Rowe Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so a small charity should not send it a cold application and should seek a route to it through an existing relationship.
- Its stated fields are biology and life sciences, education and higher education, and health care, so your work fits if it sits in one of those areas; the grants it records also include unrestricted support.
- Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $30,000 and $250,000, the median is $50,000, and half of its 44 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less, so a request near that size suits its typical range, though its largest grant was $700,000 and that band is not a ceiling.
- The filing shows that 68% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so it leans towards established grantees and is likely to be relationship-led.
- No geographic focus is stated; its grants have mainly gone to New York, California, Massachusetts, Maine and District of Columbia, but that is a record of past giving rather than a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Rowe Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (urmc.rochester.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation describes its giving as supporting the fields of biology and life sciences, education, health care and higher education. Its recorded grants include support for university, medical and public-health work, school partnerships, scholarships and fellowships, and museums and cultural exhibitions. The filings also show unrestricted support to a range of organisations. Across this varied portfolio, grant purposes include both named programmes and unrestricted giving, rather than one single kind of activity. The available statements frame these as broad fields and do not define a narrower applicant profile.
Themes
- Biology and life sciences
- Education and higher education
- Health care
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, California, Massachusetts, Maine and District of Columbia.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 68% 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 TY2025 filings, half of its 44 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2025.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 19% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 68% of grant dollars went to organisations Rowe Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 17 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $100k (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Stanford University · For the benefit of the Department of Health Policy in the School of Medicine$250,0002025 tax year
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · Rowe Family Fellowship fund in Movement Disorders$150,0002025 tax year
- Carroll School · For the support of the Carroll/ Public School Partnership Program$150,0002025 tax year
- Museum of the City of New York · For the support of the Lenape exhibit$105,0002025 tax year
- Carpenters Boat Shop · General & Unrestricted$100,0002025 tax year
- Urban Institute · annual fund$100,0002025 tax year
- Lincoln Center Theater · General & Unrestricted$100,0002025 tax year
- New York Yacht Club Foundation · General & Unrestricted$100,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Valerie A Rowe — Secretary, Treasurer, Director
- Rebecca J Rowe — VP, Dir
- Meredith L Rowe — VP, Dir
- John W Rowe — President, Director
- Abigail M Rowe — VP, Dir
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,025,549 | $1,790,000 | $34,761,004 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,126,660 | $1,935,000 | $36,764,636 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $1,767,143 | $1,584,388 | $41,337,354 | Filing for 2025 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 Rowe Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Wilmington, DE
Applying to Rowe Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Wilmington, DE