The Roothbert Fund Inc
The Roothbert Fund Inc is a private foundation based in New York City that awards scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study at accredited U.S. institutions. Founded in 1958, it is a nearly all-volunteer organization that supports students whose daily actions are guided by spiritual values.
Key facts about The Roothbert Fund Inc
In short: The Roothbert Fund Inc gave $233K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 13-6162570
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $232,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- Average grant
- $6,838
- Median grant
- $7,000
- Total assets
- $7,049,386
- Primary geography
- New York (30% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Deadline
- Scholarship applications must be received by February 1.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
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.
How The Roothbert Fund Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
Albert and Toni Roothbert established the Fund to help people needing financial aid to further their education. Its scholarship program supports undergraduate and graduate study, and the Fund seeks candidates motivated by spiritual values. It states a preference for applicants with strong scholastic achievement who are considering careers in education.
The Fund also has a Fellows’ Projects Program for Roothbert Fellows no longer receiving scholarship support. Eligible former Fellows may seek seed funding for individual or group projects in the United States, including educational or service projects that advance their vocational commitments or reflect the Fund’s purposes, and activities intended to increase spiritual awareness or develop relevant knowledge and skills. The Fund states that these project grants do not cover stipends or cost-of-living expenses and rarely cover travel.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Fund reported 34 grants totaling $232,500. Grants ranged from $1,095 to $7,500, with a median of $7,000. Scholarship grants are typically $5,000–$7,000 and may be renewed for students continuing their education. Applicants pursuing graduate study or who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study are preferred.
Review Cycle
** Scholarship applications must be received by February 1. The Fund’s website says applications open November 1 and awards are generally announced in late April, with grants mailed to institutions in August.
How to Apply
applicants submit an application, an official transcript, recommendation letters, and autobiographical essays. The website lists three autobiographical essays, while the Fund’s filing describes two essays. Selected candidates are interviewed by board members, and the Scholarship Committee selects grantees from that group. Previous grantees seeking continued education support submit a renewal application. Fellows’ project proposals are limited to former Fellows no longer receiving scholarship grants; eligible proposals may be submitted to the project committee.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Roothbert Fund Inc
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 Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. In 2024, recipients in New York received 30% of grant dollars, followed by Massachusetts at 15%, the District of Columbia at 12%, Pennsylvania at 9%, and Maryland at 6%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 34 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
202 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MADELEINE BUCHMAN Piscataway, NJ | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,500 |
| CARLA FERNANDA P DOS SANTOS Cambridge, MA | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,500 |
| ARIANNA G NELSON St Louis, MO | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,500 |
| CHRISTIAN J RIPKE New York, NY | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
| DANAE L HARRISON Atlanta, GA | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
| DEVIN G JOYNER New York, NY | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
| JOAN K L GARNER Boston, MA | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
| JONATHAN MENDOZA Washington, DC | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
| JOSHUA H KURTZ Cambridge, MA | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
| KADIJAH R DANSBY Washington, DC | SCHOLARSHIP | $7,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,049,386 | $404,632 | $346,702 | $232,500 | 34 |
| 2023 | $6,303,032 | $270,840 | $343,733 | $233,000 | 34 |
| 2022 | $5,551,961 | $133,853 | $300,444 | $221,500 | 33 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Vijay R. Varma and James G. Heinegg as vice presidents. Directors listed are Ilunga Kalala, James A. Rosengarten, Nadjwa E. L. Norton, Nathalis W. Wamba, Adler Prioly, Abideen Oonigbanjo, and Matthew Sawh.
The Roothbert Fund Inc's 2024 filing lists 9 officers; none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ilunga Kalala
Director
Associate Di → Associate Director, 2022
Associate Director → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James A. Rosengarten
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nadjwa E. L. Norton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nathalis W. Wamba
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adler Prioly
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Abideen Oonigbanjo
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Sawh
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James G. Heinegg
Vice President
Vice President & Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vijay R. Varma
Vice President
Vice President & Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Alexyea Holmes (2020–2021) — Associate Di
- Former: Brian G. Smiga (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Charles H. Van Horne (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Florian Halili (2020–2021) — Treasurer & Director
- Former: Jason T. Buhle (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Leonisa Ardizzone (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: The Roothbert Fund
Mailing address: 475 Riverside Dr Room 252, New York, NY 10115-0252
Phone: (212) 870-3116
Website: https://roothbertfund.org
Frequently asked questions about The Roothbert Fund Inc
How much does The Roothbert Fund Inc give each year?
The Roothbert Fund Inc gave $233K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $233K across 34 grants.
What is The Roothbert Fund Inc's typical grant size?
The Roothbert Fund Inc's median grant in 2024 was $7,000, and its average grant was $6,838, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Roothbert Fund Inc give grants?
The Roothbert Fund Inc's top state is New York, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (15%) and District of Columbia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants), Cambridge, MA (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does The Roothbert Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Roothbert Fund Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (34 grants).
Who are The Roothbert Fund Inc's largest grantees?
The Roothbert Fund Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Madeleine Buchman ($7,500), Carla Fernanda P Dos Santos ($7,500) and Arianna G Nelson ($7,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Roothbert Fund Inc?
The Roothbert Fund Inc reported $7.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $310K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $335K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Roothbert Fund Inc fund?
Albert and Toni Roothbert established the Fund to help people needing financial aid to further their education. Its scholarship program supports undergraduate and graduate study, and the Fund seeks candidates motivated by spiritual values. It states a preference for applicants with strong scholastic achievement who are considering careers in education. The Fund also has a Fellows’ Projects Program for Roothbert Fellows no longer receiving scholarship support. Eligible former Fellows may seek se…
How do I apply for a grant from The Roothbert Fund Inc?
In filing year 2024, the Fund reported 34 grants totaling $232,500. Grants ranged from $1,095 to $7,500, with a median of $7,000. Scholarship grants are typically $5,000–$7,000 and may be renewed for students continuing their education. Applicants pursuing graduate study or who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study are preferred. The largest reported 2024 awards included $7,500 each to Madeleine Buchman of Piscataway, New Jersey; Carla Fernanda P. dos Santos of Cambridge, Mass…
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.
Does The Roothbert Fund Inc 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.
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