Rowboat Family Foundation
Rowboat Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Buffalo, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $368K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 12 grants totaling $1.0M. Net investment income was $11K.
Key facts about Rowboat Family Foundation
- EIN
- 81-4333414
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,002,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- Average grant
- $83,542
- Median grant
- $82,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (3 of 12, 2024)
- Total assets
- $368,487
- Primary geography
- New York (70% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated April 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Rowboat Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Rowboat Family Foundation's 12 itemized 2024 grants were New York (70%), California (17%) and District of Columbia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (8 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants). None of its 12 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (9 grants) and "Educational" (3 grants).
Is Rowboat Family Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 12 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $99K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Rowboat Family Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$368K
+27.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+3.2% YoY
Grant Count
12
+9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$84K
-5.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rowboat Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Rowboat Family Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Rowboat Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Buffalo, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $368K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 12 grants totaling $1.0M. Net investment income was $11K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 12 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $368,487 | $288,730 | $527,099 |
| Revenue | $793,097 | $745,392 | $794,931 |
| Expenses | $1,033,175 | $1,007,736 | $1,314,149 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,014,331 | $983,999 | $1,292,890 |
| Net Investment Income | $11,285 | $11,830 | $8,112 |
| Distributable Amount | $24,787 | $35,849 | $51,591 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
52 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Push Buffalo Inc ($185,000), Tides Foundation ($175,000), Center for Progressive Reform ($120,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PUSH BUFFALO INC Buffalo, NY | CHARITABLE | $185,000 |
| TIDES FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | CHARITABLE | $175,000 |
| CENTER FOR PROGRESSIVE REFORM Washington, DC | EDUCATIONAL | $120,000 |
| INVESTIGATIVE POST Buffalo, NY | EDUCATIONAL | $120,000 |
| PUBLIC ACCOUNTABLITY INITIATIVE Buffalo, NY | EDUCATIONAL | $100,000 |
| OUR CITY BUFFALO Buffalo, NY | CHARITABLE | $90,000 |
| COMMUNITY VOICES HEARD New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $75,000 |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC GOOD Buffalo, NY | CHARITABLE | $70,000 |
| JUSTICE FOR MIGRANT FAMILIES Buffalo, NY | CHARITABLE | $35,000 |
| CLEAN AIR COALITION OF WNY Buffalo, NY | CHARITABLE | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha McCluskey | President | 5 | — |
| Carl Nightingale | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Denise Herkey-Jarosch | Foundation Administrator | 10 | $14,632 |
| Aaron Bartley | Director | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rowboat Family Foundation?
Rowboat Family Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Buffalo, NY. It holds $368K in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Rowboat Family Foundation?
As of 2024, Rowboat Family Foundation holds $368K in total assets with $793K in annual revenue. It awarded 12 grants totaling $1.0M in 2024.
Where does Rowboat Family Foundation operate?
Rowboat Family Foundation has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York.
What size grants does Rowboat Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Rowboat Family Foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $84K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Rowboat Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Rowboat Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Rowboat Family Foundation's EIN?
Rowboat Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4333414. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.