The Cowles Charitable Trust
The Cowles Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1948 and based in Staten Island, New York. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors including arts, education, health, and religious initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.2M
-5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+2.7% YoY
Grant Count
262
-5.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+8.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust's mission is rooted in the philosophy of Gardner "Mike" Cowles Jr., its founder, who stated: "The greatest editors I know are just like the greatest educators and are successful for the same reason. They are thoughtful men with scrupulous regard for the truth. They are men who strive to stir the best in the human race, not pander to the worst. They are men who dare to lead, even when the direction is temporarily dangerous and unpopular."
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture (performing arts, museums)
- Education
- Advancement of ethical journalism
- Medical research
- Climate research
- Health (in-patient medical care, hospital care, diseases and conditions)
- Religion (Christianity, Protestantism)
- Human services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The primary areas of support are Downstate New York and South Florida. The Trust also funds national and international efforts that are mission-aligned or involve long-standing partners. Geographic reach includes Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, among others.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2023-2024):
- Total Assets: $13.9 million to $25 million (varies by filing date)
- Total Revenue: $956,733 to $1,381,443
- Total Expenses: $1.74 million to $1.655 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving/Distributions: $1.3 to $1.5 million annually
Staffing:
- The organization operates with minimal staff, with one full-time employee listed in recent filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,229,473 | $13,921,212 | $14,704,621 |
| Revenue | $1,160,456 | $956,733 | $1,381,443 |
| Expenses | $1,825,686 | $1,740,142 | $1,655,164 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,504,207 | $1,433,263 | $1,337,508 |
| Net Investment Income | $873,196 | $687,545 | $1,153,799 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,239,131 | $1,159,235 | $1,192,660 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Cowles Charitable Trust
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Virginia Cowles Schroth – Chairman and Trustee
- Julie Baskevich – Treasurer and Secretary
- Mary Croft – Treasurer and Secretary (prior)
- Gardner Cowles III – Trustee Emeritus
- Kate Cowles Nichols – Trustee Emeritus
- Jan S Cowles – Trustee Emeritus
- Charles Cowles – Trustee Emeritus
- Lois Eleanor Harrison – Trustee
- John Patrick Harrison – Trustee
- Elizabeth Strauss – Trustee
- Kate Strauss Long – Trustee
- Lise Charlier – Trustee
- Betty Fleming – Trustee
- Matthew Schroth – Trustee
- Gwen Strauss – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARDNER COWLES III | TRUSTEE EMERITUS | — | — |
| JULIE BASKEVICH | TREASURER AND SECRETARY | 20 | $115,000 |
| LOIS ELEANOR HARRISON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATE COWLES NICHOLS | TRUSTEE EMERITUS | — | — |
| VIRGINIA COWLES SCHROTH | CHAIRMAN AND TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| JAN S COWLES | TRUSTEE EMERITUS | — | — |
| CHARLES COWLES | TRUSTEE EMERITUS | — | — |
| JOHN PATRICK HARRISON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH STRAUSS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATE STRAUSS LONG | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LISE CHARLIER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BETTY FLEMING | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW SCHROTH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GWEN STRAUSS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Trust continues to actively accept and process grant applications. Recent grantees have included organizations such as the Dora Marr Cultural Center ($20,000), Grasp ($20,000), and The Lawrenceville School ($15,000). The Trust maintains an active grant cycle with regular Trustees' meetings to review and decide on proposals.
Cowles Charitable Trust - Full Filing - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublicaData last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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