Robert Gould Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Milford, OH EIN: 31-6064275

Robert Gould Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Milford, Ohio. Its 2025 filing reports grants to public charities, including organizations in Ohio and Colorado.

Robert Gould Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Robert Gould Foundation Inc gave $309K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Ohio. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$308,500
-2.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
24
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$12,854
-2.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$5,983,328
-3.9% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
21% first-time grantees (5 of 24, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Ohio (72% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Robert Gould Foundation Inc

How to Apply

The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests should be directed to Laura Beckman Sheldon and include an IRS determination letter and a statement of charitable purpose for the request. All recipients must be public charities.

Contact

Application contact: Laura Beckman Sheldon
Mailing address: PO Box 225, Milford, OH 45150
Phone: (513) 831-8400

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

Who Robert Gould Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

CET: $55KCET$55KAspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club: $45KAspen Valley Ski and SnowboardClub$45KCincinnati Nature Center: $30KCincinnati Nature Center$30KImani Family Learning Center: $25KImani Family Learning Center$25KAspen Center for Physics: $20KAspen Center for Physics$20KCincinnati Museum Center: $15KCincinnati Museum Center$15KCardinal Land Conservancy: $10KCardinal Land Conservancy$10KCincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden: $10KCincinnati Zoo and BotanicalGarden$10KCreature Conserve: $10KCreature Conserve$10KFreestore Foodbank: $10KFreestore Foodbank$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was CET ($55K). Together the top 10 received $230K.

Grant Size Distribution

113 grants across all recorded years

108<$50K5$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 113 (96%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio (72%), Colorado (21%), Wyoming (4%), and Rhode Island (3%).

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.

Cities

CincinnatiMilfordSheridanAspenBarringtonCincinantiEvendaleNew YorkCovingtonIthaca

Is Robert Gould Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

21%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 24 grantees (21%) 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 $10K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−11%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K18 grants2020 21 grants2021 25 grants2022 19 grants2023 24 grants2024 24 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $211K (2020) to $346K (2022). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $309K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
CET Cincinnati, OHCharitable Purpose$55,000
Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club Aspen, COCharitable Purpose$45,000
Cincinnati Nature Center Milford, OHCharitable Purpose$30,000
Imani Family Learning Center Cincinnati, OHCharitable Purpose$25,000
Aspen Center for Physics Aspen, COCharitable Purpose$20,000
Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OHCharitable Purpose$15,000
Cardinal Land Conservancy Milford, OHCharitable Purpose$10,000
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincinnati, OHCharitable Purpose$10,000
Creature Conserve Barrington, RICharitable Purpose$10,000
Freestore Foodbank Cincinnati, OHCharitable Purpose$10,000
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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
2025$5,983,328$352,928$595,757$308,50024$534,693$243,530$533,440
2024$6,226,157$466,195$575,937$314,90024$518,280$219,501$517,754
2023$6,335,899$291,865$530,791$276,00019$479,562$187,825$470,019
2022$6,574,825$738,382$596,012$346,02525$540,661$296,455$482,363
2021$6,432,455$513,049$538,403$293,00021$470,375$209,318$516,943
2020$6,457,809$246,360$435,399$211,00018—$177,390$427,874

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert Gould Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $533K 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 foundation mission is stated. Its grants include support for organizations whose own missions span different fields. For example, Cincinnati Museum Center says it inspires learning about science and regional history through engaging experiences; Freestore Foodbank says it works to eliminate hunger in partnership with its community; and Cardinal Land Conservancy says it preserves natural lands and significant habitats for public benefit.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $308,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $55,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest reported awards included $55,000 to CET, $45,000 to Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, $30,000 to Cincinnati Nature Center, and $25,000 to Imani Family Learning Center. Each grant’s stated purpose was “charitable purpose.”

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Susan Beckman and Elizabeth Barteld as trustees, and Laura Beckman Sheldon, Tom Beckman, and Robert Beckman as board members.

Robert Gould Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Susan Beckman

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $127K (2020) → $155K (2025)

  • Elizabeth Barteld

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    20 hrs/week

    $38K (2025)

  • Laura Beckman Sheldon

    Board Memebe

    Trustee → Board Memebe, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    20 hrs/week

    $38K (2020) → $0 (2025)

  • Robert Beckman

    Board Memebe

    New on the 2025 filing

    20 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom Beckman

    Board Memebe

    New on the 2025 filing

    20 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Olivia Sheldon (2024) — Trustee

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 2025 IRS filing

Susan Beckman — Trustee: $155KSusan BeckmanTrustee$155KElizabeth Barteld — Trustee: $38KElizabeth BarteldTrustee$38K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $155K, to Susan Beckman (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Robert Gould Foundation Inc

How much does Robert Gould Foundation Inc give each year?

Robert Gould Foundation Inc gave $309K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $315K across 24 grants.

What is Robert Gould Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Robert Gould Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,854, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert Gould Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.

Where does Robert Gould Foundation Inc give grants?

Robert Gould Foundation Inc gives mostly in Ohio: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Colorado (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (16 grants), Aspen, CO (2 grants), Milford, OH (2 grants) and Sheridan, WY (2 grants).

Who are Robert Gould Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Robert Gould Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include CET ($55,000), Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club ($45,000) and Cincinnati Nature Center ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Robert Gould Foundation Inc?

Robert Gould Foundation Inc reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $535K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $533K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Robert Gould Foundation Inc fund?

No foundation mission is stated. Its grants include support for organizations whose own missions span different fields. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Robert Gould Foundation Inc?

The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Robert Gould Foundation Inc's EIN?

Robert Gould Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6064275. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 19, 2023)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Robert Gould Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-gould-foundation-inc-morg_83453bf1f2e84ea7bebd1c9410760d09

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316064275_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Robert Gould Foundation Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-gould-foundation-inc-morg_83453bf1f2e84ea7bebd1c9410760d09},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Gould Foundation Inc'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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