The Robertson Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1996 by Tiger Management founder Julian H. Robertson, Jr., his wife Josie, and their family. Based in New York, the Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation with a targeted, businesslike, results-oriented approach to philanthropy.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$300.8M
+26.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$105.2M
+38.4% YoY
Grant Count
256
+14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$411K
+21.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robertson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation believes human capital is the greatest lever for change. It aims to combine deep inquiry and intentional action to support individuals and teams transforming how we power our economies, educate our children, feed our families, and advance life-saving discoveries. The Foundation seeks to identify tipping points and focus on understanding the complexities, contexts, and root causes of challenges, learning from and supporting the intelligence and expertise of those most proximate to the issues.
The Foundation empowers extraordinary organizations and individuals to seek transformational breakthroughs across three principal areas:
- Education: Transformational change in reading and writing in pre-K through grade 8 and the future of the teaching profession
- Environment: Visionary leaders and organizations that drive transformational change in global energy and food systems
- Medical Research: Investigation of the causes of health and disease, research to develop diagnostics and treatments, and innovation in care delivery to bring better care to more people in the US
Grantmaking
The Foundation grants approximately $100 million annually and does not accept unsolicited proposals. The Foundation makes large, transformative grants and seeks to leverage these grants by partnering with proven grantees and aligned funders. It seeks measurable outcomes in either the intermediate or longer term.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on New York, North Carolina, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $279,534,145
- Total Giving: $20,616,947
- Total Expenses: $21,327,336
- Total Revenues: $41,004
Historical Data (2015):
- Revenue: $125,739,923
- Expenses: $117,140,962
- Assets: $583,803,334
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $300,820,477 | $237,617,838 | $316,112,515 |
| Revenue | $173,626,586 | $4,107,693 | $93,287,357 |
| Expenses | $113,944,197 | $82,602,370 | $85,303,889 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $113,552,678 | $82,189,176 | $83,457,804 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,576,011 | $4,052,201 | $38,009,587 |
| Distributable Amount | $21,410,520 | $19,757,130 | $26,904,338 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cancer Research Institute ($2,625,000), Americans for Oxford Inc ($1,124,731), Capital for Good Usa ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A BETTER CHANCE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,500 |
| A HOUSE IN AUSTIN NFP CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ABUNDANCE ACADEMY OF THE ARTS INC BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| AFRICAN LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TX | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC NEW YORK, NY | OXFORD BIG DATA INSTITUTE | $1,124,731 |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC NEW YORK, NY | WILDCRU - CONSERVATION OF KEY WILDCAT SPECIES | $640,000 |
| AMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC NEW YORK, NY | RHODES HOUSE NAMING OPPORTUNITY OF JOHN HOOD | $320,000 |
| AMERICA'S ADOPT A SOLDIER FALLS CHURCH, VA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Julia Bator is listed as President.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALEXANDER TUCKER ROBERTSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDRA ROBERTSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CLAIRE ROBERTSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JULIAN HART ROBERTSON III | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JULIAN SPENCER ROBERTSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARAH ROBERTSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WYNDHAM ROBERTSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JAMES FREEMAN MD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RICHARD BARTH | PRESIDENT | 38 | $774,108 |
| KELSEY FINKEL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $382,917 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Robertson Foundation fund?
The Foundation believes human capital is the greatest lever for change. It aims to combine deep inquiry and intentional action to support individuals and teams transforming how we power our economies, educate our children, feed our families, and advance life-saving discoveries. The Foundation seeks to identify tipping points and focus on understanding the complexities, contexts, and root causes of challenges, learning from and supporting the intelligence and expertise of those most proximate to…
How do I apply for a grant from Robertson Foundation?
The Foundation grants approximately $100 million annually and does not accept unsolicited proposals. The Foundation makes large, transformative grants and seeks to leverage these grants by partnering with proven grantees and aligned funders. It seeks measurable outcomes in either the intermediate or longer term. Recent financial data indicates total giving of $20,616,947 with typical awards ranging from $45 to $21,000,000. The Foundation recently received a number of artworks through a bequest …
Where does Robertson Foundation make grants?
The Foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on New York, North Carolina, and Florida.
What size grants does Robertson Foundation award?
In 2024, Robertson Foundation awarded 256 grants totaling $105.2M — an average of about $411K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Robertson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Robertson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Robertson Foundation's EIN?
Robertson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7068398. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Robertson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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