The Order of Colonial Lords
The Order of Colonial Lords is a New York City-based private foundation that supports historical, genealogical, educational, and historic-preservation work related to colonial America. Its 2025 filing reports 21 grants totaling $39,500.
The Order of Colonial Lords at a glance
In short: The Order of Colonial Lords gave $40K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $39,500
- +11.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +10.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,881
- +0.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $343,281
- +5.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Order of Colonial Lords
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 2534, New York, NY 10021-0059
Phone: (413) 586-2031
Website: https://www.coloniallords.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Order of Colonial Lords funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of NY ($4K). Together the top 10 received $27K.
Grant Size Distribution
94 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 94 grants of 94 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing shows that 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 11% to New Jersey, 10% to Connecticut, 8% to Massachusetts, and 5% to Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Order of Colonial Lords gives
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $2K (2020) to $52K (2022). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $40K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of NY New York, NY | General Support | $3,500 |
| Fraunces Tavern Museum New York, NY | General Support | $3,000 |
| Mount Gulian Historic Site Beacon, NY | General Support | $3,000 |
| New England Historic Genealogical Society Boston, MA | General Support | $3,000 |
| New York Genealogical & Biographical Society New York, NY | General Support | $3,000 |
| Princeton Battlefield Society Princeton, NJ | General Support | $3,000 |
| Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden Woodbury, CT | General Support | $2,000 |
| Manor Conservancy Monkton, MD | General Support | $2,000 |
| National Society Colonial Dames of America - CT Wethersfield, CT | General Support | $2,000 |
| Smithtown Historical Society Smithtown, NY | General Support | $2,000 |
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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 | $343,281 | $82,712 | $65,368 | $39,500 | 21 | $53,460 | $69,713 | $45,891 |
| 2024 | $325,939 | $63,627 | $54,145 | $35,500 | 19 | $42,531 | $50,928 | $47,970 |
| 2023 | $316,512 | $35,395 | $69,350 | $45,050 | 20 | $58,043 | $23,012 | $45,876 |
| 2022 | $350,735 | $-8,500 | $72,669 | $52,000 | 20 | $56,375 | $3,487 | $50,765 |
| 2021 | $432,317 | $100,713 | $49,191 | $32,500 | 14 | $35,533 | $86,875 | $56,114 |
| 2020 | $381,586 | $-858 | $17,060 | $2,000 | 3 | — | $696 | $41,299 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Order of Colonial Lords reported a distributable amount of $46K for 2025 — 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 Order’s stated goals are research, historic preservation, and education. Its grantmaking includes support for historical and genealogical organizations, museums, historic sites, and related institutions. For example, the New Netherland Institute, which received $1,500 in 2025, says its mission is to increase interest in and access to the history of the seventeenth-century Dutch colony of New Netherland. Colonial Dames of America, which received $1,000, says it supports a public museum, educational opportunities and scholarships, historic preservation, and interest in American history.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Order awarded 21 grants totaling $39,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $3,500, with a median of $2,000. The largest awards included $3,500 to the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of New York; $3,000 each to Fraunces Tavern Museum, Mount Gulian Historic Site, New England Historic Genealogical Society, New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, and Princeton Battlefield Society; and $2,000 each to Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden, Manor Conservancy, National Society Colonial Dames of America–CT, Smithtown Historical Society, and Smithtown Library. The listed purposes for these grants were general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ian H Fraser as treasurer, Leighton H Coleman III as president, D Roger B Liddell as chair of the finance committee, and Joan Rockwell Gifford as secretary.
The Order of Colonial Lords is led by Leighton H. Coleman III, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leighton H. Coleman III
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
D. Roger B. Liddell
Chair Finance Committee
Chair Finance Cmte → Chair Finance Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian H. Fraser
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joan Rockwell Gifford
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Order of Colonial Lords
How much does The Order of Colonial Lords give each year?
The Order of Colonial Lords gave $40K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $36K across 19 grants.
What is The Order of Colonial Lords's typical grant size?
The Order of Colonial Lords's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $1,881, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Order of Colonial Lords give grants?
The Order of Colonial Lords gives mostly in New York: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (11%) and Connecticut (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants).
Does The Order of Colonial Lords give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Order of Colonial Lords's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Order of Colonial Lords's largest grantees?
The Order of Colonial Lords's largest 2025 grantees include National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of NY ($3,500), Fraunces Tavern Museum ($3,000) and Mount Gulian Historic Site ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Order of Colonial Lords?
The Order of Colonial Lords reported $343K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $53K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $46K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Order of Colonial Lords fund?
The Order’s stated goals are research, historic preservation, and education. Its grantmaking includes support for historical and genealogical organizations, museums, historic sites, and related institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Order of Colonial Lords?
The foundation states that it 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 Order of Colonial Lords's EIN?
The Order of Colonial Lords's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6104057. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Order of Colonial Lords 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 4, 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 May 11, 2026)
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