Rowny Foundation Inc
Rowny Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. Its 2024 filing reports 21 grants totaling $28,700 to charitable organizations, including educational, arts, health, and advocacy organizations.
Rowny Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Rowny Foundation Inc gave $29K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state Massachusetts. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $28,700
- -32.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- +31.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,367
- -48.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $300
- Total assets
- $618,400
- +2.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (6 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Rowny Foundation Inc
- 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: 6017 Cairn Terrace, Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: (202) 386-7070
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Rowny Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was MIT ($8K). Together the top 10 received $26K.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 101 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in several states and the District of Columbia: Massachusetts received 48%, Virginia 31%, Maryland 13%, DC 4%, and California 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Rowny Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 21 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $300 first-time, $300 repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $28K (2021) to $42K (2023). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $29K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MIT Boston, MA | General Use | $7,500 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Boston, MA | General Use | $5,000 |
| Alzheimer's Association National Capital Area Chapter Arlington, VA | General Use | $4,200 |
| Wolf Trap Foundation for Performing Arts Vienna, VA | General Use | $4,000 |
| Round House Theatre Silver Spring, MD | General Use | $3,000 |
| National Ms Society Canton, MA | General Use | $1,000 |
| American Institute for Cancer Research Washington, DC | General Use | $300 |
| Autistic Self Advocacy Network Washington, DC | General Use | $300 |
| Beacon Academy Boston, MA | General Use | $300 |
| Georgetown Washington, DC | General Use | $300 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $618,400 | $47,198 | $34,943 | $28,700 | 21 | $29,569 | $41,824 | $33,068 |
| 2023 | $606,145 | $31,830 | $47,965 | $42,300 | 16 | $43,087 | $26,952 | $30,074 |
| 2022 | $622,280 | $22,565 | $42,922 | $32,000 | 18 | $32,778 | $12,421 | $30,592 |
| 2021 | $642,887 | $212,254 | $33,357 | $27,850 | 22 | $28,558 | $207,455 | $32,767 |
| 2020 | $463,990 | $20,293 | $36,801 | $31,150 | 24 | — | $15,305 | $29,308 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Rowny Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $33K for 2024 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose own missions address a range of needs. For example, Round House Theatre says it enriches its community through theatrical and educational experiences; Beacon Academy says it works to close the opportunity gap for Greater Boston students; and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network says it advances disability-rights principles and organizes autistic people to have their voices heard.
Other 2024 grantees describe work in areas including support for LGBTQ+ youth (SMYAL), employment pathways for young people with learning differences (Sunflower Bakery), cancer prevention and early detection (Prevent Cancer Foundation), reading differences (Learning Ally), and compassionate care during serious illness and loss (Montgomery Hospice).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $28,700. Grants ranged from $100 to $7,500, with a median of $300. Its largest reported awards included MIT ($7,500), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($5,000), Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter ($4,200), Wolf Trap Foundation for Performing Arts ($4,000), and Round House Theatre ($3,000). The filing lists the purposes of these grants as “GENERAL USE.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael J. Rowny as president, Peter E. Rowny as vice president, and Julia Dian Rowny as secretary.
Rowny Foundation Inc is led by Michael J. Rowny, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael J. Rowny
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julia Dian Rowny
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter E. Rowny
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Rowny Foundation Inc
How much does Rowny Foundation Inc give each year?
Rowny Foundation Inc gave $29K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $42K across 16 grants.
What is Rowny Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Rowny Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $300, and its average grant was $1,367, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rowny Foundation Inc that year got $1K on average.
Where does Rowny Foundation Inc give grants?
Rowny Foundation Inc's top state is Massachusetts, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (31%) and Maryland (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants) and Vienna, VA (2 grants).
Does Rowny Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Rowny Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Rowny Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Rowny Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include MIT ($7,500), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ($5,000) and Alzheimer's Association National Capital Area Chapter ($4,200), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Rowny Foundation Inc?
Rowny Foundation Inc reported $618K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $30K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $33K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Rowny Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose own missions address a range of needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rowny Foundation Inc?
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 Rowny Foundation Inc's EIN?
Rowny Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2190131. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Rowny Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Rowny Foundation Inc funds
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