highest priority. In order to create a beautiful, equitable, and safe world, we also support organizations focused on the arts, children, social justice, and the environment."
Primary Focus Areas:
- Literacy (highest priority)
- Arts and culture
- Children's services and youth development
- Social justice
- Environment and environmental conservation
Grantmaking
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding regions include Maryland, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania, with a geographic focus across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $105,395,990
- Total revenues: $17,083,031
- Total expenses: $9,372,933
- Annual giving: $8.02 million
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from $42.1 million in 2011 to $105.4 million in 2024
- 2023: Total assets of $97.7 million, revenues of $11.4 million, expenses of $7.86 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $105,395,990 | $97,685,892 | $90,657,767 |
| Revenue | $17,083,031 | $11,412,977 | $17,263,079 |
| Expenses | $9,372,933 | $7,859,355 | $9,813,855 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,018,787 | $6,632,166 | $8,474,376 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,819,793 | $4,807,029 | $8,751,375 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,811,300 | $5,152,283 | $5,076,797 |
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
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Nora Roberts Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Holy Cross Health Foundation ($500,000), Washington County Museum of Fine Arts ($100,000), Fahrney Keedy ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 826DC WASHINGTON, DC | OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF MARYLAND INC BALTIMORE, MD | OPERATIONS | $12,000 |
| ALLEGANY COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LAVALE, MD | OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| ALZHEIMER'S WESTERN MD CHAPTER TIMONIUM, MD | OPERATIONS | $6,000 |
| ALZHEIMERS ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL | OPERATIONS | $6,000 |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION INC WASHINGTON, DC | OPERATIONS | $6,000 |
| COMMUNITY WORD PROJECT NEW YORK, NY | OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| EVERYBODY WINS DC WASHINGTON, DC | OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| FAHRNEY KEEDY BOONSBORO, MD | OPERATIONS | $50,000 |
| FOOD & FRIENDS WASHINGTON, DC | OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Eleanor Wilder - President
- Bruce Wilder - Vice President
- Jason M. Aufdem Brinke - Treasurer
- Kathryn Pong - Secretary
- Merrill Lynch Trust Company - Principal Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELEANOR WILDER | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BRUCE WILDER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| KATHRYN PONG | SECRETARY | 10 | $148,500 |
| JASON M AUFDEM-BRINKE | TREASURER | 10 | $177,750 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced significant grants and partnerships in support of its mission, including lead gifts for new initiatives and partnerships with organizations like Pro Literacy Worldwide to expand adult literacy programming. The foundation has received recognition for its support of adult literacy efforts.
ProLiteracy Worldwide Announces New Grant Program Funded by ...Contact Information
Address: 7003 Glenn Dale Road Glenn Dale, MD 20769-7636
Alternative Mailing Address: PO Box 1525 Pennington, NJ 08534
Website: norarobertsfoundation.org
Phone: (609) 274-6834 or (301) 442-2472
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Nora Roberts Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** "As we believe literacy is a human right, we have made supporting literacy organizations our highest priority. In order to create a beautiful, equitable, and safe world, we also support organizations focused on the arts, children, social justice, and the environment." **Primary Focus Areas:** • Literacy (highest priority) • Arts and culture • Children's services and youth development • Social justice • Environment and environmental conservation
How do I apply for a grant from Nora Roberts Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 182 grants in 2024 • Total giving of approximately $7.5 million to $8 million annually • Typical award range: $350,000 to $750,000 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Historical grantmaking: 3,156 grants totaling $35.6 million across available records **Recent Grant Examples:** • San Mar Children's Home: $750,000 (2024) • Holy Cross Health Foundation: $500,000 (2024) • Dance Loft on 14: $250,000 (2024) **Application Process:** • Organizations may apply once per calendar y…
Where does Nora Roberts Foundation make grants?
Primary funding regions include Maryland, District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania, with a geographic focus across the United States.
What size grants does Nora Roberts Foundation award?
In 2024, Nora Roberts Foundation awarded 592 grants totaling $7.5M — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Nora Roberts Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Nora Roberts Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Nora Roberts Foundation's EIN?
Nora Roberts Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2189081. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Nora Roberts 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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