Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation
The Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation is a private foundation based in Aspen, Colorado. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations including arts and cultural groups, conservation organizations, educational institutions, and organizations working on health and community issues.
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation gave $133K across 62 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state California. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $132,875
- -1.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 62
- +10.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,143
- -10.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $2,754,684
- -2.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (18 of 60, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (31% 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 Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Catharine Fergus Garber with a written request. No special format is required.
- Contact
Application contact: Catharine Fergus Garber
Mailing address: Post Office Box 1515, Aspen, CO 81612
Phone: (650) 245-9680
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alfred Braun Hut System ($10K). Together the top 10 received $63K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($3,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
313 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 313 grants of 313 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to California (31%), Washington (19%), Colorado (16%), Ohio (13%), and Massachusetts (5%). The listed grants also include recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 60 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 $129K (2020) to $219K (2022). In 2024 it made 62 grants totaling $133K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred Braun Hut System Aspen, CO | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Theaterworks Palo Alto, CA | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Conservation Northwest Bellingham, WA | Unrestricted | $8,000 |
| Rios to Rivers Aspen, CO | Unrestricted | $6,125 |
| Beyond Fistula Los Altos, CA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Multicultural Music Fellowship Richmond, CA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Pickford Film Center Bellingham, WA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Balletmet Columbus, OH | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| CAF America (Cameras Without Borders) Alexandria, VI | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Robert & Elizabeth Fergus 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 | $2,754,684 | $91,590 | $166,151 | $132,875 | 62 | $132,897 | $58,336 | $144,507 |
| 2023 | $2,824,888 | $50,378 | $172,191 | $134,500 | 56 | $135,747 | $38,621 | $136,314 |
| 2022 | $2,949,258 | $-166,448 | $260,626 | $218,735 | 69 | $220,182 | $24,820 | $146,472 |
| 2021 | $3,405,201 | $892,249 | $182,895 | $135,525 | 62 | $136,628 | $845,982 | $231,079 |
| 2020 | $2,701,744 | $88,344 | $164,249 | $129,000 | 64 | — | $54,201 | $140,583 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation reported a distributable amount of $145K 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 show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Rios to Rivers says it develops underserved and Indigenous youth as environmental stewards; Beyond Fistula says it provides educational, vocational, and economic opportunities in Kenya and supports patients’ post-operative health; and Wellesley College says it provides a liberal arts education for women. Other supported organizations describe work in land conservation, theater, historic preservation, and gun-violence prevention.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 62 grants totaling $132,875. Grants ranged from $250 to $10,000, with a median of $1,500. The largest listed awards included $10,000 each to Alfred Braun Hut System and Theaterworks, $8,000 to Conservation Northwest, and $6,125 to Rios to Rivers. Other listed awards included $5,000 to Beyond Fistula, Multicultural Music Fellowship, Pickford Film Center, and Wellesley College.
The foundation’s filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. A written request is required, with no special format; there are no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Fergus, Catharine Fergus Garber, Sylvia Fergus, and Corwin Fergus as co-trustees.
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Catharine Fergus Garber
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Corwin Fergus
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Fergus
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvia Fergus
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation
How much does Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation give each year?
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation gave $133K across 62 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $135K across 56 grants.
What is Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,500, and its average grant was $2,143, across 62 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation give grants?
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's top state is California, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (19%) and Colorado (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (10 grants), Palo Alto, CA (9 grants), New York, NY (6 grants) and Aspen, CO (5 grants).
Does Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (59 of 62) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Alfred Braun Hut System ($10,000), Theaterworks ($10,000) and Conservation Northwest ($8,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($3,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation?
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $133K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $145K (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 Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation?
Contact Catharine Fergus Garber with a written request. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's EIN?
Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6087932. 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). Robert & Elizabeth Fergus Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-elizabeth-fergus-foundation-morg_3c9b2e2f504043b9b522e3f492565b85
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316087932_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert \& Elizabeth Fergus Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-elizabeth-fergus-foundation-morg_3c9b2e2f504043b9b522e3f492565b85},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Robert & Elizabeth Fergus 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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