The Randolph Foundation
The Randolph Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) foundation based in New York City. Established in 2003 as a New York non-profit corporation, it evolved from the H. Smith Richardson Charitable Trust, which was created in 1972 under the will of H. Smith Richardson, an heir of Lunsford Richardson, founder of the Vicks chemical company. The foundation operates with a staff of 3-5 employees and provides funding primarily for public policy-related projects and education initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-1.6% YoY
Grant Count
95
+2.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
-3.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation operates under a broad charitable mandate with a primary focus on public policy and education. Its program areas include providing advice to not-for-profit organizations that are Randolph Foundation grantees regarding their charitable programs.
Documented funding interests include:
- Education
- Public policy
- Science and STEM education
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Human services
- Arts and culture
- Civic engagement
- Community development
- Health and well-being
- Youth development
Grantmaking
The foundation makes both organizational and research grants, and has supported PBS documentaries.
Grant Range
$500–$300,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $17,000 per grant
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the United States, with some international projects. Recent grant distribution shows concentration in:
- New York, NY (19 grants)
- Washington, DC (14 grants)
- Connecticut (multiple grants in New Haven, Bridgeport, Woodbury)
- Massachusetts (4 grants in Orleans area)
- Additional grants in Chicago, IL; Raleigh, NC; Brooklyn, NY; and East Hampton, NY
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $50,759,353
- Total Revenues: -$2,341,122
- Total Expenses: $3,936,564
- Total Giving: $1,569,027
Contact Information:
- Address: 255 E 49th Street, Apt 23D, New York, NY 10017-1534
- Telephone: 212-752-7148
- EIN: 47-0892971
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Heather Higgins (née Richardson) – President and former Executive Director (began 1991)
- R. Randolph Richardson – Board member
- James E. Higgins – Board member
- JoAnn Beyer – Board member
- Lisa Warner – Board member
- Polly Jackson Freiss – Board member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEATHER R HIGGINS | TRUSTEE/PRESIDENT | 40 | $340,000 |
| JAMES E HIGGINS | TRUSTEE/TREASURER | 10 | $135,000 |
| ABBY MOFFAT | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| POLLY JACKSON FRIESS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Ramsleg Foundation
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Total Given
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Druckenmiller Foundation
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Assets
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Grants
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Total Given
$135.7M
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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