The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its filings report grants to charitable organizations working in areas including education, legal services, animal care, human rights and environmental protection, health, and food assistance.
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation at a glance
In short: The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation gave $164K across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $163,500
- +18.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- +2.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,419
- +14.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,328,591
- -0.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties ($10K). Together the top 10 received $78K.
Grant Size Distribution
136 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 136 grants of 136 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, California received 42% of grant dollars, the District of Columbia 17%, New York 8%, Kentucky 6%, and Florida 6%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation gives
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2021) to $164K (2025). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $164K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties San Diego, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Hindman Settlement School Inc Hindman, KY | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Save the Chimps Inc Fort Pierce, FL | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| University of San Diego San Diego, CA | USD Law School Fund | $10,000 |
| CASA Cornelia Legal Services San Diego, CA | General & Unrestricted | $7,500 |
| Earthrights International Inc Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $7,500 |
| World Wildlife Fund Inc Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $7,500 |
| Dap Health Inc Palm Springs, CA | Palm Springs AIDS Memorial | $5,000 |
| Evergreen State College Foundation Olympia, WA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Friends of the World Food Program Inc Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
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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 | $3,328,591 | $192,595 | $204,321 | $163,500 | 37 | $181,896 | $173,736 | $176,305 |
| 2024 | $3,340,317 | $195,883 | $181,241 | $138,500 | 36 | $160,844 | $177,326 | $170,926 |
| 2023 | $3,324,675 | $202,387 | $183,041 | $146,500 | 30 | $163,868 | $94,764 | $161,217 |
| 2022 | $3,305,329 | $29,018 | $150,064 | $122,000 | 32 | $134,995 | $22,956 | $168,061 |
| 2021 | $3,426,375 | $450,316 | $17,451 | $3,000 | 1 | $17,451 | $316 | $147,938 |
| 2020 | $2,993,510 | $3,000,010 | $6,500 | — | — | — | $10 | $4,733 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $176K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own stated missions cover a range of activities. Save the Chimps says it provides sanctuary and care to chimpanzees in need; Hindman Settlement School says it provides educational and service opportunities for people in the mountains while keeping them mindful of their heritage. EarthRights International says it works with people around the world to protect human rights and the environment, and World Wildlife Fund says its mission is to conserve nature and reduce threats to the diversity of life on Earth.
Other 2025 grantees describe work that includes emergency medical aid, homelessness prevention, and hunger relief. Médecins Sans Frontières USA says it provides independent medical humanitarian emergency aid; Lucky Duck Foundation says it works to prevent and alleviate homelessness in San Diego County; and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank says it provides nutritious food, advocates for people experiencing hunger, and educates the public about hunger-related issues.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 37 grants totaling $163,500 in 2025. Grants ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000. It made 36 grants totaling $138,500 in 2024 and 30 grants totaling $146,500 in 2023.
Among the largest grants reported for 2025 were $10,000 each to ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties, Hindman Settlement School, Save the Chimps, and the University of San Diego. The university’s grant was designated for its Law School Fund. Other notable grants included $7,500 each to Casa Cornelia Legal Services, EarthRights International, and World Wildlife Fund; and $5,000 each to DAP Health, Evergreen State College Foundation, Friends of the World Food Program, Hawaii Community Foundation, and International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Kelly J Kaplan is listed as co-president, director, secretary, and treasurer. Robert J Kaplan is listed as co-president and director.
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation is led by Kelly J Kaplan, Co- President, Director, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kelly J Kaplan
Co- President, Director, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert J Kaplan
Co- President & Director
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 Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation
How much does The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation give each year?
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation gave $164K across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $139K across 36 grants.
What is The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's typical grant size?
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,419, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation give grants?
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's top state is California, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (17%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (9 grants), Washington, DC (6 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Palm Springs, CA (3 grants).
Does The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 81% of The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's largest grantees?
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties ($10,000), Hindman Settlement School Inc ($10,000) and Save the Chimps Inc ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation?
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $182K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $176K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own stated missions cover a range of activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation?
The foundation 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 Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's EIN?
The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3247532. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-robert-and-kelly-kaplan-foundation-morg_629a63e08fa24369b1ac5ef57b967e2f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853247532_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Robert \& Kelly Kaplan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-robert-and-kelly-kaplan-foundation-morg_629a63e08fa24369b1ac5ef57b967e2f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Robert & Kelly Kaplan Foundation'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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