The Carlilian Foundation
The Carlilian Foundation is a private foundation based in Schenectady, New York. Its grantmaking includes support for organizations and projects benefiting Schenectady County residents, including capital improvements and community green spaces.
The Carlilian Foundation at a glance
In short: The Carlilian Foundation gave $256K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in New York. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $255,882
- -2.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $17,059
- -22.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,304,551
- +16.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (9 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (100% 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 The Carlilian Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says an application must state the use and amount requested and include the organization’s 501(c)(3) status and identification number, if any. It also lists Robert A. Carreau as the application contact. Applicants must meet the stated eligibility restriction: at least 25% of members or people served must be residents of Schenectady County, New York.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1. It does not specify years for these dates.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert A Carreau
Mailing address: 2488 Brookshire Drive, Niskayuna, NY 12309
Phone: (917) 843-4492
Website: https://carlilianfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Carlilian Foundation
Who The Carlilian Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Rose Garden Restoration Committee ($99K). Together the top 10 received $226K.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 67 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York. The application restriction requires at least 25% of an applicant organization’s members or people served to be Schenectady County residents. The program description says the Foundation’s grants are intended to benefit people in Schenectady County.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Carlilian Foundation open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 15 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 20% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2021 to 2024. 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 $178K (2021) to $264K (2022). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $256K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rose Garden Restoration Committee Schenectady, NY | Maintain Rose Garden | $98,882 |
| Schoharie River Center Esperance, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $25,000 |
| YWCA of Neny Schenectady, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Schenectady Light Opera Company Inc Schenectady, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $15,000 |
| Samaritan Counseling Center Scotia, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $12,500 |
| Schenectady Guyanese Comm Ctr Schenectady, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Seat Center Schenectady, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Girls Incorporated of the Greater Capita Albany, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Seah Inc Schenectady, NY | 2024 Grant - General Purpose | $10,000 |
| SUNY Schenectady County Community Colleg Schenectady, NY | 2024 Grant - Quad Renovation | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,304,551 | $898,113 | $276,546 | $255,882 | 15 | $255,882 | $398,113 | $286,522 |
| 2023 | $3,682,984 | $730,283 | $268,943 | $262,733 | 12 | $262,733 | $230,283 | $241,892 |
| 2022 | $3,249,144 | $258,545 | $285,272 | $263,802 | 18 | $263,802 | $258,545 | $224,827 |
| 2021 | $3,248,368 | $333,869 | $190,131 | $177,962 | 7 | $177,962 | $333,869 | $244,725 |
| 2020 | $3,104,630 | $296,033 | $266,223 | $250,060 | 15 | — | $296,033 | $200,898 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carlilian Foundation reported a distributable amount of $287K 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
The Foundation’s program description identifies capital improvements and hard assets for nonprofits serving Schenectady County as areas of support. Its Community Grants & Green Spaces Initiative description also discusses projects involving green spaces, community gardens, and recreational areas.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. The Rose Garden Restoration Committee says it works to restore and improve Schenectady’s Central Park Rose Garden. The Schoharie River Center describes its work as cultural and educational programming about watershed ecology, the environment, and local communities. Samaritan Counseling Center says it promotes psychological and spiritual health through counseling, psychotherapy, and education. Albany Barn describes itself as a creative arts incubator and community arts center, while Concerned for the Hungry says it assists hungry and needy people in the Schenectady area.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 15 grants totaling $255,882. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $98,882, with a median grant of $10,000.
The largest reported awards included $98,882 to the Rose Garden Restoration Committee for garden maintenance; $25,000 each to Schoharie River Center and YWCA of NENY; $15,000 to Schenectady Light Opera Company; and $12,500 to Samaritan Counseling Center. Other listed grants included $10,000 each to Schenectady Guyanese Community Center, SEAT Center, Girls Incorporated of the Greater Capital Region, SEAH Inc., SUNY Schenectady County Community College for quad renovation, and Albany Barn. Concerned for the Hungry received $7,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Carreau as chairman, Destiny Watkins as vice chair, and Jennifer Ludwig, Spero Zoulas, and Maureen Obie as trustees.
The Carlilian Foundation is led by Robert Carreau, Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Carreau
Chairman
Chairman → Trustee, 2023
Trustee → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Ludwig
Trustee
Treasurer → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Spero Zoulas
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Obie
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Destiny Watkins
Vice Chair
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Alysa Ball Arnold (2020–2023) — Honorary Trustee
- Former: Cynthia Shultz (2020–2023) — Honorary Trustee
- Former: Heather Ward (2020–2023) — Honorary Trustee
- Former: Joel Helfman (2020–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Steve E. Strichman (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Victoria J. Gold (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Richard Fuerst (2021–2023) — Honorary Trustee
- Former: Elizabeth Epstein (2022–2023) — Trustee
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 The Carlilian Foundation
How much does The Carlilian Foundation give each year?
The Carlilian Foundation gave $256K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $263K across 12 grants.
What is The Carlilian Foundation's typical grant size?
The Carlilian Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $17,059, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Carlilian Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Carlilian Foundation give grants?
The Carlilian Foundation gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Schenectady, NY (11 grants) and Albany, NY (2 grants).
Does The Carlilian Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 87% of The Carlilian Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Carlilian Foundation's largest grantees?
The Carlilian Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Rose Garden Restoration Committee ($98,882), Schoharie River Center ($25,000) and YWCA of Neny ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Carlilian Foundation?
The Carlilian Foundation reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $256K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $287K (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 The Carlilian Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s program description identifies capital improvements and hard assets for nonprofits serving Schenectady County as areas of support. Its Community Grants & Green Spaces Initiative description also discusses projects involving green spaces, community gardens, and recreational areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Carlilian Foundation?
The 2024 filing says an application must state the use and amount requested and include the organization’s 501(c)(3) status and identification number, if any. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Carlilian Foundation's EIN?
The Carlilian Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 14-6049444. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Carlilian Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-carlilian-foundation-morg_1f56722543704a27881910615d6584e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_146049444_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Carlilian Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-carlilian-foundation-morg_1f56722543704a27881910615d6584e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 The Carlilian 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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