The Grable Foundation
The Grable Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, established in 1976 by Minnie K. Grable, widow of Errett M. Grable, founder of Rubbermaid, Inc. The Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a staff of 10-11 employees. It is one of the most significant philanthropic forces shaping educational strategy and child welfare initiatives in the Pittsburgh region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$350.4M
+7.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.3M
+7.6% YoY
Grant Count
361
-1.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+8.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Grable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $16.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Grable Foundation is guided by its mission to help children and youth become independent, caring, contributing members of society by supporting programs critical to a child's successful development.
The Foundation focuses on five interconnected areas:
- Early Childhood: Supporting rich learning experiences in high-quality environments led by caring, well-trained adults, with accessible support for parents and caregivers
- Public Schools: Supporting schools that ignite student interests, stretch abilities, and set paths toward future possibility from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade
- Out-of-School Time: Funding afterschool, summer, and mentoring programs that create opportunities for exploration, creativity, learning, and meaningful connections with caring adults
- Families: Providing access to innovative learning and play spaces, community resources supporting well-being, and cultural events designed with kids in mind
- Community: Supporting broader community efforts that create environments in which children can succeed
The Foundation particularly targets children with limited economic opportunities.
Grantmaking
The Foundation maintains a transparent, two-step application process beginning with an online Inquiry form. Trustees review applications three times yearly. Decision time varies by cycle. Proposals must clearly align with the Foundation's mission of improving opportunities for children whose opportunities are limited due to economic circumstances.
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
Average Grant
amount: $33,877
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on southwestern Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on the greater Pittsburgh region. The Foundation also makes grants in North Carolina and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $326.5 million to $350.4 million (as of 2024)
- Total Revenue: $24 million to $35 million (recent years)
- Total Expenses: $15.3 million to $17.9 million (recent years)
- Total Liabilities: $8.09 million (2023)
- Tax-Exempt Status: Since January 1977
- EIN: 25-1309888
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $350,392,836 | $326,491,183 | $328,042,437 |
| Revenue | $24,026,032 | $35,043,583 | $9,531,881 |
| Expenses | $17,880,332 | $15,304,859 | $18,676,995 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,826,877 | $15,601,967 | $17,862,023 |
| Net Investment Income | $22,313,821 | $34,652,618 | $9,373,277 |
| Distributable Amount | $16,703,426 | $15,581,436 | $17,717,997 |
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 Grable Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pittsburgh Promise Foundation ($250,000), Allegheny Intermediate Unit ($200,000), Knowledgeworks Foundation ($168,436).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PITTSBURGH PROMISE FOUNDATION PITTSBURGH, PA | TO SUPPORT HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS | $250,000 |
| GREEN BUILDING ALLIANCE PITTSBURGH, PA | TO SUPPORT TRAINING FOR SCHOOL FACILITY MANAGEMENT STAFF TO ENCOURAGE MEANINGFUL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL CREATE CLEAN, SAFE INTERIOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS | $15,000 |
| PITTSBURGH LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION OAKMONT, PA | TO SUPPORT THE COLLECTION OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR DISTRIBUTION TO STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM | $5,000 |
| CASA OF WESTMORELAND INC GREENSBURG, PA | TO SUPPORT VOLUNTEER ADVOCACY EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY | $8,500 |
| HERITAGE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES BRADDOCK, PA | TO SUPPORT REPAIRS RELATED TO WATER DAMAGE AT THE 4 KIDS EARLY LEARNING CENTER | $25,000 |
| YWCA WESTMORELAND COUNTY GREENSBURG, PA | TO SUPPORT SELF-CARE PROGRAMMING TO HELP CREATE HEALTHY JOYFUL FAMILIES THROUGH PLACES, EVENTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS | $2,000 |
| DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PITTSBURGH, PA | TO SUPPORT STUDENT-LED STEM-FOCUSED GAME DEVELOPMENT | $15,000 |
| GAMES FOR CHANGE INC NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT PROJECT-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DESIGN GAMES THAT PROMOTE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOOD | $15,000 |
| TEAM 1708 AMPD ROBOTICS INC WHITE OAK, PA | TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF ROBOTICS COMPETITION TEAMS | $10,000 |
| ARMSTRONG COUNTY EDUCATIONAL TRUST DBA ARMSTRONG CENTER FOR COMMUNITY LEARN KITTANNING, PA | TO SUPPORT NATURE-BASED EDUCATION PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN IN ARMSTRONG COUNTY | $12,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Gregg S. Behr: Executive Director
- Barbara N. McFadyen: Member, Board of Trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES R BURKE JR | CHAIRMAN & TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| JAN NICHOLSON | PRESIDENT & TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| BARBARA MCFADYEN | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| GREGG BEHR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $574,600 |
| CHARLES S BURKE | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| WILLIAM H ISLER | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| ROBERT IVRY | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| RACHEL FOUST | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| PETER BURKE | TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
| NANCY FOSTER | TREASURER & TRUSTEE | 4 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation has been recognized internationally for its support of innovative learning approaches. Under Executive Director Gregg S. Behr's leadership, the Foundation founded the Remake Learning network, which supports thousands of educators and innovators to advance relevant, engaging, and equitable learning both in and out of school.
Grable Foundation Grant Will Support Training, Technical Assistance to SchoolsRecent grant activity demonstrates the Foundation's continued commitment to educational innovation, including support for maker education initiatives, museum learning experiences, and school-based health and sustainability programs.
Grable Foundation Grant Will Support Training, Technical Assistance to SchoolsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Grable Foundation fund?
The Grable Foundation is guided by its mission to help children and youth become independent, caring, contributing members of society by supporting programs critical to a child's successful development. The Foundation focuses on five interconnected areas: • **Early Childhood**: Supporting rich learning experiences in high-quality environments led by caring, well-trained adults, with accessible support for parents and caregivers • **Public Schools**: Supporting schools that ignite student intere…
How do I apply for a grant from The Grable Foundation?
**Grant Sizes and Activity:** • Grant range: $2,000 to $4,140,000 • Average grant amount: $33,877 • Annual giving: $12.4 million to $13.3 million (recent years) • In 2023, the Foundation awarded 365 grants totaling $12.4 million • In 2024, the Foundation made grants totaling $13.3 million **Recent Grants (2024):** • Allegheny Intermediate Unit: $1,000,000 (to support catalytic opportunities in maker education and learning) • Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: $350,000 (to support growth of a glob…
Where does The Grable Foundation make grants?
The Foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on southwestern Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on the greater Pittsburgh region. The Foundation also makes grants in North Carolina and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The Grable Foundation award?
In 2024, The Grable Foundation awarded 361 grants totaling $13.3M — an average of about $37K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Grable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Grable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $16.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Grable Foundation's EIN?
The Grable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1309888. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Grable 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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