The Roothbert Fund Inc logo

The Roothbert Fund Inc

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-6162570 Website

The Roothbert Fund Inc is a private foundation based in New York City that awards scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students in the United States. Incorporated in 1958, the organization operates as a nearly all-volunteer scholarship fund dedicated to supporting young people whose actions are guided by spiritual values.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$7.0M

+11.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$233K

-0.2% YoY

Grant Count

34

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

-0.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Roothbert Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $335K 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 Fund was established as a living memorial to Albert and Toni Roothbert, who emigrated from Germany in the early 20th century. The organization's mission is to assist college and university students who are motivated by spiritual values and have demonstrated distinguished academic achievement, with preference given to those considering teaching as a vocation.

The Fund seeks candidates whose daily actions are guided by spiritual motives and aims to build fellowship among current and former grant recipients through a lifelong community that includes annual retreats and online connections.

Grantmaking

Since its founding in 1958, the Roothbert Fund has granted scholarships to over 1,400 Fellows.

Review Cycle

of February 1st. Awards are announced in late April, and grants are mailed to grantees' institutions in August.

How to Apply

** The application portal opens November 1st each year with a deadline of February 1st. Awards are announced in late April, and grants are mailed to grantees' institutions in August.

Ready to take the next step with The Roothbert Fund Inc?

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Fund prefers applications from candidates who reside in or attend schools in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Grant Distribution by State

21states
+13 more states

Cities

AmherstAnn ArborAnn HarbourAtlantaAuroraBaltimoreBerkeleyBlacksburgBostonBowieBronxBrooklynCaliforniaCambridgeChestnut HillChicagoCollege ParkColumbusFlushingGreensboro

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $7,049,386 (as of 2024)

Total Giving: $232,500 (2024)

Revenue: $270,840 (2023)

Expenses: $344,000 (2023)

Total Assets: $6.3 million (2023)

Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since February 1960; EIN: 13-6162570

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$141K$283K$424K$565K20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$7,049,386$6,303,032$5,551,961
Revenue$404,632$270,840$133,853
Expenses$346,702$343,733$300,444
Qualifying Distributions$310,245$283,703$289,223
Net Investment Income$331,862$221,726$113,723
Distributable Amount$334,968$288,796$290,742

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$58K$117K$175K$233K62 grants202039 grants202133 grants202234 grants202334 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

MADELEINE BUCHMAN$8KCARLA FERNANDA P DOS SAN…$8KARIANNA G NELSON$8KCHRISTIAN J RIPKE$7KDANAE L HARRISON$7KDEVIN G JOYNER$7KJOAN K L GARNER$7KJONATHAN MENDOZA$7KJOSHUA H KURTZ$7KKADIJAH R DANSBY$7K

Grant Size Distribution

190 grants across all recorded years

190<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from The Roothbert Fund Inc

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Madeleine Buchman ($7,500), Carla Fernanda P Dos Santos ($7,500), Arianna G Nelson ($7,500).

RecipientPurposeAmount
CHRISTIAN J RIPKE NEW YORK, NYSCHOLARSHIP$7,000
DANAE L HARRISON ATLANTA, GASCHOLARSHIP$7,000
DEVIN G JOYNER NEW YORK, NYSCHOLARSHIP$7,000
JOAN K L GARNER BOSTON, MASCHOLARSHIP$7,000
JONATHAN MENDOZA WASHINGTON, DCSCHOLARSHIP$7,000
JOSHUA H KURTZ CAMBRIDGE, MASCHOLARSHIP$7,000
JUN RENDICH NEW YORK, NYSCHOLARSHIP$5,905
KADIJAH R DANSBY WASHINGTON, DCSCHOLARSHIP$7,000
LYNETTE S MORAN PITTSBURGH, PASCHOLARSHIP$7,000
M HAMZA VOHRA KEENE, NHSCHOLARSHIP$7,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Founders: Albert Roothbert (born 1874 in Frankfurt, Germany; retired investment banker) and Antonie "Toni" von Horn Roothbert (born 1899 in Mannheim, Germany; pioneering commercial photographer). The couple married in 1937 and established the Fund in 1958.

Notable Board Member: Charles van Horne served as a longtime board member, Treasurer, and President of the Fund.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
VIJAY R VARMAVICE PRESIDENT1
JAMES G HEINEGGVICE PRESIDENT1
ILUNGA KALALADIRECTOR1
JAMES A ROSENGARTENDIRECTOR1
NADJWA E L NORTONDIRECTOR1
NATHALIS W WAMBADIRECTOR1
ADLER PRIOLYDIRECTOR1
ABIDEEN OONIGBANJODIRECTOR1
MATTHEW SAWHDIRECTOR1

Contact Information

Address: 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1622, New York, NY 10115

Phone: 212-870-3206

Website: www.roothbertfund.org

Email: mail@roothbertfund.org

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Roothbert Fund Inc fund?

The Fund was established as a living memorial to Albert and Toni Roothbert, who emigrated from Germany in the early 20th century. The organization's mission is to assist college and university students who are motivated by spiritual values and have demonstrated distinguished academic achievement, with preference given to those considering teaching as a vocation. The Fund seeks candidates whose daily actions are guided by spiritual motives and aims to build fellowship among current and former gr…

How do I apply for a grant from The Roothbert Fund Inc?

Since its founding in 1958, the Roothbert Fund has granted scholarships to over 1,400 Fellows. **Grant Amounts:** Grants are typically $5,000 to $7,000 and may be renewed for subsequent years. **Eligibility:** Applications from graduate students and undergraduates with one year of college completed are preferred. **Application Process:** The application portal opens November 1st each year with a deadline of February 1st. Awards are announced in late April, and grants are mailed to grantees' ins…

Where does The Roothbert Fund Inc make grants?

The Fund prefers applications from candidates who reside in or attend schools in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

What size grants does The Roothbert Fund Inc award?

In 2024, The Roothbert Fund Inc awarded 34 grants totaling $233K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Roothbert Fund Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Roothbert Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $335K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Roothbert Fund Inc's EIN?

The Roothbert Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6162570. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Explore Open Grants

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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