The Kilts Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Albany, NY EIN: 13-4147482

The Kilts Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Albany, New York. It reported 17 grants totaling $1,699,500 in 2024, with listed recipients including universities, policy organizations, and other charitable organizations.

The Kilts Family Foundation at a glance

In short: The Kilts Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $100K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$1,699,500
+0.5% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
17
+6.3% vs 2023
Average grant
$99,971
-5.4% vs 2023
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$22,313,321
-1.7% vs 2023
Primary geography
New York (37% 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 Kilts Family Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: C/O Goldman Sachs Ayco PO Box 15201, Albany, NY 12212-5201
Phone: (518) 640-5000

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Kilts Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Weill Cornell Medicine: $625KWeill Cornell Medicine$625KCato Institute: $500KCato Institute$500KUniversity of Chicago: $405KUniversity of Chicago$405KAmerican Enterprise Institute: $50KAmerican Enterprise Institute$50KClemson University: $50KClemson University$50KGeorge Mason University: $15KGeorge Mason University$15KKnox College: $13KKnox College$13KYoung Americans for Liberty Foundation: $10KYoung Americans for LibertyFoundation$10KConvention of States Foundation: $5KConvention of StatesFoundation$5KState Policy Network: $5KState Policy Network$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was Weill Cornell Medicine ($625K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.

Grant Size Distribution

46 grants across all recorded years

28<$50K6$50–100K2$100–250K3$250–500K6$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 28 grants of 46 (61%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in New York (37%), Washington, DC (32%), Illinois (25%), South Carolina (3%), and Virginia (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkWashingtonArlingtonChicagoClemsonGalesburgHoustonNaplesAlbanyAustinFairfaxPalm Beach GardensPurchaseBrooklynClay CityRestonVirginia BeachWoodland Park

How The Kilts Family Foundation gives

  • 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 150% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 120% 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

$0$1M$2M$3M1 grant2020 1 grant2021 11 grants2022 16 grants2023 17 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $681K (2021) to $2.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $1.7M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Weill Cornell Medicine New York, NYGeneral Charitable Purposes$625,000
Cato Institute Washington, DCGeneral Charitable Purposes$500,000
University of Chicago Chicago, ILGeneral Charitable Purposes$405,000
American Enterprise Institute Washington, DCGeneral Charitable Purposes$50,000
Clemson University Clemson, SCGeneral Charitable Purposes$50,000
George Mason University Fairfax, VAGeneral Charitable Purposes$15,000
Knox College Galesburg, ILGeneral Charitable Purposes$12,500
Young Americans for Liberty Foundation Austin, TXGeneral Charitable Purposes$10,000
Convention of States Foundation Houston, TXGeneral Charitable Purposes$5,000
State Policy Network Arlington, VAGeneral Charitable Purposes$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$22,313,321$1,600,689$1,982,030$1,699,50017$1,724,252$1,390,575$1,432,581
2023$22,694,319$1,203,449$1,853,786$1,691,00016$1,704,278$1,053,941$1,312,813
2022$23,344,656$1,946,962$1,772,197$1,565,15011$1,594,410$1,815,482$1,335,312
2021$23,169,891$1,754,425$875,087$680,5001$680,500$1,640,560$1,438,735
2020$22,290,634$881,669$2,822,849$2,663,0001—$779,623$1,192,388

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kilts Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for higher education, public-policy organizations, and medical and charitable organizations. For example, Cato Institute describes its mission as advancing individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace; the University of Chicago describes its mission as communicating and creating knowledge and fostering a community of scholars and students. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $1,699,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $625,000, and the median grant was $5,000.

The largest grants included $625,000 to Weill Cornell Medicine, $500,000 to Cato Institute, and $405,000 to the University of Chicago. Other listed grants included $50,000 to the American Enterprise Institute, $50,000 to Clemson University, $15,000 to George Mason University, and $12,500 to Knox College. The filing lists the purposes of these grants as general charitable purposes.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Sandra M. Kilts as vice president, secretary, and director; James M. Kilts as president and director; and James M. Kilts Jr. and Sarah Kilts as directors.

The Kilts Family Foundation is led by James M. Kilts, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • James M. Kilts

    President & Director

    President → President & Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • James M. Kilts Jr.

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sandra M. Kilts

    Vice President, Secretary & Director

    Vice President & Secretary → Vice President, Secretary & Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sarah Kilts

    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.

Frequently asked questions about The Kilts Family Foundation

How much does The Kilts Family Foundation give each year?

The Kilts Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 16 grants.

What is The Kilts Family Foundation's typical grant size?

The Kilts Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $99,971, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Kilts Family Foundation give grants?

The Kilts Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (32%) and Illinois (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).

Does The Kilts Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Kilts Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Kilts Family Foundation's largest grantees?

The Kilts Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Weill Cornell Medicine ($625,000), Cato Institute ($500,000) and University of Chicago ($405,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 90% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Kilts Family Foundation?

The Kilts Family Foundation reported $22.3M 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 $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Kilts Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for higher education, public-policy organizations, and medical and charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Kilts Family Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The Kilts Family Foundation's EIN?

The Kilts Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4147482. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Kilts Family Foundation 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

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Live grants for the work The Kilts Family Foundation funds

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Kilts Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kilts-family-foundation-morg_d22b093f7cd64c06bf3d33f4dbd9dd4d

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134147482_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Kilts Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kilts-family-foundation-morg_d22b093f7cd64c06bf3d33f4dbd9dd4d},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Kilts Family Foundation'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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