The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Established in 2015 following Robert S. Gordon’s death, it continues his philanthropy and supports sustainable food systems and environmental work, as well as women’s health, arts, social justice, and other areas of need.
Key facts about The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation
In short: The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation gave $627K across 45 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state New York. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-4828639
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $626,841
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- Average grant
- $13,930
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (15 of 39, 2024)
- Total assets
- $11,570,792
- Primary geography
- New York (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.6M
+9.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$627K
+15.3% YoY
Grant Count
45
+32.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-12.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $894K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 39 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it is dedicated to addressing the intersection of sustainable food systems and environmental challenges. Its agriculture and environment grants include work on soil health, climate-friendly farming, sustainable agriculture, food systems, forest conservation, and related social challenges. It also supports women’s health programs, arts projects, social justice programs, and other current areas of need.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Earthjustice describes itself as a public-interest environmental law organization working on issues including climate change. The Soil Health Institute says it conducts soil-health research and helps farmers and landowners adopt regenerative practices, while American Farmland Trust says it protects farmland, promotes sound farming practices, and helps keep farmers on the land. Other 2024 recipients included Gallery North, which describes its work as presenting contemporary art and supporting regional artists, and Civil Eats, which describes itself as a news source covering the American food system.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 45 grants totaling $626,841. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest were $50,000 to Earthjustice for a program ushering in climate-friendly farming; $35,000 to American Farmland Trust for federal and New York State policy work; $35,000 to the Soil Health Institute for its lab partnership program; and $30,000 each to Environmental Advocates NY for its Climate and Sustainable Agriculture Program and Sylvester Manor Educational Farm for soil health, composting, and food-waste-diversion work.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (33%), California (24%), the District of Columbia (14%), North Carolina (8%), and Connecticut (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 45 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $356K (2020) to $653K (2022). In 2024 it made 45 grants totaling $627K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Earthjustice ($50K). Together the top 10 received $327K.
Grant Size Distribution
169 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 163 grants of 169 (96%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Earthjustice San Francisco, CA | To Support a Program Ushering In an Era of Climate Friendly Farming | $50,000 |
| American Farmland Trust Washington, DC | American Farmland Trust's Federal and New York State Policy Work | $35,000 |
| Soil Health Institute Morrisville, NC | Support for Lab Partnership Program for Access to Soil Health Measurement | $35,000 |
| Environmental Advocates NY Inc Albany, NY | Climate and Sustainable Agriculture Program | $30,000 |
| Sylvester Manor Educational Farm Shelter Is, NY | Soil Health, Composting & Food Waste Diversion - Expansion & Innovation | $30,000 |
| The Safina Center Setauket, NY | To support a two-tiered Food/Climate fellowship, consisting of a Senior and Junior Fellow, for one year | $27,500 |
| Ceres Inc Boston, MA | Valuing Water Finance Initiative | $25,000 |
| Civil Eats Cotati, CA | Climate Equity Initiative | $25,000 |
| Gallery North Inc Setauket, NY | Terence Netter Creative Center Fund | $25,000 |
| Organic Farming Research Foundation Santa Cruz, CA | Creation of Organic Researchers Professional Society | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,570,792 | $1,841,802 | $801,107 | $626,841 | 45 |
| 2023 | $10,530,097 | $1,583,999 | $694,977 | $543,857 | 34 |
| 2022 | $9,641,075 | $1,390,805 | $801,697 | $652,500 | 38 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,570,792 | $10,530,097 | $9,641,075 |
| Revenue | $1,841,802 | $1,583,999 | $1,390,805 |
| Expenses | $801,107 | $694,977 | $801,697 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $716,627 | $622,104 | $778,948 |
| Net Investment Income | $638,144 | $383,318 | $183,696 |
| Distributable Amount | $894,314 | $720,918 | $672,999 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Roberta Gordon as president, treasurer, and director; Richard M. Greenberg as director, secretary, and vice president; and Toby S. Wolf as director.
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation is led by Roberta Gordon, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Roberta Gordon
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard M Greenberg
Director, Secretary & Vice President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Toby S Wolf
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Website: https://irgordonfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation
How much does The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation give each year?
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation gave $627K across 45 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $544K across 34 grants.
What is The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,930, across 45 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation give grants?
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (24%) and District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Setauket, NY (3 grants) and New Haven, CT (3 grants).
Does The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 22% of The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 45) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Event" (5 grants).
Who are The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Earthjustice ($50,000), Yale University ($40,000 across 3 grants) and American Farmland Trust ($35,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation?
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation reported $11.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $717K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $894K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says it is dedicated to addressing the intersection of sustainable food systems and environmental challenges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's EIN?
The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4828639. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ida and Robert Gordon Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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