The David Rockefeller Fund

Private foundation · EIN 13-3533359 · since 1989drfund.org·New Mexico, Texas, United States·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$50,000 to $75,000

Grant range

From the funder's website

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

83 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The David Rockefeller Fund supports US-based, tax-exempt non-profits whose work fits its Arts, Climate or Justice goals, usually through general operating support, so applicants outside those themes are unlikely to be a fit.
Most of the Fund's grants to organisations are $50,000 or less, and sabbatical support and other smaller discretionary grants are capped at $20,000, so a modest request is realistic, even though its stated grant range runs $50,000–$75,000.
Its geographic focus is the United States, with priority to the South, Southwest, Gulf Coast and Permian basin.
The Fund does not accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry; it identifies prospective grantees through recommendations from current grantee partners and peers, so approaching it directly is unlikely to work without an existing relationship.
With 76% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded in the previous two filings, this looks like a relationship-led, fairly competitive funder for anyone new, and organisations working on individuals' support, scholarships, international programmes, for-profit activity, out-of-school time youth programmes, individual museum or gallery exhibitions, films, concerts, theatrical productions, diversion and re-entry programmes, or social welfare lobbying and voter registration should not apply, as these fall under its stated exclusions.

Overview

The David Rockefeller Fund is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Fund supports U.S.-based, tax-exempt non-profit organisations whose work aligns with its Arts, Climate and Justice goals, primarily through general operating support. Its arts programme backs arts and culture organisations using art for social justice movements or power-building, especially work connecting artistic practice with civic engagement and social, economic and ecological justice. Climate support focuses on social-movement leadership and organising led by and serving communities disproportionately affected by climate and intersecting inequities, with particular attention to under-funded constituencies in the South and Southwest. Its Justice programme supports humane detention policy, reducing incarceration, grassroots organising, voting rights and de-carceration advocacy. The Fund makes a limited number of long-term, multi-year grants and particularly values early-stage bold ideas, collaboration, reaching new audiences and routes to scale or sustainability, as well as opportunities to contribute non-monetary support.

Themes

Art for social change
Climate solutions
Justice system transformation

Geographic Focus

United States. Priority: South; Southwest; Gulf Coast; Permian basin.

What They Don't Fund

Individuals
Scholarships
International programs
For-profit businesses
Afterschool, summer, and other out-of-school time programs for youth
Individual museum and/or art gallery exhibitions
Films
Concerts/concert series
Theatrical productions
Diversion and re-entry programs
Social welfare organizations’ lobbying and voter registration activities

How to apply

The Fund does not accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry. It identifies prospective opportunities in partnership with, and based on recommendations from, current grantee partners and peers, then conducts due diligence; due diligence does not guarantee funding.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 76% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 259 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Fund is particularly interested in testing bold new ideas, concepts or approaches at a relatively early stage.
The Fund favours opportunities that leverage additional public and private funds, especially through co-creative collaboration with other funders.
The Fund values work that can find new audiences and achieve scale or sustainability.
The Fund values opportunities to use its network, advocacy and other non-monetary support.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

District of Columbia20%

California19%

New York18%

Georgia9%

Texas6%

Michigan5%

6 other states: 18%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%

The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 76% of grant dollars went to organisations The David Rockefeller Fund had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
37% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

83 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 83 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k11%

$1k–$2.5k1%

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k8%

$10k–$25k19%

$25k–$50k13%

$50k–$100k36%

$100k–$250k7%

$250k–$500k1%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Georgia Alliance Education Fund · To support a statewide coalition of community organizing and civic engagement initiatives in georgia.
$250,0002024 tax year
Private Equity Stakeholder Project · To monitor and draw attention to private equity investments in fossil fuel assets.
$150,0002024 tax year
Michigan Civic Action Fund · To provide education about civic engagement opportunities and public policy issues in michigan, and provide technical assistance infrastructure for state-based movement partner organizations.
$100,0002024 tax year
Action for Safety and Justice · To educate the public on public safety solutions for reducing mass criminalization and incarceration.
$100,0002024 tax year
League of Conservation Voters · To support the chispa program's efforts to advance climate solutions and environmental justice.
$100,0002024 tax year
Croatan Institute · For rural beacon initiative's free union farm regenerative sustainability hub and seed sanctuary project.
$100,0002024 tax year
Illuminative · Illuminative's native artists and storytellers fund
$100,0002024 tax year
Windward Fund · Hive fund for climate and gender justice - invests in the expertise and long-term success of organizations building power to address intersecting climate, gender, and racial justice crises.
$80,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Leah D'Angelo — Treasurer
Lexi Fisher — Secretary / Chief Operating Officer
Lourdes Rodriguez — Chief Executive Officer
Tamara Larsen — Director (From 1/1/2024)
Neva Goodwin — Director
Camilla Rockefeller — Director / Chair
Susan Rockefeller — Director
Clay Rockefeller — Director
Ariana Rockefeller — Director
Michael Quattrone — Director
Max Miller — Director
Michael Lambert — Director
Christine Heenan — Director
Adam Growald — Director
Kaytura Felix — Director
Mindy Fullilove — Director
Chris Lindstrom — Director
Jamie Bennett — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$5,215,164	$4,826,000	$59,951,339	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$6,132,487	$4,262,391	$63,250,282	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$5,528,607	$3,279,650	$65,358,301	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.