The Goodnow Fund
The Goodnow Fund is a private foundation based in Darien, Connecticut. It supports nonprofit organizations through general operating grants and special-project funding, with stated priorities that include helping vulnerable children, expanding educational opportunities for low-income students, and improving the environment.
The Goodnow Fund at a glance
In short: The Goodnow Fund gave $1.6M across 111 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,606,100
- +17.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 111
- -9.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,469
- +28.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $21,077,546
- +17.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (41% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Goodnow Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests and says it identifies organizations it wishes to support and contacts nonprofits directly. Organizations may contact the Executive Director to discuss a project; the Fund asks that prospective applicants consult the Executive Director before sending a proposal or letter of inquiry. The 2024 filing states that there is no specific application format, no specific deadline, and that an organization must be listed under section 170(c).
- Contact
Application contact: Carleton T Goodnow
Mailing address: 9 Old Kings Highway South, Darien, CT 06820
Phone: (203) 642-8088
Email: arogers@thegoodnowfund.org
Website: https://thegoodnowfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Goodnow Fund
Who The Goodnow Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation ($500K). Together the top 10 received $940K.
Grant Size Distribution
468 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 451 grants of 468 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund says it has a particular focus on organizations in Fairfield County, Connecticut. In 2024, 40% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut and 41% to recipients in New York; smaller shares went to recipients in Washington, D.C. (3%), Virginia (3%), and Massachusetts (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 111 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Goodnow Fund gives
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2020) to $1.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 111 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation New York, NY | Support for Foundation's Research Activities | $500,000 |
| Save the Children Fairfield, CT | Children's Emergency Fund- Haiti | $100,000 |
| Family Centers Greenwich, CT | Specialized Support Groups at SPS | $50,000 |
| Americares Stamford, CT | Ukraine, Helene and Milton Emergency Relief | $45,000 |
| Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx, NY | Global Elephant, Big Cat and Whale Conservation | $35,000 |
| Americares Free Clinics Stamford, CT | Operating Expenses | $30,000 |
| Catholic Community Foundation of Southern East Dakota Sioux Falls, SD | E-learning program at the university of notre dame in democratic republic of congo | $30,000 |
| Family and Children's Agency Norwalk, CT | Senior Home Care Program | $30,000 |
| Family Centers Greenwich, CT | Parents as Co-Educators Program | $30,000 |
| Guiding Eyes for the Blind Yorktown Heights, NY | $15K Wellness and Training Center; $15K General Support | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Goodnow Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $21,077,546 | $5,159,979 | $1,966,362 | $1,606,100 | 111 | $1,743,282 | $3,938,258 | $1,524,195 |
| 2023 | $17,883,929 | $935,225 | $1,726,168 | $1,371,911 | 122 | $1,494,496 | $715,811 | $1,419,313 |
| 2022 | $18,674,872 | $-283,629 | $1,761,123 | $1,372,900 | 118 | $1,487,206 | — | $1,504,009 |
| 2021 | $20,719,624 | $1,397,686 | $1,826,842 | $1,386,050 | 116 | $1,524,449 | $1,155,699 | $1,611,144 |
| 2020 | $21,015,428 | $2,315,217 | $1,248,266 | $1,015,370 | 1 | — | $2,088,113 | $1,499,472 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Goodnow Fund reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Fund’s stated priorities include projects that help vulnerable children, advance research about the causes and cures of Alzheimer’s disease, increase educational opportunities for low-income students, and improve the environment. It provides grants to nonprofit tax-exempt organizations for operating expenses and special projects.
Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in several areas. For example, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation describes its mission as accelerating drug discovery to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The Wildlife Conservation Society says it works to save wildlife and wild places through science, conservation, education, and inspiring people to value nature. Family Centers describes its mission as empowering children, adults, families, and communities to realize their potential.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Fund reported 111 grants totaling $1,606,100. Individual grants ranged from $200 to $500,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Among the largest were $500,000 to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation for research activities; $100,000 to Save the Children for its Haiti Children’s Emergency Fund; $50,000 to Family Centers for specialized support groups; and $45,000 to Americares for emergency relief related to Ukraine, Helene, and Milton. Other grants included $35,000 to the Wildlife Conservation Society for global elephant, big cat, and whale conservation, and $25,000 to Building One Community for immigration legal services.
The Fund’s website also lists selected 2025 gifts, including $90,000 to the Wildlife Conservation Society for a graduate scholarship program, $75,000 to Save the Children for its general Children’s Emergency Fund, and $50,000 to Family Centers for school-based specialized support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ann P. Rogers as Executive Director and Trustee. It lists Carleton T. Goodnow, Olivia T. Goodnow, and David Tuttle as trustees.
The Goodnow Fund is led by Ann P. Rogers, Executive Director & Trustee since 2024 (on filings since 2022); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ann P. Rogers
Executive Director & Trustee
Executive Director → Executive Director & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2022
21 hrs/week
$94K (2022) → $120K (2024)
Carleton T. Goodnow
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Olivia T. Goodnow
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Tuttle
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Dianne T. Goodnow (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Edward B. Goodnow (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Cynthia L. Russell (2020–2021) — Executive Director
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $120K, to Ann P Rogers (Executive Director/Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Goodnow Fund
How much does The Goodnow Fund give each year?
The Goodnow Fund gave $1.6M across 111 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 122 grants.
What is The Goodnow Fund's typical grant size?
The Goodnow Fund's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $14,469, across 111 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Goodnow Fund give grants?
The Goodnow Fund's top state is New York, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Connecticut (40%). The most frequent recipient cities were Darien, CT (20 grants), Stamford, CT (14 grants), Norwalk, CT (9 grants) and New York, NY (7 grants).
Does The Goodnow Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 59% of The Goodnow Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (65 of 111) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Goodnow Fund's largest grantees?
The Goodnow Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation ($500,000), Save the Children ($100,000) and Family Centers ($80,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Goodnow Fund?
The Goodnow Fund reported $21.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Goodnow Fund fund?
The Fund’s stated priorities include projects that help vulnerable children, advance research about the causes and cures of Alzheimer’s disease, increase educational opportunities for low-income students, and improve the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Goodnow Fund?
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests and says it identifies organizations it wishes to support and contacts nonprofits directly. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Goodnow Fund's EIN?
The Goodnow Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6395384. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Goodnow Fund 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Goodnow Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-goodnow-fund-morg_687f21f23f41430cad00aa5979365fbb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_066395384_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Goodnow Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-goodnow-fund-morg_687f21f23f41430cad00aa5979365fbb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Goodnow Fund'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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