Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983

Private foundation · Grantmaker Fort Mill, SC EIN: 47-7041724

The Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation is a private foundation based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Its 2024 grants went to charitable organizations working in areas including music, skateboarding programs, education, and other community services.

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 at a glance

In short: Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 gave $788K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $33K), top state New York. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$788,000
+7.5% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
24
-14.3% vs 2023
Average grant
$32,833
+25.4% vs 2023
Median grant
$22,500
Total assets
$18,866,287
+4.0% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
8% first-time grantees (2 of 24, 2024; small sample)
Primary geography
New York (27% 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 Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 1929, Fort Mill, SC 29716
Phone: (216) 771-6960

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Eastman School of Music University of Rochester: $166KEastman School of MusicUniversity of Rochester$166KGreater Los Angeles Zoo Association: $90KGreater Los Angeles ZooAssociation$90KMake Life Skate Life: $80KMake Life Skate Life$80KKaufman Music Center: $50KKaufman Music Center$50KGrammy Museum Foundation: $50KGrammy Museum Foundation$50KMana Maoli: $50KMana Maoli$50KHerbie Hancock Institute of Jazz: $50KHerbie Hancock Institute ofJazz$50KSmithsonian Master Jazz Orchestra: $40KSmithsonian Master JazzOrchestra$40KOrdinary Hero Foundation: $40KOrdinary Hero Foundation$40KAmerican Battlefield Trust: $40KAmerican Battlefield Trust$40K

The largest 2024 recipient was Eastman School of Music University of Rochester ($166K). Together the top 10 received $656K.

Grant Size Distribution

111 grants across all recorded years

91<$50K17$50–100K3$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 111 (82%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (27%), California (23%), the District of Columbia (16%), Hawaii (14%), and Colorado (10%).

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.

Cities

Los AngelesAttleboroWashingtonLahainaArlingtonMemphisNew YorkSanta MonicaTopekaWailukuBrentwoodNashvilleRidgewayKulaManhattan BeachPaiahAustinBeverly HillsBrooklynEncino

Is Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 open to new grantees?

8%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 2 of 24 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $108K; repeat grants $26K. How we count

Medians: $108K first-time, $15K repeat.

  • 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 776% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 70% 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

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K16 grants2020 18 grants2021 25 grants2022 28 grants2023 24 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $54K (2020) to $788K (2024). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $788K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Eastman School of Music University of Rochester Rochester, NYGeneral Purpose$166,000
Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association Los Angeles, CAGeneral Support$90,000
Make Life Skate Life Ridgeway, COGeneral Support$80,000
Kaufman Music Center New York, NYGeneral Support$50,000
Grammy Museum Foundation Los Angeles, CAGeneral Support$50,000
Mana Maoli Honolulu, HIGeneral Purpose$50,000
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Washington, DCGeneral Support$50,000
Smithsonian Master Jazz Orchestra Washington, DCGeneral Support$40,000
Ordinary Hero Foundation Brentwood, TNGeneral Support$40,000
American Battlefield Trust Washington, DCGeneral Support$40,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$18,866,287$1,992,423$1,108,664$788,00024$818,790$1,588,742$1,173,412
2023$18,142,725$-130,015$997,285$733,00028$759,368$259,585$1,003,609
2022$19,220,595$1,120,536$911,466$594,00025$625,454$465,281$1,001,999
2021$19,011,522$18,203,925$197,488$90,00018$96,176$1,485,774$429,527
2020$1,005,082$144,192$68,987$54,00016—$18,212$59,466

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 reported a distributable amount of $1.2M 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included music organizations: for example, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz says it offers college-level training to promising young musicians and presents jazz education programs for young people. The GRAMMY Museum Foundation describes its work as celebrating and exploring music through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Make Life Skate Life says its mission includes completing skateparks and programs in Tunisia and the Philippines. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $788,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $166,000, with a median of $22,500.

Among the largest grants were $166,000 to the Eastman School of Music University of Rochester for general purpose; $90,000 to the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association for general support; and $80,000 to Make Life Skate Life for general support. Other notable grants included $50,000 each to Kaufman Music Center, the GRAMMY Museum Foundation, Mana Maoli, and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's only listed officer is The Private Trust Company NA, Co-Trustee since 2023 (on filings since 2020) (compensated).

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • The Private Trust Company NA

    Co-Trustee

    Trustee → Co-Trustee, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    $3K (2020) → $60K (2024)

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Tamara Conniff (2023) — Co-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 Private Trust Company NA — Co-Trustee: $60KThe Private Trust…Co-Trustee$60K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $60K, to The Private Trust Company NA (Co-Trustee).

Frequently asked questions about Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983

How much does Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 give each year?

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 gave $788K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $733K across 28 grants.

What is Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's typical grant size?

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's median grant in 2024 was $22,500, and its average grant was $32,833, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 that year got $108K on average.

Where does Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 give grants?

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's top state is New York, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (23%) and District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (4 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Attleboro, MA (3 grants).

Does Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 give general operating support?

Yes: 83% of Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's largest grantees?

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's largest 2024 grantees include Eastman School of Music University of Rochester ($166,000), Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association ($90,000) and Make Life Skate Life ($80,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983?

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 reported $18.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $819K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (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 Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included music organizations: for example, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz says it offers college-level training to promising young musicians and presents jazz education programs for young people. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983?

The foundation 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 Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's EIN?

Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-7041724. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 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

(5)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
  5. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ray-and-vera-conniff-foundation-51645983-morg_567728ce00c14852b56d307671edfe47

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_477041724_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Ray \& Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983 funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/ray-and-vera-conniff-foundation-51645983-morg_567728ce00c14852b56d307671edfe47},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation 51645983'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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