Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation
The Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Gastonia, North Carolina. In 2024, it reported 15 grants totaling $180,500 to organizations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and New York.
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation gave $181K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in North Carolina. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $180,500
- -0.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- -21.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,033
- +25.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,789,692
- +2.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (3 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says to contact Leigh Finley with a letter of request detailing the purpose of the funds and a copy of the 501(c) determination letter. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Leigh Finley
Mailing address: 3204 Glen Terrace, Charlotte, NC 28211
Phone: (704) 281-3090
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Gaston Community Foundation ($68K). Together the top 10 received $178K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 71 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina, 11% to South Carolina, and 7% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 15 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 80% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $152K (2020) to $197K (2022). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $181K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gaston Community Foundation Gastonia, NC | Crisis assistance ministry; dream center academy; public library; hope united survivor network; garrison fund | $67,500 |
| Community Foundation of Henderson County Inc Hendersonville, NC | Helene Recovery Efforts | $36,000 |
| Futures Ignite Inc New York, NY | Supporting Youth - New York City Marathon Sponsor | $12,000 |
| Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community Charleston, SC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy Charleston, SC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Covenant Village Gastonia, NC | Nursing Scholarship | $10,000 |
| Gaston Day School Gastonia, NC | Art Scholarship | $10,000 |
| United Way of Gaston County Gastonia, NC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County Inc Gastonia, NC | General Support | $7,500 |
| Lake Summit Foundation Hendersonville, NC | General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,789,692 | $294,510 | $216,692 | $180,500 | 15 | $213,640 | $292,829 | $215,622 |
| 2023 | $3,711,874 | $105,101 | $212,889 | $181,807 | 19 | $197,024 | $102,533 | $196,136 |
| 2022 | $3,819,662 | $830,761 | $230,597 | $196,970 | 18 | $204,906 | $817,461 | $189,245 |
| 2021 | $3,236,667 | $592,617 | $232,848 | $160,500 | 4 | $178,638 | $542,968 | $216,284 |
| 2020 | $2,876,898 | $247,896 | $209,154 | $151,650 | 15 | — | $207,375 | $176,459 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $216K for 2024 — 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 foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants included support for community foundations, education, elder care, human services, and other organizations. For example, Gaston Day School describes its mission as educating students and preparing them for successful, responsible, and productive lives. Covenant Village says it operates a continuing care retirement community and provides nursing care, assisted living, and services for independent older adults. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $180,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $67,500, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $67,500 to Gaston Community Foundation, for purposes including crisis assistance, a school, a public library, and survivor support; $36,000 to Community Foundation of Henderson County for Helene recovery efforts; and $12,000 to Futures Ignite Inc to support youth through a New York City Marathon sponsorship. Other grants included $10,000 each to Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community, Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy, Covenant Village, Gaston Day School, and United Way of Gaston County.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Leigh R Finley, Ann R Black, and Russell M Robinson as trustees.
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Leigh R. Finley
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2023) → $6K (2024)
Ann R. Black
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Russell M. Robinson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ralph Robinson (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $6K, to Leigh R Finley (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation
How much does Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation give each year?
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation gave $181K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $182K across 19 grants.
What is Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,033, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation give grants?
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were South Carolina (11%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Gastonia, NC (7 grants), Hendersonville, NC (2 grants) and Charleston, SC (2 grants).
Does Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Gaston Community Foundation ($67,500), Community Foundation of Henderson County Inc ($36,000) and Futures Ignite Inc ($12,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation?
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation reported $3.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $214K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $216K (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 Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants included support for community foundations, education, elder care, human services, and other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation?
The foundation’s filing says to contact Leigh Finley with a letter of request detailing the purpose of the funds and a copy of the 501(c) determination letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's EIN?
Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-6049912. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ralph-s-robinson-family-foundation-morg_37694271275e4ed7a3ee36c2a733ba6d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_566049912_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ralph-s-robinson-family-foundation-morg_37694271275e4ed7a3ee36c2a733ba6d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ralph S Robinson Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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