The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including arts and cultural organizations in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development at a glance
In short: The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development gave $1.2M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $52K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,244,136
- +15.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $51,839
- +15.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $2,457,759
- -28.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development
- 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: 30 S 17Th Street 5Th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 979-1972
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Philadelphia Theatre Company ($968K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
120 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 120 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 2% to recipients in Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 24 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 65% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 801% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $701K (2020) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Theatre Company Philadelphia, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $968,136 |
| Koresh Dance Philadelphia, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $37,500 |
| Hedgerow Theatre Media, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $30,000 |
| The Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health Baltimore, MD | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $25,000 |
| Ballet X Philadelphia, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $22,500 |
| 1812 Productions Philadelphia, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $18,000 |
| Act II Playhouse Ambler, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $15,000 |
| Lantern Theater Company Philadelphia, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $15,000 |
| Whyy Greencastle, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $15,000 |
| Arden Theatre Company Philadelphia, PA | To Help Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget | $12,000 |
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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 | $2,457,759 | $304,943 | $1,267,416 | $1,244,136 | 24 | $1,244,136 | $286,786 | $155,237 |
| 2024 | $3,438,938 | $419,647 | $1,109,718 | $1,073,000 | 24 | $1,073,000 | $393,789 | $196,151 |
| 2023 | $4,226,499 | $384,969 | $791,966 | $766,000 | 24 | $766,000 | $355,564 | $214,677 |
| 2022 | $4,619,244 | $370,929 | $787,332 | $756,000 | 24 | $756,000 | $358,818 | $240,700 |
| 2021 | $5,048,494 | $507,332 | $826,575 | $791,000 | 24 | $791,000 | $492,424 | $287,548 |
| 2020 | $5,724,191 | $2,172,775 | $720,079 | $701,000 | 23 | — | $220,070 | $260,986 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development reported a distributable amount of $155K 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 theatre, dance, music, and play development organizations. For example, Philadelphia Theatre Company describes its mission as creating theatrical experiences that reflect current issues and ideas and engaging its community through productions and education programs. Curtis Institute of Music says it trains exceptionally gifted young musicians, while PlayPenn describes itself as an artist-driven organization focused on developing new plays and playwrights.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $1,244,136. The median grant was $12,000; individual grants ranged from $1,500 to $968,136. The largest award was $968,136 to Philadelphia Theatre Company. Other notable grants included $37,500 to Koresh Dance, $30,000 to Hedgerow Theatre, $25,000 to the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, and $22,500 to Ballet X. The filing describes the purposes of the listed grants as helping fund recipients’ operating budgets.
The foundation reported 24 grants totaling $1,073,000 in 2024 and 24 grants totaling $766,000 in 2023. Other 2025 recipients included 1812 Productions ($18,000), Act II Playhouse and Lantern Theater Company ($15,000 each), and Arden Theatre Company ($12,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brian L. Roberts and Sheldon M. Bonovitz as trustees.
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brian L. Roberts
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheldon M. Bonovitz
Trustee
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 Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development
How much does The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development give each year?
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development gave $1.2M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 24 grants.
What is The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's typical grant size?
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $51,839, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development give grants?
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (20 grants).
Does The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's largest grantees?
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's largest 2025 grantees include Philadelphia Theatre Company ($968,136), Koresh Dance ($37,500) and Hedgerow Theatre ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development?
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $155K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for theatre, dance, music, and play development organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development?
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 Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's EIN?
The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3282533. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 29, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-suzanne-roberts-cultural-development-morg_72ed6fbc1a484a2ca0fbc9374d9d5409
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_813282533_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-suzanne-roberts-cultural-development-morg_72ed6fbc1a484a2ca0fbc9374d9d5409},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development'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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