The Kris Rockwell Foundation
The Kris Rockwell Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing identifies Kris Rockwell as president and says grants are made primarily to benefit western Pennsylvania.
The Kris Rockwell Foundation at a glance
In short: The Kris Rockwell Foundation gave $1.7M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $95K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 67% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,704,500
- -65.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +80.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $94,694
- -80.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,500
- Total assets
- $3,592,744
- -23.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 67% first-time grantees (12 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (89% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Kris Rockwell Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. It asks that requests from section 501(c)(3) organizations be submitted in writing to Kris Rockwell. The foundation says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and makes grants exclusively to organizations described in sections 170(c) and 2055 of the Internal Revenue Code, primarily those benefiting western Pennsylvania.
- Contact
Application contact: Kris Rockwell
Mailing address: 960 Penn Avenue Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 281-4620
Website: HTTPS://KRISROCKWELL.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 Kris Rockwell Foundation
Who The Kris Rockwell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Aspinwall Riverfront Park Inc ($750K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 100 grants of 130 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 filing says its grants primarily benefit western Pennsylvania. In 2025, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The other reported shares were 6% to Washington, DC, and 1% each to Maryland, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Kris Rockwell Foundation open to new grantees?
67%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 18 grantees (67%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $123K; repeat grants $38K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 22% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 65% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $555K (2020) to $4.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aspinwall Riverfront Park Inc Pittsburgh, PA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $750,000 |
| SK Rockwell Conservation Fund Pittsburgh, PA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $615,000 |
| Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Washington, DC | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $100,000 |
| Ruffed Grouse Society Pittsburgh, PA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $60,000 |
| Bridgeway Capital - Monmade Pittsburgh, PA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $25,000 |
| Fisher House Foundation Rockville, MD | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $25,000 |
| Sweetwater Arts Center Sewickley, PA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $25,000 |
| Cancer Bridges Pittsburgh, PA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $20,000 |
| Umass Amherst Foundation Amherst, MA | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $20,000 |
| Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Miami, FL | Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Kris Rockwell Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,592,744 | $1,078,867 | $1,779,904 | $1,704,500 | 18 | $1,709,846 | $1,057,350 | $169,207 |
| 2024 | $4,710,388 | $697,463 | $5,071,688 | $4,942,500 | 10 | $4,952,404 | $658,006 | $435,548 |
| 2023 | $9,013,815 | $598,136 | $4,740,494 | $4,495,500 | 22 | $4,505,527 | $554,994 | $616,409 |
| 2022 | $12,633,968 | $5,292,906 | $5,227,465 | $4,865,300 | 39 | $4,865,300 | $5,227,536 | $834,810 |
| 2021 | $22,758,176 | $18,269,485 | $1,096,209 | $803,719 | 41 | $803,719 | $3,549,845 | $685,829 |
| 2020 | $10,777,384 | $3,708,706 | $738,637 | $555,485 | 29 | — | $3,670,597 | $320,157 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kris Rockwell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $169K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not state a formal mission in the available materials. Its website highlights conservation, science, and innovation. Its grants include organizations with a range of missions. For example, Aspinwall Riverfront Park says it provides free public access to parkland and multi-use trails along the Allegheny River. The Ruffed Grouse Society says it works to improve wildlife habitat and forest health through science-based management. Cancer Bridges says it supports people impacted by cancer through free programs and services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $1,704,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $750,000, with a median of $17,500. The largest grants included $750,000 to Aspinwall Riverfront Park and $615,000 to SK Rockwell Conservation Fund, both in Pittsburgh. Other notable awards were $100,000 to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and $60,000 to the Ruffed Grouse Society. The filing describes the listed grant purposes as covering recipients’ operating costs.
Other 2025 recipients included Fisher House Foundation, which says it provides assistance to service members, veterans, and their families; Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, which says it works to conserve and restore fisheries and habitats; and Flux Foundation, which says it uses large-scale public art to support education, empowerment, and collaboration.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kris Rockwell as president.
The Kris Rockwell Foundation is led by Kris Rockwell, President since 2023 (on filings since 2021) — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kris Rockwell
President
Trustee → President, 2023
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$36K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Former officers (6)
- Former: John Irvin (2020–2024) — Treasurer & Secretary
- Former: Patricia Babyak (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Peter E. Boorn Jr. (2020–2024) — Chair of the Finance & Investment Co
- Former: S. Kent Rockwell (2020–2024) — Chairman of the Board
- Former: Brian Smith (2020–2023) — Former President & CEO
- Former: David J. Hornyak (2021–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $10K, to Kris Rockwell (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Kris Rockwell Foundation
How much does The Kris Rockwell Foundation give each year?
The Kris Rockwell Foundation gave $1.7M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.9M across 10 grants.
What is The Kris Rockwell Foundation's typical grant size?
The Kris Rockwell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $94,694, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Kris Rockwell Foundation that year got $123K on average.
Where does The Kris Rockwell Foundation give grants?
The Kris Rockwell Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (8 grants).
Does The Kris Rockwell Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Kris Rockwell Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Cover the Cost of Operations of the Recipients" (18 grants).
Who are The Kris Rockwell Foundation's largest grantees?
The Kris Rockwell Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Aspinwall Riverfront Park Inc ($750,000), SK Rockwell Conservation Fund ($615,000) and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Kris Rockwell Foundation?
The Kris Rockwell Foundation reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $169K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Kris Rockwell Foundation fund?
The foundation does not state a formal mission in the available materials. Its website highlights conservation, science, and innovation. Its grants include organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kris Rockwell Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Kris Rockwell Foundation's EIN?
The Kris Rockwell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1440025. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Kris Rockwell Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Kris Rockwell Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kris Rockwell Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Kris Rockwell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kris-rockwell-foundation-morg_c4fcec074edc45bca4fd58b712a8df21
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_471440025_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Kris Rockwell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kris-rockwell-foundation-morg_c4fcec074edc45bca4fd58b712a8df21},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Kris Rockwell 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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