Tortuga Charitable Foundation
Tortuga Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1979 in New York and currently based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 51-0245279, tax-exempt since May 1980) with a focus on environmental conservation and related social causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$107.0M
+12.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.1M
+4.1% YoY
Grant Count
118
+12.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$68K
-7.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tortuga Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to support environmental protection and conservation efforts, as well as environmental associations. Secondary funding areas include family planning and social services.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only to preselected organizations, and the foundation does not publish contact information for grant inquiries.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $370,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in the northeastern United States, with particular focus on New York, the District of Columbia, and Alaska.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $107 million
- Annual giving: $8,081,500
- Revenue: $21,850,328
- Expenses: $10,246,590
- Total liabilities: $76,900
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $106,959,890 | $95,280,018 | $99,747,901 |
| Revenue | $21,850,328 | $5,184,548 | $-652,466 |
| Expenses | $10,246,590 | $9,619,699 | $9,801,503 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,692,483 | $8,349,495 | $8,017,176 |
| Net Investment Income | $20,436,145 | $4,132,379 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $8,080,583 | $6,757,291 | $6,812,831 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Rockefeller Family Fund Inc ($300,000), Environmental Integrity Project ($200,000), Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fun ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Native Movement Fairbanks, AK | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Alaska Conservation Foundation Anchorage, AK | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Alaska Public Interest Research Gro Anchorage, AK | Charitable | $75,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Alaska Wilderness League Washington, DC | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Northern Alaska Environmental Cente Fairbanks, AK | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Southeast Alaska Conservation Counc Juneau, AK | Charitable | $75,000 |
| The Alaska Center Education Fund Anchorage, AK | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Trustees for Alaska Anchorage, AK | Charitable | $125,000 |
| Badlands Conservation Alliance Bismarck, ND | Charitable | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Karen Harris has served as Executive Director since January 2022. She brings over 22 years of nonprofit consulting experience and extensive background in clean energy policy from her previous role at the John Merck Fund.
The foundation was historically led by Joan Livingston Tweedy until her death in 2018 at age 100. The foundation is associated with the Livingston family's philanthropic efforts.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donna Colon | Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Mildred Livingston | President | 5 | — |
| Patricia Livingston | Sec'y, Trustee | 5 | — |
| Robert Livingston | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Philip Livingston | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Karen Harris | Exec. Director | 40 | $359,355 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported sea turtle conservation initiatives, with grants awarded through programs including the Oceanic Society's sea turtle conservation grant program, which has distributed multiple rounds of funding to global sea turtle research, conservation, and education projects in recent years.
21 SWOT Grants Awarded for Global Sea Turtle Conservation (2025-26)Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tortuga Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to support environmental protection and conservation efforts, as well as environmental associations. Secondary funding areas include family planning and social services.
How do I apply for a grant from Tortuga Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: approximately $8.1 million (2024) • Number of grants: 117 awards (2024) • Grant range: $5,000 to $370,000 • Median grant: $75,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only to preselected organizations, and the foundation does not publish contact information for grant inquiries.
Where does Tortuga Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is primarily concentrated in the northeastern United States, with particular focus on New York, the District of Columbia, and Alaska.
What size grants does Tortuga Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, Tortuga Charitable Foundation awarded 118 grants totaling $8.1M — an average of about $68K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Tortuga Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Tortuga Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $8.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Tortuga Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Tortuga Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0245279. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tortuga Charitable 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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