The Vanderbilt Family Foundation
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. In its 2026 filing, it reported 22 grants totaling $358,000 to charitable organizations.
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Vanderbilt Family Foundation gave $358K across 22 grants in 2026 (avg $16K), top state New York. 32% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $358,000
- +3.5% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 22
- -21.4% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $16,273
- +31.7% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,316,687
- -2.4% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (7 of 22, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (43% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Vanderbilt Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Ftci - One Madison Ave Ste 200, New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 632-3000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Vanderbilt Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Democracy Forward Foundation ($70K). Together the top 10 received $282K.
Grant Size Distribution
129 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 118 grants of 129 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, 43% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 29% to recipients in Washington, DC. Idaho received 8%, while Massachusetts and Connecticut each received 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Vanderbilt Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 7 of 22 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 68% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−5%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $280K (2020) to $377K (2023). In 2026 it made 22 grants totaling $358K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Democracy Forward Foundation Washington, DC | General Exempt Purpose | $70,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc New York, NY | General Exempt Purpose | $55,000 |
| Childrens Storefront New York, NY | General Exempt Purpose | $50,000 |
| Neighbors Link Mount Kisco, NY | General Exempt Purpose | $22,000 |
| Protect Democracy Project Washington, DC | General Exempt Purpose | $20,000 |
| Wood River Land Trust Hailey, ID | General Exempt Purpose | $15,000 |
| Committee to Protect Journalists New York, NY | General Exempt Purpose | $12,500 |
| Prism Pompano Beach, FL | General Exempt Purpose | $12,500 |
| Public Citizen Foundation Washington, DC | General Exempt Purpose | $12,500 |
| Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors Nashville, TN | General Exempt Purpose | $12,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,316,687 | $321,259 | $413,555 | $358,000 | 22 | $370,600 | $272,758 | $353,494 |
| 2025 | $4,424,444 | $231,922 | $404,326 | $346,000 | 28 | $358,943 | $183,669 | $345,183 |
| 2024 | $4,597,864 | $234,434 | $351,742 | $305,000 | 27 | $315,946 | $199,595 | $307,084 |
| 2023 | $4,723,349 | $230,426 | $424,779 | $376,998 | 28 | $390,888 | $193,212 | $292,719 |
| 2022 | $4,905,464 | $201,104 | $395,998 | $335,000 | 24 | $343,536 | $164,221 | $297,069 |
| 2021 | $5,102,476 | $1,719,717 | $359,051 | $296,994 | 30 | — | $1,681,806 | $275,975 |
| 2020 | $3,743,355 | $641,234 | $324,545 | $280,000 | 25 | — | $603,989 | $271,416 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Vanderbilt Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $353K for 2026 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Democracy Forward Foundation says it works through legal and administrative processes to protect democratic institutions, preserve the rule of law, and hold government accountable. The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation describes its mission as cultivating and sharing understanding of civil liberties and civil rights protected by U.S. laws.
Other supported organizations describe work that includes strengthening immigrant integration and providing related services (Neighbors Link), offering immigration legal services and public education (Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors), promoting press freedom (Committee to Protect Journalists), and protecting air, water, land, and wildlife (Idaho Conservation League).
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $358,000. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $70,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed awards were $70,000 to Democracy Forward Foundation, $55,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, $50,000 to Children’s Storefront, $22,000 to Neighbors Link, and $20,000 to Protect Democracy Project. Each was reported for a general exempt purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Jamie Comstock, Ellen F Vanderbilt Aidinoff, Samuel A Hartwell Jr, and William Henry Vanderbilt Jr as trustees.
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's 2026 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Ellen F. Vanderbilt Aidinoff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samuel A. Hartwell Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Henry Vanderbilt Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Comstock
Trustee
On filings since 2025
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Emily Vanderbilt Wade (2020–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "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 Vanderbilt Family Foundation
How much does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation give each year?
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation gave $358K across 22 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $346K across 28 grants.
What is The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,273, across 22 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Vanderbilt Family Foundation that year got $21K on average.
Where does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation give grants?
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (29%) and Idaho (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Democracy Forward Foundation ($70,000), American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc ($55,000) and Childrens Storefront ($50,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is The Vanderbilt Family Foundation?
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $371K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $353K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Vanderbilt Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Vanderbilt Family Foundation's EIN?
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2743143. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS May 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Vanderbilt Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-vanderbilt-family-foundation-morg_483c4a36bdb34924ab7f4847d9f89c41
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042743143_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Vanderbilt Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-vanderbilt-family-foundation-morg_483c4a36bdb34924ab7f4847d9f89c41},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Vanderbilt Family 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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