The Fox Aarons Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and has been tax-exempt since March 2017.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$507K
-58.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$655K
-17.3% YoY
Grant Count
15
-31.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
+21.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fox Aarons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $40K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Wilmington, Delaware.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported total giving of $655,250, positioning it among active grantmakers in the Wilmington area.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $507,082 | $1,227,957 | $1,751,997 |
| Revenue | $-52,018 | $282,397 | $17,822 |
| Expenses | $668,857 | $806,437 | $944,092 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $668,857 | $806,437 | $935,189 |
| Net Investment Income | $200,609 | $24,851 | $38,452 |
| Distributable Amount | $40,129 | $58,715 | $92,588 |
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
81 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ps1 Contemporary Art Center Inc ($123,250), Friends of the High Line Inc ($120,000), New Museum of Contemporary Art ($96,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BROOKLYN MUSEUM BROOKLYN, NY | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | Chair's Discretionary Fund for the Department of Economics | $10,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | Performing Arts Building fund | $50,000 |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | Orlando Bravo Center for Economic Research | $40,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE INC NEW YORK, NY | High Line Art | $50,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE INC NEW YORK, NY | High Line Art Program and General Operating fund | $120,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BROOKLYN BROOKLYN, NY | Annual Fund 2023-2024 | $5,500 |
| LOWER EAST SIDE TENEMENT MUSEUM NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| MUSEUM OF MODERN ART NEW YORK, NY | Rare Book Fund | $15,000 |
| NEW MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $96,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philip Aarons | Dir, Treas | 1 | — |
| Shelley Fox Aarons | Dir, Pres | 1 | — |
| Zachary Aarons | Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does The Fox Aarons Foundation make grants?
The foundation is based in Wilmington, Delaware.
What size grants does The Fox Aarons Foundation award?
In 2024, The Fox Aarons Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $655K — an average of about $44K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Fox Aarons Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Fox Aarons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $40K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Fox Aarons Foundation's EIN?
The Fox Aarons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4159057. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fox Aarons Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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