Romenesa Foundation
Romenesa Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY (EIN 13-3971081). Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including educational institutions, arts organizations, community-service providers, and organizations working on other causes.
Romenesa Foundation at a glance
In short: Romenesa Foundation gave $246K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in New York. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $246,437
- +8.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +25.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,248
- -13.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,174,467
- +32.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (8 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (75% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Romenesa 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: 200 East 62Nd Street Unit 21D, New York, NY 10065
Phone: (212) 829-0099
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Romenesa Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Alliance on Mental Illness ($30K). Together the top 10 received $160K.
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 145 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (75%), followed by Maryland (12%), Washington State (10%), Washington, D.C. (2%), and Massachusetts (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Romenesa Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 34 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 164% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $164K (2019) to $246K (2025). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $246K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Alliance on Mental Illness Baltimore, MD | Unrestricted Grant | $30,250 |
| Congregation Emanu-El NYC New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $29,450 |
| The Franklin Academy Bellingham, WA | Unrestricted Grant | $25,000 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $15,000 |
| Riverdale Country School Riverdale, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
| Peconic Land Trust Southampton, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
| Part of the Solution Bronx, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
| The Retreat East Hampton, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
| The Brigid Alliance New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
| New York Zen Center New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
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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 | $1,174,467 | $546,148 | $253,318 | $246,437 | 34 | $249,484 | $542,251 | $152,243 |
| 2024 | $885,296 | $46,896 | $233,219 | $226,451 | 27 | $229,183 | $63,673 | $161,713 |
| 2023 | $1,086,386 | $119,548 | $239,276 | $230,743 | 32 | $234,688 | $115,695 | $151,187 |
| 2022 | $1,168,364 | $-84,851 | $230,603 | $223,825 | 27 | $226,928 | $50,924 | $158,260 |
| 2021 | $1,478,818 | $49,045 | $224,012 | $209,925 | 25 | $211,823 | $47,289 | $169,469 |
| 2020 | $1,653,785 | $3,442,946 | $200,985 | $193,875 | 20 | — | $992,272 | $119,640 |
| 2019 | $108,281 | $167,539 | $171,782 | $164,200 | 22 | — | $167,539 | $43,954 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Romenesa Foundation reported a distributable amount of $152K 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 in the available information. Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. The Franklin Academy describes its mission as integrating STEM, rigorous education, leadership, and character development. The Metropolitan Museum of Art says it collects, studies, conserves, and presents art to connect people with creativity, knowledge, and ideas. Peconic Land Trust says it conserves Long Island farms, natural lands, and heritage.
Other grantees describe work in education and community services: Riverdale Country School focuses on developing minds, building character, and creating community, while Part of the Solution serves people in the Bronx through immediate assistance and longer-term services. The Brigid Alliance describes its work as helping people travel for family-planning services, and Family Equality works to advance equality for LGBTQ+ families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 34 grants totaling $246,437. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $30,250, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest grants were $30,250 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Baltimore, $29,450 to Congregation Emanu-El NYC, and $25,000 to The Franklin Academy. Other notable grants included $15,000 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and $10,000 each to Riverdale Country School, Peconic Land Trust, Part of the Solution, The Retreat, The Brigid Alliance, New York Zen Center, and Parrish Art Museum. These listed grants are identified as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Meryl Meltzer as president/secretary and Neal Meltzer and Sara Meltzer as vice-presidents.
Romenesa Foundation is led by Meryl Meltzer, President & Secretary on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Meryl Meltzer
President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Neal Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Meltzer
Vice President
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Romenesa Foundation
How much does Romenesa Foundation give each year?
Romenesa Foundation gave $246K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $226K across 27 grants.
What is Romenesa Foundation's typical grant size?
Romenesa Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,248, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Romenesa Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Romenesa Foundation give grants?
Romenesa Foundation gives mostly in New York: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maryland (12%) and Washington (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (17 grants), Southampton, NY (3 grants), Brooklyn, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Romenesa Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Romenesa Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (34 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Romenesa Foundation's largest grantees?
Romenesa Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include National Alliance on Mental Illness ($30,250), Congregation Emanu-El NYC ($29,450) and The Franklin Academy ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Romenesa Foundation?
Romenesa Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $249K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $152K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Romenesa Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the available information. Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. The Franklin Academy describes its mission as integrating STEM, rigorous education, leadership, and character development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Romenesa 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 Romenesa Foundation's EIN?
Romenesa Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3971081. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Romenesa 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 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
Live grants for the work Romenesa Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Romenesa Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/romenesa-foundation-morg_42fe215383eb4583b34b06f21d0b056e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133971081_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Romenesa Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/romenesa-foundation-morg_42fe215383eb4583b34b06f21d0b056e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Romenesa 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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