The Cottage Bridge Foundation

PITTSBURGH, PA EIN: 20-8724288 Website

The Cottage Bridge Foundation is a private independent foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, established in 2008. The organization holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and operates as a grantmaking foundation supporting philanthropic initiatives across multiple sectors and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$12.1M

+13.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$606K

-0.9% YoY

Grant Count

-2.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+2.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cottage Bridge Foundation reported a distributable amount of $559K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports a diverse range of causes including:

Arts and culture
Education and higher education
Health and diseases/conditions
Human services
Refugee and displaced people support
Bail reform
Food security and hunger relief

Grantmaking

The foundation is open to new applicants.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across multiple U.S. states and cities, including:

Pennsylvania (primary focus)
New York
Colorado
California
Florida
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Washington

Specific cities funded include Albany, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New York.

Grant Distribution by State

Pennsylvania $1.3M (57%)

New York $530K (24%)

Massachusetts $120K (5%)

Kentucky $68K (3%)

California $65K (3%)

Maryland $60K (3%)

Florida $25K (1%)

Alabama $20K (1%)

+5 more states

States

Alabama California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Kentucky Massachusetts Maryland Minnesota New York Pennsylvania Washington

Cities

AlbanyAmherstAvonBallston SpaBaltimoreBerkeleyBethel ParkBothellBronxBrooklynConcordDuquesneEaganEdwardsHarrisburgImmokaleeJenkintownLathamLong Island CityLos Angeles

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year 2024:

Total Assets: $12,051,307
Total Revenue: $588,079
Total Expenses: $701,094
Total Liabilities: $0
Total Giving: $605,580

The foundation maintains a healthy asset base with annual expenses exceeding revenue, indicating active grant distribution.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$12,051,307	$10,642,639	$9,315,071
Revenue	$588,079	$482,625	$270,867
Expenses	$701,094	$709,358	$739,264
Qualifying Distributions	$608,030	$612,290	$650,499
Net Investment Income	$787,670	$365,604	$938,406
Distributable Amount	$559,174	$489,513	$504,569

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

242 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pittsburgh Cultural Trust ($50,000), Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting ($30,000), Jt Dorsey Foundation ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
412 FOOD RESCUE INC PITTSBURGH, PA	TO END FOOD WASTE AND HUNGER IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA	$5,000
ADIRONDACK TRUST CO FOUNDATION SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY	SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY NEEDS	$1,000
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY	SOCIAL JUSTICE	$10,000
ANCHORPOINT COUNSELING MINISTRY PITTSBURGH, PA	HUMAN SERVICES	$2,500
BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK LOUISVILLE, KY	TO FEED LOW-INCOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN	$15,000
BOWERY MISSION NEW YORK, NY	SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS	$10,000
BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL PURPOSES OF DONEE	$4,000
CARING BRIDGE EAGAN, MN	FAMILY SERVICES	$1,000
CASA OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY PITTSBURGH, PA	SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS	$2,500
CITY HARVEST NEW YORK, NY	HUNGER RELIEF	$15,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

David J. Blair – Director, Chair, Vice President, and Treasurer (serves without compensation)
Marianne Bokan-Blair – Director, Vice Chair, and President (serves without compensation)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
DAVID J BLAIR	DIRECTOR, CHAIR, VP, TREAS	1	—
MARIANNE BOKAN-BLAIR	DIRECTOR, VICE CHAIR, PRES	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Cottage Bridge Foundation fund?

The foundation supports a diverse range of causes including: • Arts and culture • Education and higher education • Health and diseases/conditions • Human services • Refugee and displaced people support • Bail reform • Food security and hunger relief

How do I apply for a grant from The Cottage Bridge Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Made 32 grants in the most recent fiscal year • Typical award range: $1,000–$50,000 • Recent notable grants include: • Pittsburgh Cultural Trust: $50,000 (Annual Campaign) • WYEP 91.3FM/WESA 90.5FM: $30,000 (General Purposes) • World Central Kitchen: $30,000 (Hunger Relief) • Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank: Grant recipient **Application Status:** The foundation is open to new applicants.

Where does The Cottage Bridge Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports projects across multiple U.S. states and cities, including: • Pennsylvania (primary focus) • New York • Colorado • California • Florida • Maryland • Massachusetts • Minnesota • Washington Specific cities funded include Albany, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and New York.

What size grants does The Cottage Bridge Foundation award?

In 2024, The Cottage Bridge Foundation awarded 68 grants totaling $606K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Cottage Bridge Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Cottage Bridge Foundation reported a distributable amount of $559K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.