Uphill Foundation
Uphill Foundation is a private foundation, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available for 2020. In 2020, it awarded 8 grants totaling $1.5M. Net investment income was $686K.
Uphill Foundation at a glance
In short: Uphill Foundation gave $1.5M across 8 grants in 2020 (avg $189K), mostly in New York. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2020)
- $1,510,000
- Grants made (2020)
- 8
- Average grant
- $188,750
- Median grant
- $137,500
- Primary geography
- New York (70% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026.
Who Uphill Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was Local Initiatives Support Corporation ($500K). Together the top 8 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
8 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 3 grants of 8 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2020 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2020 it made 8 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Local Initiatives Support Corporation New York, NY | For the West Philadelphia Sustainable Communities Initiative, and for the Eastern North Initiative | $500,000 |
| NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $400,000 |
| Natural Resource Defense Fund New York, NY | Oceans work and Litigation Fund | $200,000 |
| Human Rights Watch New York, NY | Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx, NY | Restricted to freshwater turtle and tortoise conservation work | $125,000 |
| Horticultural Society of New York New York, NY | GreenHouse & GreenTeam programs | $75,000 |
| Land Trust Alliance Washington, DC | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Mackinaw Straits Raptor Watch Petoskey, MI | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $926,869 | $1,790,456 | $1,510,000 | 8 | $685,811 | $1,130,510 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Uphill Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2020 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Uphill Foundation's 2020 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2020 are compensated.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Barbara P. Robinson
Trustee
New on the 2020 filing
10 hrs/week
$10K (2020)
Christophe J. Velay
Trustee
New on the 2020 filing
10 hrs/week
$10K (2020)
Nels Wangensteen
Trustee
New on the 2020 filing
10 hrs/week
$10K (2020)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2020 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2020 filing was $10K, to Christophe J Velay (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Uphill Foundation
How much does Uphill Foundation give each year?
Uphill Foundation gave $1.5M across 8 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is Uphill Foundation's typical grant size?
Uphill Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $137,500, and its average grant was $188,750, across 8 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Uphill Foundation give grants?
Uphill Foundation gives mostly in New York: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (29%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Uphill Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Uphill Foundation's 2020 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 8) were for general or operating support, per its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Uphill Foundation's largest grantees?
Uphill Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include Local Initiatives Support Corporation ($500,000), NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation ($400,000) and Natural Resource Defense Fund ($200,000), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
How much is Uphill Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, Uphill Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Uphill Foundation's EIN?
Uphill Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7196672. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal year 2020
Live grants for the work Uphill Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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