The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wilmington, DE EIN: 26-0379209

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 filing reports 18 grants totaling $288,000, including support for cultural, historical, animal-care, and other organizations.

Key facts about The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc

In short: The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc gave $288K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in New York. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
26-0379209
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$288,000
Grants made (2024)
18
Average grant
$16,000
Median grant
$3,750
New grantees (estimate)
21% first-time grantees (3 of 14, 2024)
Total assets
$5,122,416
Primary geography
New York (93% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.1M

+8.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$288K

-31.8% YoY

Grant Count

18

-10.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$16K

-24.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $353K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

21%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 3 of 14 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $667; repeat grants $26K. How we count

Medians: $500 first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving fell 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 95% 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.

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 went to organizations whose stated work included preserving and interpreting U.S. and New York history (New York Historical Society), exhibiting work by new and upcoming artists (Painting Center), and providing animal care while advancing veterinary medicine (The Animal Medical Center). Other recipients included organizations working to beautify Park Avenue and to foster excellence in philanthropy.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $288,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $100,000, with a median of $3,750. The largest grants were $100,000 each to the Frick Collection for its “Campaign for the Frick” and the New York Historical Society for its “Campaign for the Future of History.” Other grants included $20,000 to the Frick Collection for its Annual Fund, $15,000 to Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund for the CM Lowndes Fund, and $10,000 each to Central Park Conservancy, New York Historical Society, Painting Center, and The Animal Medical Center.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2024 filing reports that 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 5% to Massachusetts, and 1% to Washington, DC. It also reports shares of 0% for South Carolina and Virginia.

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of all 18 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

New YorkWashingtonBostonDallasMason NeckCharleston

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K13 grants202021 grants202122 grants202220 grants202318 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $288K (2024) to $513K (2022). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $288K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Frick Collection: $120K across 2 grantsFrick Collection$120K · 2 grantsNew York Historical Society: $110K across 2 grantsNew York Historical Society$110K · 2 grantsFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund: $15KFidelity InvestmentsCharitable Gift Fund$15KCentral Park Conservancy Inc: $10KCentral Park Conservancy Inc$10KPainting Center Inc: $10KPainting Center Inc$10KThe Animal Medical Center: $10KThe Animal Medical Center$10KThe Metropolitan Museum of Art: $5KThe Metropolitan Museum of Art$5KThe Philanthropy Roundtable Inc: $3KThe Philanthropy RoundtableInc$3KFund for Park Avenue New York Inc: $2K across 2 grantsFund for Park Avenue New YorkInc$2K · 2 grantsNational Society of Colonial Dames in the State of: $1KNational Society of ColonialDames in the State of$1K

The largest 2024 recipient was Frick Collection ($120K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $286K.

Grant Size Distribution

94 grants across all recorded years

74<$50K12$50–100K8$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 74 grants of 94 (79%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Frick Collection New York, NYCampaign for the Frick$100,000
New York Historical Society New York, NYCampaign for the Future of History$100,000
Frick Collection New York, NYAnnual Fund$20,000
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund Boston, MACM Lowndes Fund$15,000
Central Park Conservancy Inc New York, NYGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000
New York Historical Society New York, NYCharitable Event$10,000
Painting Center Inc New York, NYGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000
The Animal Medical Center New York, NYGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000
The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NYThe Fund for The Met$5,000
The Philanthropy Roundtable Inc Washington, DCGeneral & Unrestricted$2,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $5,122,416 $758,045 $357,580 $288,000 (18 grants)
2023 $4,721,951 $366,401 $492,113 $422,500 (20 grants)
2022 $4,847,663 $473,954 $590,191 $512,500 (22 grants)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$5,122,416$4,721,951$4,847,663
Revenue$758,045$366,401$473,954
Expenses$357,580$492,113$590,191
Qualifying Distributions$335,788$466,308$558,991
Net Investment Income$738,853$346,896$453,954
Distributable Amount$353,419$326,267$339,126

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Caroline M Lowndes is listed as president, director, and secretary on the 2024 filing.

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc is led by Caroline M Lowndes, President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Caroline M Lowndes

    President, Director & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $12K (2020) → $12K (2024)

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Caroline M Lowndes — Pres, Dir, Sec: $12KCaroline M LowndesPres, Dir, Sec$12K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $12K, to Caroline M Lowndes (Pres, Dir, Sec).

Contact

Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754

Frequently asked questions about The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc

How much does The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc give each year?

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc gave $288K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $423K across 20 grants.

What is The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $3,750, and its average grant was $16,000, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc that year got $667 on average.

Where does The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc give grants?

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Charleston, SC (2 grants).

Does The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 61% of The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Frick Collection ($120,000 across 2 grants), New York Historical Society ($110,000 across 2 grants) and Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc?

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $336K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $353K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc?

The foundation states that it 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 The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's EIN?

The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0379209. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Caroline M Lowndes Foundation Inc 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.

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