Carson Family Charitable Trust
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation accepts no unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so a small charity should first look for an introduction through someone already connected to it rather than sending a cold proposal.
- Its stated priority is New York City, and its themes are education, poverty, healthcare, medical science and culture, so work in those fields in that city is the clearest fit.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $50,000 and $750,000 and the median is $200,000, so a request in that range is typical, although the largest grant was about $10,500,000, so the band is not a ceiling.
- Most of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, with 91% of its grant dollars to organisations in the filing going to repeat recipients, so existing relationships appear to matter a great deal.
Overview
Carson Family Charitable Trust 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 web pages about the foundation (nygenome.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Carson Family Charitable Trust is focused on New York City and supports nonprofit organisations in education, poverty, healthcare, medical science and culture. Its recorded giving is chiefly general operating support, rather than a narrowly described project type. The recipients include schools and colleges, hospitals and medical research institutions, community and social-service organisations, museums, parks and performing-arts bodies. Taken together, the foundation's stated fields and its grants describe support for a broad range of nonprofit organisations, from educational and health institutions to civic, community and cultural organisations.
Themes
- Education
- Poverty
- Healthcare
- Medical science
- Culture
Geographic Focus
Priority: New York City. (as reported in other published sources)
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 91% 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 363 grants to organisations were $200,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 11% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to organisations Carson Family Charitable Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 6% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 120 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $201k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- New York Genome Center · General operating support$6,221,2532024 tax year
- Robin Hood Foundation · General operating support$2,772,4892024 tax year
- Rockefeller University · General operating support$2,105,1282024 tax year
- Central Park Conservancy · General operating support$2,050,0002024 tax year
- Manhattan Marymount College · General operating support$2,000,2572024 tax year
- Millbrook Community Partnership · General operating support$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Uncommon Schools · General operating support$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Breaking Ground Housing Development Fund Corporation · General operating support$1,250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Russell Carson — Trustee
- Amy Meyercord Stevens — Executive Vice President
- Madeline Carson — Trustee (Began April 2024)
- Judith Carson — Trustee
- Edward S Carson — Trustee
- Cecily M Carson — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $70,256,397 | $60,210,300 | $454,041,302 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $61,143,014 | $49,087,118 | $466,593,070 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $66,071,188 | $50,468,073 | $497,620,335 | 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.
Sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Carson Family Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY
Applying to Carson Family Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY