The Roy Cockrum Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Established in 2014, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the performing arts sector across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$47.3M
-1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.4M
-15.6% YoY
Grant Count
6
-33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$561K
+26.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Roy Cockrum Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to award grants to support world-class performing arts projects in not-for-profit professional theaters throughout the United States of America.
The foundation's primary funding focus includes:
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation made approximately $3.37 million in grants in 2024, with total giving of $3,365,700. Recent notable grants include:
Grant Range
Range:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making activities are concentrated primarily in New York, Tennessee, and Maryland, though it funds not-for-profit professional theaters throughout the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of December 2024):
- Total Assets: $47,279,153
- Total Revenue: $4,341,667
- Total Expenses: $4,986,671
- Total Liabilities: $0
Assets & Revenue (as of December 2023):
- Total Assets: $47.9 million
- Total Revenue: $1.65 million
- Total Expenses: $5.43 million
Staffing: The foundation operates with 0 employees on staff.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $47,279,153 | $47,924,157 | $51,704,674 |
| Revenue | $4,341,667 | $1,652,591 | $1,159,114 |
| Expenses | $4,986,671 | $5,433,108 | $5,688,045 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,985,395 | $4,496,605 | $3,688,820 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,925,921 | $922,253 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $3,166,861 | $3,163,196 | $3,390,493 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Atlantic Theater Company ($800,000), St Ann's Warehouse ($700,000), The University of Tennessee Foundation Inc ($550,400).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ATLANTIC THEATER COMPANY NEW YORK, NY | for production of The Welkin by Lucy Kirkwood | $800,000 |
| MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB INC NEW YORK, NY | Broadway Premiere of Joshua Harmon's PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC | $450,000 |
| OLD GLOBE THEATRE SAN DIEGO, CA | Henry VI | $526,300 |
| ROUND HOUSE THEATRE INC BETHESDA, MD | The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez | $339,000 |
| ST ANN'S WAREHOUSE BROOKLYN, NY | The Hunt | $700,000 |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE FOUNDATION INC KNOXVILLE, TN | Knoxville | $550,400 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Roy Cockrum - President and Chair of the Board
- Carol Ann Lee - Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy E Cockrum | Dir, Chair, Pres | 30 | — |
| Kenneth Y Elliott | Sec, Dir | 5 | $17,500 |
| Benita Hofstetter Koman | Dir, VP | 5 | $17,500 |
| Frazier Wyatt Marsh | Dir | 5 | $17,500 |
Contact Information
Address: 501 Silverside Road, Suite 123 Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Telephone: 800-839-1754
EIN: 30-0839745
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Roy Cockrum Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to award grants to support world-class performing arts projects in not-for-profit professional theaters throughout the United States of America. The foundation's primary funding focus includes: • Arts, Culture & Humanities • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Roy Cockrum Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made approximately $3.37 million in grants in 2024, with total giving of $3,365,700. Recent notable grants include: • Atlantic Theater Company: $800,000 (for production of "The Welkin" by Lucy Kirkwood) • St Ann's Warehouse: $700,000 (for "The Hunt") • The University of Tennessee Foundation: $550,400 **Grant Size Range:** Typical awards range from $46,400 to $1,500,000. **Application Process:** Applications for grants are accepted by invitation only.
Where does The Roy Cockrum Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grant-making activities are concentrated primarily in New York, Tennessee, and Maryland, though it funds not-for-profit professional theaters throughout the United States.
What size grants does The Roy Cockrum Foundation award?
In 2024, The Roy Cockrum Foundation awarded 6 grants totaling $3.4M — an average of about $561K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Roy Cockrum Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Roy Cockrum Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Roy Cockrum Foundation's EIN?
The Roy Cockrum Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0839745. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Roy Cockrum Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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