The Vanderbilt Family Foundation
The Vanderbilt Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in New York, NY. Established in 1981, it operates as a non-operating foundation with a focus on supporting preselected charitable organizations across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.4M
-3.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$346K
+13.4% YoY
Grant Count
28
+3.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+9.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Vanderbilt Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $345K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to organizations exempt from taxation. Recent grantmaking activity shows:
Grant Range
**: Individual grants have ranged from $1,000 to $66,000, with an average award of approximately $12,000 and a median grant of $6,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus areas including:
- New York
- California
- Massachusetts
- Florida
- Idaho
New York, Massachusetts, and California account for approximately 52% of all grants made.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending February 2025:
- Total Assets: $4,424,444
- Total Revenue: $231,922
- Total Expenses: $404,326
- Net Income: -$172,404
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Sources:
- Investment income and dividends: $135,655
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $96,244
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,424,444 | $4,597,864 | $4,723,349 |
| Revenue | $231,922 | $234,434 | $230,426 |
| Expenses | $404,326 | $351,742 | $424,779 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $358,943 | $315,946 | $390,888 |
| Net Investment Income | $183,669 | $199,595 | $193,212 |
| Distributable Amount | $345,183 | $307,084 | $292,719 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Childrens Storefront ($66,000), Shelburne Farms ($58,000), Common Power Future ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN HIMALAYAN FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $3,000 |
| APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB BOSTON, MA | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| AUDUBON FLORIDA MIAMI, FL | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| CHILDRENS STOREFRONT NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $66,000 |
| COMMON POWER FUTURE SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $35,000 |
| CONNECTICUT FARMLAND TRUST HARTFORD, CT | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $11,000 |
| DING DARLING WILDLIFE SOCIETY SANIBEL, FL | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $1,000 |
| FIRST LITERACY BOSTON, MA | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $7,500 |
| HIMALAYAN CATARACT PROJECT INC WATERBURY, VT | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The principal officer is Fiduciary Trust Company International, which serves as the foundation's fiduciary and administrative representative.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMIE COMSTOCK | TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
| ELLEN F VANDERBILT AIDINOFF | TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
| SAMUEL A HARTWELL JR | TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
| WILLIAM HENRY VANDERBILT JR | TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
Contact Information
Address: Co Fiduciary Trust Company International One Madison Avenue, Suite 200 New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 632-3000
EIN: 04-2743143
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from The Vanderbilt Family Foundation?
The foundation makes grants to organizations exempt from taxation. Recent grantmaking activity shows: • **Grant Range**: Individual grants have ranged from $1,000 to $66,000, with an average award of approximately $12,000 and a median grant of $6,000 • **Annual Distribution**: The foundation has distributed between $297,000 and $377,000 annually in recent years, with $346,000 in total giving reported in the most recent filing • **Grant Selection**: The foundation only makes contributions to pre…
Where does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus areas including: • New York • California • Massachusetts • Florida • Idaho New York, Massachusetts, and California account for approximately 52% of all grants made.
What size grants does The Vanderbilt Family Foundation award?
In 2025, The Vanderbilt Family Foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $346K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Vanderbilt Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Vanderbilt Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $345K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Vanderbilt Family 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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