Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation
The Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation is a private foundation based in Cooperstown, New York. Its 2025 filings report grants to charitable organizations, including recipients in Cooperstown and elsewhere in New York, as well as organizations in other states.
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation gave $79K across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $79,160
- +41.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- -3.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,616
- +47.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $300
- Total assets
- $458,508
- -5.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (86% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation
- 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: 184 County Highway 52, Cooperstown, NY 13326
Phone: (607) 437-0206
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Field ($40K). Together the top 10 received $67K.
Grant Size Distribution
262 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 260 grants of 262 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York. Other reported recipient-state shares were California, 5%; and the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation gives
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 289% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $56K (2024) to $123K (2021). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $79K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Field New York, NY | Exempt Purpose | $40,000 |
| Richfield Springs Veterans Club Richfield Springs, NY | Exempt Purpose | $8,000 |
| Cooperstown Food Pantry Cooperstown, NY | Exempt Purpose | $6,500 |
| Angel Network Charity Cooperstown, NY | Exempt Purpose | $3,000 |
| Friends of Bassett Hospital Cooperstown, NY | Exempt Purpose | $3,000 |
| Seva Foundation Berkeley, CA | Exempt Purpose | $3,000 |
| Cooperstown Art Association Cooperstown, NY | Exempt Purpose | $1,300 |
| Salvation Army Oneonta, NY | Exempt Purpose | $1,000 |
| United Way Midrural NY Norwich, NY | Exempt Purpose | $1,000 |
| Ave Philomena Olathe, KS | Exempt Purpose | $600 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $458,508 | $61,398 | $89,912 | $79,160 | 49 | $82,962 | $55,081 | $28,731 |
| 2024 | $487,022 | $39,667 | $70,912 | $55,980 | 51 | $61,925 | $31,163 | $30,854 |
| 2023 | $518,167 | $25,493 | $71,198 | $56,025 | 47 | $61,720 | $17,206 | $30,675 |
| 2022 | $563,872 | $95,331 | $112,827 | $95,920 | 61 | $102,865 | $85,369 | $34,841 |
| 2021 | $581,731 | $39,956 | $133,109 | $122,800 | 54 | — | $33,150 | $43,121 |
| 2020 | $675,506 | $63,088 | $108,481 | $85,195 | 1 | — | $49,932 | $7,408 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation reported a distributable amount of $29K for 2025 — 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 available. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as hunger relief, the arts, veterans’ services, health, and sight preservation. For example, the Cooperstown Food Pantry says its mission is to address poverty and hunger in Otsego County; the Cooperstown Art Association says it works to foster interest and participation in the arts; and Seva Foundation says it partners worldwide on programs to preserve and restore sight.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 49 grants totaling $79,160. Grants ranged from $100 to $40,000, with a median of $300. The largest awards included $40,000 to THE FIELD in New York, $8,000 to Richfield Springs Veterans Club, $6,500 to Cooperstown Food Pantry, $3,000 each to Angel Network Charity and Friends of Bassett Hospital, and $3,000 to Seva Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Wayne Alpern and Harlan Alpern as co-trustees.
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Harlan Alpern
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Wayne Alpern
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$12K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $6K, to Harlan Alpern (Co-Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation
How much does Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation give each year?
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation gave $79K across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $56K across 51 grants.
What is Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $300, and its average grant was $1,616, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation give grants?
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation gives mostly in New York: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cooperstown, NY (14 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Erie, PA (2 grants) and Washington DC, DC (2 grants).
Who are Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Field ($40,000), Richfield Springs Veterans Club ($8,000) and Cooperstown Food Pantry ($6,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation?
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation reported $459K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $83K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $29K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is available. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as hunger relief, the arts, veterans’ services, health, and sight preservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation?
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 Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's EIN?
Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-6162747. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 18, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-marjorie-alpern-foundation-morg_3df7793942c0417d8d7d9cefa97c6791
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_386162747_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert and Marjorie Alpern Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-marjorie-alpern-foundation-morg_3df7793942c0417d8d7d9cefa97c6791},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 and Marjorie Alpern 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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