The Carol J Adragna
The Carol J Adragna is a private foundation based in Depew, New York. It supports scholarships for high school seniors pursuing college studies toward a music career, and its 2025 filing also reports grants to charitable organizations.
The Carol J Adragna at a glance
In short: The Carol J Adragna gave $389K across 73 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in New York. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $388,500
- +14.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 73
- +2.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,322
- +11.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $8,649,675
- +6.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (9 of 72, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (56% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Carol J Adragna
- How to Apply
-
Scholarship candidates are recommended to the foundation and audition for the scholarship committee; the filing does not describe a formal application process.
- Review Cycle
- None stated in the 2025 filing.
- Deadline
- None stated in the 2025 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: The Carol L Adragna Family Foundat
Mailing address: PO Box 46, Depew, NY 14043
Phone: (716) 601-7793
Website: https://caroljadragnafamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Carol J Adragna funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Red Cross ($20K). Together the top 10 received $123K.
Grant Size Distribution
411 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 411 grants of 411 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its scholarship auditions as serving students from across Western New York. In 2025, 56% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York; other leading recipient states were the District of Columbia (11%), Texas (6%), Virginia (4%), and California (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 73 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Carol J Adragna open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 72 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2020) to $412K (2023). In 2025 it made 73 grants totaling $389K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Red Cross Buffalo, NY | General - Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Memphis, TN | General - Unrestricted | $17,000 |
| World Wildlife Fund Washington, DC | General - Unrestricted | $14,000 |
| Roswell Park Buffalo, NY | General - Unrestricted | $12,000 |
| American Lung Association Buffalo, NY | General - Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Buffalo City Mission Buffalo, NY | General - Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Washington, DC | General - Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Feedmore WNY Foundation Buffalo, NY | General - Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Salvation Army of Buffalo Buffalo, NY | General - Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Wounded Warrior Project Jacksonville, FL | General - Unrestricted | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Carol J Adragna?
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 | $8,649,675 | $1,236,209 | $488,014 | $388,500 | 73 | $406,084 | $157,555 | $414,217 |
| 2024 | $8,161,093 | $179,928 | $432,351 | $338,745 | 71 | $354,729 | $112,411 | $401,011 |
| 2023 | $7,451,332 | $118,633 | $485,913 | $412,010 | 83 | $422,344 | $121,212 | $352,119 |
| 2022 | $6,788,151 | $134,982 | $458,989 | $369,700 | 99 | $382,004 | $92,014 | $357,568 |
| 2021 | $8,174,615 | $379,821 | $419,049 | $328,700 | 85 | $345,360 | $122,889 | $385,340 |
| 2020 | $7,084,672 | $4,823,416 | $170,438 | $129,500 | 64 | — | $55,057 | $166,994 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carol J Adragna reported a distributable amount of $414K 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
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide scholarships to students who are college-bound for a career in music. Its website identifies Music Education, Music Performance, and Music Therapy as eligible fields of study.
Its 2025 grants also supported organizations working in varied areas. For example, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital describes its mission as advancing cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. FeedMore WNY Foundation says it provides food, friendship, and skills training to Western New York neighbors in need. World Wildlife Fund describes its mission as conserving nature and reducing threats to life on Earth.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 73 grants totaling $388,500. Grants ranged from $1,250 to $20,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest grants included $20,000 to the American Red Cross in Buffalo, $17,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and $14,000 to World Wildlife Fund. Other grants included $12,000 to Roswell Park and $10,000 each to the American Lung Association, Buffalo City Mission, Environmental Defense Fund, FeedMore WNY Foundation, Salvation Army of Buffalo, and Wounded Warrior Project.
The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not use a formal application process for scholarship candidates. Recommended candidates audition before the scholarship committee, which evaluates their performance and high school scholastic achievements. Candidates must be high school graduates accepted at a post-secondary educational institution and interested in pursuing a career in music.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lori Foster, David E. Gutowski, and Jeffrey Adragna as trustees.
The Carol J Adragna's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David E. Gutowski
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $11K (2025)
Lori Foster
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $14K (2025)
Jeffrey Adragna
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $14K, to Lori Foster (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Carol J Adragna
How much does The Carol J Adragna give each year?
The Carol J Adragna gave $389K across 73 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $339K across 71 grants.
What is The Carol J Adragna's typical grant size?
The Carol J Adragna's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,322, across 73 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Carol J Adragna that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Carol J Adragna give grants?
The Carol J Adragna gives mostly in New York: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (11%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (20 grants), Washington, DC (7 grants), New York, NY (7 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does The Carol J Adragna give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of The Carol J Adragna's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (69 of 73) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (4 grants).
Who are The Carol J Adragna's largest grantees?
The Carol J Adragna's largest 2025 grantees include American Red Cross ($20,000), St Jude Childrens Research Hospital ($17,000) and World Wildlife Fund ($14,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Carol J Adragna?
The Carol J Adragna reported $8.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $406K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $414K (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 Carol J Adragna fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide scholarships to students who are college-bound for a career in music. Its website identifies Music Education, Music Performance, and Music Therapy as eligible fields of study. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Carol J Adragna?
Scholarship candidates are recommended to the foundation and audition for the scholarship committee; the filing does not describe a formal application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Carol J Adragna's EIN?
The Carol J Adragna's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6968082. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Carol J Adragna funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-carol-j-adragna-morg_d68df8c2df794946a0c28bea820cb57a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_276968082_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Carol J Adragna funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-carol-j-adragna-morg_d68df8c2df794946a0c28bea820cb57a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Carol J Adragna'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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