The Peirce Family Foundation Inc
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2024, it awarded 37 grants totaling $2,408,416, primarily to Pennsylvania organizations, including educational institutions, cultural organizations, and environmental organizations. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 35 grants totaling $3 million.
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Peirce Family Foundation Inc gave $3.0M across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $86K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,005,322
- +24.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- -5.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $85,866
- +31.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $17,555,498
- -6.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 35, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Peirce Family Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says applications must be submitted in writing to Robert N Peirce Jr. They must include the proposed recipient’s name and address, the purpose and nature of the request, the amount requested, an exemption letter, and background information about the organization. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert N Peirce Jr
Mailing address: 2500 Gulf Tower 707 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1919
Phone: (412) 281-7229
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Peirce Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pittsburgh Symphony ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
207 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 160 grants of 207 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 1% went to recipients in Florida. Washington, Oklahoma, and Virginia each accounted for a reported 0% share.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Peirce Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 35 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $100K. How we count
Medians: $300 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 84% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 272% of 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 $1.5M (2021) to $3.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Symphony Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contribution | $1,010,000 |
| Duquesne University School of Law Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contribution | $432,962 |
| Carlow University Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contribution | $400,000 |
| Robert Morris University Moon Township, PA | Charitable Contribution | $375,535 |
| Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contirbution | $225,000 |
| Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contribution | $200,000 |
| Laughlin Childrens Center Sewickley, PA | Charitable Contribution | $100,000 |
| Pittsburgh New Church School for Children with Dyslexia Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contribution | $100,000 |
| Learning Disabilities Association of America Allison Park, PA | Charitable Contribution | $50,000 |
| Urban Impact Fund Pittsburgh, PA | Charitable Contribution | $50,000 |
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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 | $17,555,498 | $2,126,252 | $3,304,510 | $3,005,322 | 35 | $3,005,322 | $1,827,064 | $1,103,637 |
| 2024 | $18,759,152 | $1,279,520 | $2,871,802 | $2,408,416 | 37 | $2,408,416 | $816,134 | $1,140,975 |
| 2023 | $20,362,778 | $2,531,950 | $2,441,264 | $2,178,294 | 40 | $2,178,294 | $436,409 | $1,038,228 |
| 2022 | $20,278,158 | $2,558,461 | $1,890,249 | $1,629,170 | 51 | $1,629,170 | $352,769 | $1,006,575 |
| 2021 | $19,614,849 | $4,383,638 | $1,782,228 | $1,525,174 | 44 | $1,525,174 | $966,896 | $994,484 |
| 2020 | $17,026,879 | $2,143,021 | $2,637,404 | $2,415,990 | 48 | — | $405,688 | $890,775 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Peirce Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.1M 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Robert Morris University describes its mission as helping people build engaged, productive, and successful careers and lives. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden says it inspires people to value plants, garden design, and the natural world through collections, display gardens, education, and environmental conservation. Pittsburgh Cultural Trust describes its work as presenting performing and visual arts, advancing arts education, managing arts facilities, and developing Pittsburgh’s Cultural District.
Other 2024 grantees include Carlow University, which describes its mission as offering educational opportunities and preparing compassionate, responsible leaders; Pittsburgh Symphony, whose mission is to engage, enrich, and inspire through live musical experiences; and Fern Hollow Nature Center, which operates an environmental education center.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 37 grants totaling $2,408,416. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $500,000, with a median of $2,500. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 35 grants totaling $3 million.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $500,000 to the Senator John Heinz History Center, $427,000 to Duquesne University School of Law, $408,241 to Robert Morris University, $400,000 to Carlow University, $205,000 to Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, and $201,500 to Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. It also awarded $100,000 to Laughlin Childrens Center and $50,000 to Urban Impact Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert N Peirce Jr as president and Joan Peirce as secretary.
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc is led by Robert N. Peirce Jr., President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert N. Peirce Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joan Peirce
Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/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 Peirce Family Foundation Inc
How much does The Peirce Family Foundation Inc give each year?
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc gave $3.0M across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.4M across 37 grants.
What is The Peirce Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $85,866, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Peirce Family Foundation Inc that year got $500 on average.
Where does The Peirce Family Foundation Inc give grants?
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (10 grants), Vero Beach, FL (10 grants), Sewickley, PA (9 grants) and Moon Township, PA (2 grants).
Who are The Peirce Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Pittsburgh Symphony ($1,010,000), Duquesne University School of Law ($432,962) and Carlow University ($400,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Peirce Family Foundation Inc?
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc reported $17.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Peirce Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Robert Morris University describes its mission as helping people build engaged, productive, and successful careers and lives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Peirce Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation’s filing says applications must be submitted in writing to Robert N Peirce Jr. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Peirce Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Peirce Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2903074. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Peirce Family Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Peirce Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-peirce-family-foundation-inc-morg_d42ae7c5c3ca484681c9c49c3dcdf46a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232903074_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Peirce Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-peirce-family-foundation-inc-morg_d42ae7c5c3ca484681c9c49c3dcdf46a},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-15. 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 Peirce Family Foundation Inc'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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