The Cotler Family Foundation Inc
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Cotler Family Foundation Inc gave $73K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $72,899
- +23.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,290
- +10.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,200
- Total assets
- $831,176
- -2.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (48% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Cotler Family Foundation Inc
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 66 Manor Rd, Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: (609) 226-8346
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cotler Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Thomas Jefferson University ($35K). Together the top 10 received $73K.
Grant Size Distribution
26 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 26 grants of 26 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 48% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 43% to recipients in Connecticut. Recipients in New Jersey received 5%, while recipients in New York and Texas each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Cotler Family Foundation Inc gives
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 2593% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 164% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2021) to $73K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $73K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA | Support Cause | $35,000 |
| Aldrich Museum Ridgefield, CT | Support Cause | $17,308 |
| Congregation Shir Shalom Ridgefield, CT | Support Cause | $8,841 |
| Shirat Hayam Ventnor City, NJ | Support Cause | $3,600 |
| Ridgefield Historical Society Ridgefield, CT | Support Cause | $2,500 |
| Ridgefield Playhouse Ridgefield, CT | Support Cause | $1,900 |
| Jewish National Fund New York, NY | Support Cause | $1,800 |
| Poodle Club of Amer FDN Cresson, TX | Support Cause | $1,500 |
| PBS Connecticut Hartford, CT | Support Cause | $250 |
| Founder's Hall Ridgefield, CT | Support Cause | $200 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $831,176 | $63,463 | $87,102 | $72,899 | 10 | $76,577 | $52,938 | $46,575 |
| 2024 | $854,815 | $47,076 | $77,175 | $59,173 | 9 | $59,173 | $29,074 | $46,752 |
| 2023 | $884,914 | $910,567 | $74,238 | $69,575 | 5 | $69,575 | $12,437 | $14,552 |
| 2022 | $48,585 | $1,770 | $3,150 | $2,707 | 1 | $2,707 | $1,327 | $2,453 |
| 2021 | $49,965 | $2,965 | $5,201 | $2,090 | 1 | $2,090 | — | $2,707 |
| 2020 | $52,201 | $4,445 | $6,057 | $3,004 | 2 | — | — | $2,390 |
| 2019 | $53,813 | $5,391 | $5,485 | $2,500 | 1 | — | — | $2,624 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cotler Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $47K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a university, museums, religious organizations, and cultural and community organizations. Thomas Jefferson University describes its own mission as providing professional education, research, and discovery across fields including architecture, business, health, medicine, science, and the liberal arts.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $72,899. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $35,000, with a median of $2,200. The largest grants were $35,000 to Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; $17,308 to Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut; and $8,841 to Congregation Shir Shalom in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Other recipients included Shirat Hayam ($3,600), Ridgefield Historical Society ($2,500), Ridgefield Playhouse ($1,900), Jewish National Fund ($1,800), Poodle Club of Amer FDN ($1,500), PBS Connecticut ($250), and Founder's Hall ($200).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michele Bronkesh as President, Noah Bronkesh as Secretary / Treasurer, and Elizabeth Bronkesh Beebe as Trustee.
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc is led by Michele Bronkesh, President since 2023 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michele Bronkesh
President
Secretary & Treasurer → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Bronkesh Beebe
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Noah Bronkesh
Secretary & Treasurer
Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Florence D Cotler (2019–2022) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Cotler Family Foundation Inc
How much does The Cotler Family Foundation Inc give each year?
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc gave $73K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $59K across 9 grants.
What is The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,200, and its average grant was $7,290, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Cotler Family Foundation Inc give grants?
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's top state is Pennsylvania, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Connecticut (43%). The most frequent recipient cities were Ridgefield, CT (5 grants).
Does The Cotler Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Cause" (10 grants).
Who are The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Thomas Jefferson University ($35,000), Aldrich Museum ($17,308) and Congregation Shir Shalom ($8,841), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cotler Family Foundation Inc?
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc reported $831K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $77K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cotler Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a university, museums, religious organizations, and cultural and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cotler Family 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 Cotler Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Cotler Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3481495. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Cotler Family 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 3, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cotler Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cotler-family-foundation-inc-morg_2bbcd4a3b9274f3c8817724506f68269
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_223481495_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cotler Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cotler-family-foundation-inc-morg_2bbcd4a3b9274f3c8817724506f68269},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Cotler Family Foundation Inc'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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