The River Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in CAMBRIDGE, MA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.4M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 5 grants totaling $193K. Net investment income was $50K.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.4M
-9.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$193K
-34.1% YoY
Grant Count
5
-16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
-21.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The River Foundation reported a distributable amount of $48K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About The River Foundation
Based on IRS filings
The River Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in CAMBRIDGE, MA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.4M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 5 grants totaling $193K. Net investment income was $50K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,414,445 | $1,558,351 | $1,774,722 |
| Revenue | $62,173 | $90,194 | $81,685 |
| Expenses | $206,079 | $306,565 | $173,803 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $193,000 | $293,035 | $150,035 |
| Net Investment Income | $49,696 | $77,163 | $65,365 |
| Distributable Amount | $47,824 | $49,514 | $54,598 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ($60,000), Museum of Fine Arts ($53,000), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $60,000 |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $40,000 |
| HARVARD ART MUSEUM CAMBRIDGE, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON, MA | UNRESTRICTED | $53,000 |
| SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC WASHINGTON, DC | UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WALTER GILBERT | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| CELIA GILBERT | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| KATE GILBERT | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ERIC DOMESHEK | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JOHN R GILBERT | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| VALERIE LEITER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The River Foundation?
The River Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in CAMBRIDGE, MA. It holds $1.4M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is The River Foundation?
As of 2024, The River Foundation holds $1.4M in total assets with $62K in annual revenue. It awarded 5 grants totaling $193K in 2024.
Where does The River Foundation operate?
The River Foundation has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York.
What size grants does The River Foundation award?
In 2024, The River Foundation awarded 5 grants totaling $193K — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The River Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The River Foundation reported a distributable amount of $48K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The River Foundation's EIN?
The River Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3254488. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The River Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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