Rocking Moon Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Yarmouth, Maine, established in 2003. The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not operate a website or employ a formal staff. It is a smaller organization that makes limited grants annually, typically fewer than 20 awards per year, though recent filings indicate approximately 25-26 grants annually.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15.7M
+40.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$805K
-11.2% YoY
Grant Count
25
-7.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-4.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rocking Moon Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $582K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking is wide-ranging and supports a broad selection of programs and initiatives. Primary funding areas include:
- Education — particularly youth education initiatives
- Human Services — community development and at-risk populations
- LGBTQ Causes — organizations working with at-risk gay, lesbian, and transgender youth
- Equal Rights — civil rights and advocacy work
- Diseases — health-related charitable work
In addition to grantmaking, the foundation provides office space at free or significantly discounted rental rates to small nonprofit entities to facilitate their tax-exempt charitable missions.
Grantmaking
Recent grantees include:
Average Grant
amount: approximately $39,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation tends to prioritize organizations located along the eastern coast of the United States. Primary funding regions include:
- Maine
- New York
- District of Columbia
These three regions account for approximately 80% of all grants made by the foundation.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $15,720,550
- Total revenues: $5,169,818
- Total expenses: $1,186,219
- Total giving: $804,565
Historical Giving Trends:
- Annual giving has decreased from $1.7 million in 2020 to approximately $907,000 in 2023
- The foundation has made 104 grants totaling $4.1 million across available records
Staffing:
- 1 full-time employee (Executive Director)
- Board members serve on a volunteer basis
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,720,550 | $11,211,682 | $10,996,386 |
| Revenue | $5,169,818 | $1,108,842 | $441,086 |
| Expenses | $1,186,219 | $1,223,088 | $1,703,422 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,067,030 | $1,116,262 | $1,638,693 |
| Net Investment Income | $749,970 | $1,068,392 | $410,227 |
| Distributable Amount | $581,816 | $543,648 | $485,502 |
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
158 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Ali Forney Center ($101,791), Knox County Homeless Coalition ($100,348), Children's National Medical Center ($77,306).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Civil Liberties Union Foundation New York, NY | Program Support - LGBT Project | $60,173 |
| Area Interfaith Outreach Food and Energy Assistance Rockland, ME | Program Support - Knox County Weekend Meal Program | $20,227 |
| Bright Beginnings Inc Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $14,907 |
| Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation Germantown, MD | General Operating Support | $10,179 |
| Children's National Medical Center Washington, DC | Capacity Building Support for Gender & Autism Program (Year 3 of 3) | $77,306 |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Bethesda, MD | Program Support - Compass Program | $23,378 |
| Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center Portland, ME | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Hand in Hand Mano en Mano Milbridge, ME | General Operating Support | $9,938 |
| Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project Portland, ME | General Operating Support | $30,321 |
| IntegrateNYC New York, NY | Program Support - Youth Justice Fair | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Staff:
- Joseph R. Higdon — Trustee; heavily involved in micro-lending and educational initiatives in the Philippines; sits on the board of multiple youth mentoring organizations across the United States
- William J. Higdon-Sudow — President
- Robert J. Higdon — Treasurer
- Matthew Jaffe — Trustee
- Ellen L. Sudow — Trustee; Principal Officer
- Sarah Higdon-Sudow — Trustee
- Erin Cinelli — Executive Director
The Higdon family founded the foundation in 2003.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph R Higdon | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Matthew Jaffe | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Ellen L Sudow | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Sarah Higdon-Sudow | Trustee | 1 | — |
| William J Higdon-Sudow | President | 1 | — |
| Robert J Higdon | Treasurer | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to make grants to organizations across its priority areas. Recent multi-year grants indicate ongoing support for capacity building and program development, particularly in areas serving vulnerable youth populations and LGBTQ communities.
Community Foundation\u2019s Rock Charitable Fund Supports Projects at Seventeen\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rocking Moon Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's grantmaking is wide-ranging and supports a broad selection of programs and initiatives. Primary funding areas include: • **Education** — particularly youth education initiatives • **Human Services** — community development and at-risk populations • **LGBTQ Causes** — organizations working with at-risk gay, lesbian, and transgender youth • **Equal Rights** — civil rights and advocacy work • **Diseases** — health-related charitable work In addition to grantmaking, the foundation …
How do I apply for a grant from Rocking Moon Foundation Inc?
**Grant Amounts:** • Typical awards range from $2,000 to $101,791 • Median grant amount: $23,000–$25,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $39,000 • Individual grants have historically ranged from $2,000 to $150,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** Recent grantees include: • Ali Forney Center — $101,791 (General Operating Support, Year 3 of 3) • Homeworthy — $100,348 (Program Support) • Children's National — $77,306 (Capacity Building Support for Gender & Autism Program, Year 3 of 3) • Advocates …
Where does Rocking Moon Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation tends to prioritize organizations located along the eastern coast of the United States. Primary funding regions include: • Maine • New York • District of Columbia These three regions account for approximately 80% of all grants made by the foundation.
What size grants does Rocking Moon Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Rocking Moon Foundation Inc awarded 25 grants totaling $805K — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Rocking Moon Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Rocking Moon Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $582K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Rocking Moon Foundation Inc's EIN?
Rocking Moon Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-0545520. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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