The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation

PITTSBURGH, PA EIN: 61-6433804 Website

The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, established in 2012. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation focuses on strategic philanthropic investments through general support, general purpose funding, scholarships, and operating support to nonprofit organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$15.3M

-1.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.3M

+15.1% YoY

Grant Count

+14.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$23K

+1.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation is committed to making strategic nonprofit investments that leverage resources for meaningful social progress. The foundation supports a diverse range of causes, as evidenced by its grant portfolio spanning multiple sectors and community needs.

Grantmaking

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program, distributing substantial resources annually. In 2024, the foundation made 54 grants to various organizations. Recent notable grants include:

Grant Range

s vary, with recent awards ranging from tens of thousands to six figures.

Grant Types

including general operating fundsgeneral supportscholarshipsand operating support. Grant sizes varywith recent awards ranging from tens of thousands to six figures

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation maintains a primary focus on Richland County and the surrounding region in Pennsylvania, as reflected in its grant distribution patterns. The foundation also supports organizations in Erie County in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $4.3M (82%)

New York $891K (17%)

Michigan $33K (1%)

Vermont $17K (0%)

North Dakota $15K (0%)

California $10K (0%)

Massachusetts $5K (0%)

States

California Massachusetts Michigan North Dakota New York Ohio Vermont

Cities

AkronAshlandBellvilleBirghamtonClevelandColumbusCooperstownEdmestonGalionGaylordGreenHudsonLoudonvilleLucasManchesterMandsfieldMansfieldMarionMorano ValleyMoreland

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2024:

Total Assets: $15,334,704
Total Revenues: $1,154,427
Total Expenses: $1,438,269
Staff: 1 employee

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$15,334,704	$15,601,939	$16,093,945
Revenue	$1,154,427	$735,017	$584,161
Expenses	$1,438,269	$1,260,103	$1,293,595
Qualifying Distributions	$1,361,275	$1,172,309	$1,200,203
Net Investment Income	$1,080,586	$382,134	$495,248
Distributable Amount	$1,023,564	$1,018,673	$1,046,820

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

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Taking Root Farms ($100,000), Ymca of North Central Ohio ($66,667), Richland Community Development ($57,400).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
YMCA OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO MANSFIELD, OH	GENERAL SUPPORT	$66,667
ALZHEIMER-S ASSOCIATION COLUMBUS, OH	GENERAL SUPPORT	$13,334
THE FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION MORANO VALLEY, CA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,333
NUHOP CENTER FOR EXP LEARNING PERRYSVILLE, OH	GENERAL	$29,333
RICHLAND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANSFIELD, OH	GENERAL SUPPORT	$57,400
PUTNEY SCHOOL PUTNEY, VT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$4,000
FRIENDLY HOUSE MANSFIELD, OH	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,000
KNOX COUNTY FOUNDATION MOUNT VERNON, OH	GENERAL OPERATING	$8,000
DOWNTOWN ARTS THEATER INC Wooster, OH	GENERAL SUPPORT	$16,000
Mid-Ohio Civic Opera MANSFIELD, OH	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
PNC BANK NA	TRUSTEE	16	$80,268
KENNETH G HOCHMAN	CO-TRUSTEE	4	$38,000

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation?

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program, distributing substantial resources annually. In 2024, the foundation made 54 grants to various organizations. Recent notable grants include: • Taking Root Farms: $100,000 (General Operating) • United Way of Richland County: $60,000 (General Support) • Richland Community Development Group: $57,400 (General Support) The foundation provides support across multiple grant types, including general operating funds, general support, scholarships, …

Where does The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation make grants?

What size grants does The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation award?

In 2024, The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation awarded 57 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation's EIN?

The Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-6433804. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.