Robertson Foundation
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.
Key facts about Robertson Foundation
- EIN
- 13-7068398
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $105,166,850
- Grants made (2024)
- 256
- Average grant
- $410,808
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $300,820,477
- Primary geography
- New York (50% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robertson Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Robertson Foundation's 256 itemized 2024 grants were New York (50%), California (22%) and North Carolina (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (59 grants), Brooklyn, NY (15 grants), Chapel Hill, NC (11 grants) and Washington, DC (10 grants). 77% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
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.
Ready to take the next step with Robertson Foundation?
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
Share of all 256 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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
1,036 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University ($21,000,000), Success Academy Charter Schools ($10,000,000), Robertson Scholars Leadership Program ($9,660,077).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY REDWOOD CITY, CA | ARTWORKS DONATED - WAG ID: 405307 - DIEBENKORN, RICHARD (OCEAN PARK NO. 9, 1968) | $21,000,000 |
| SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000,000 |
| ROBERTSON SCHOLARS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CHAPEL HILL, NC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT AND SCHOLARSHIPS | $9,660,077 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INC NEW YORK, NY | DECARBONIZING THE TRUCKING SECTOR, REDUCING METHANE & CLIMATE IN CHINA | $7,000,000 |
| THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT FUND | $5,000,000 |
| THE NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR AWARDS PROGRAM & CONFERENCE | $4,925,022 |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC NEW YORK, NY | STOP EXPANSION OF OIL AND GAS AND ALTERNATE PATHWAYS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | $4,875,000 |
| THE NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | NEUROSCIENCE INVESTIGATOR AWARDS | $3,837,850 |
| INSTITUTO CLIMA E SOCIEDADE | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $3,375,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (FILE) | CURTAIL FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY & DEMAND | $3,000,000 |
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.
Does Robertson Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines.
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.