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Charles Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.3M

Charles Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,303,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: Information not publicly available
  • Total Assets: $49.1 million (2024)
  • Number of Awards: 70 grants (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 668 Spring Valley Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone: 973-539-2281
Website: Not available
Email: Not available

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or requests for funds.

Overview

The Charles Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in August 1994 in New Jersey. With total assets of $49.1 million as of 2024, the foundation distributed approximately $2.3 million in grants in 2023 across 70 awards. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on education and health care initiatives. The foundation operates under the leadership of the Rooke family and maintains a selective approach to grantmaking, choosing to support preselected charitable organizations rather than accepting public applications. The foundation has demonstrated consistent grantmaking activity, making 70 awards in 2023, 72 awards in 2022, and 70 awards in 2021.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Charles Foundation Inc does not operate formal grant programs with specific application cycles. The foundation awards grants on a discretionary basis to organizations selected by the trustees.

  • Annual Grant Distribution: $2.3 million distributed across approximately 70 grants in 2023
  • Grant Amounts: Individual grant amounts are not publicly disclosed; information would require review of Form 990-PF Part XV

Priority Areas

Based on available information, the foundation focuses on:

  • Education: Supporting educational institutions and initiatives
  • Health Care: Funding health care organizations and programs

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds from any organizations with which they do not already have a relationship.

Governance and Leadership

The Charles Foundation Inc is governed by a family-based board of trustees from the Rooke family:

  • Robert C. Rooke - President, Treasurer, and Trustee
  • Natalie D. Rooke - Vice President and Trustee
  • Robert C. Rooke Jr. - Secretary and Trustee
  • Thomas W. Rooke - Trustee

None of the trustees receive compensation for their service to the foundation. The foundation operates as a family foundation with decision-making authority concentrated among family members.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Charles Foundation Inc has clearly indicated that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified and selected independently.

Organizations cannot submit applications, letters of inquiry, or proposals to this foundation. All grantmaking decisions are made proactively by the board of trustees based on their own research and organizational priorities.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. Grant decisions are made internally by the trustees on their own timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable for external applicants. The foundation made 70 grants in 2023 and 72 grants in 2022, but these were all to organizations selected by the trustees rather than through a competitive application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept initial applications or reapplications from organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since the Charles Foundation Inc does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" for grant applications do not apply. However, organizations that align with the foundation's stated priorities in education and health care may be more likely to be considered if the foundation proactively reaches out.

Key Considerations:

  • The foundation focuses on education and health care sectors
  • Grants are awarded to preselected organizations identified by the trustees
  • The foundation operates as a family foundation with concentrated decision-making authority
  • Grant decisions are made independently without external input or applications

Organizations seeking funding should not contact this foundation with proposals or requests, as the foundation has specifically stated it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: The Charles Foundation Inc does not accept unsolicited applications, proposals, or letters of inquiry
  • Invitation-Only Grantmaking: All grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have preselected
  • Focus Areas: The foundation concentrates on education and health care initiatives
  • Consistent Grantmaking: The foundation maintains steady grantmaking activity with approximately 70 grants annually totaling $2.3 million
  • Family Foundation Structure: Governed entirely by members of the Rooke family who make all funding decisions
  • Do Not Contact: Organizations should not reach out to this foundation with funding requests as they will not be considered
  • Limited Public Information: Specific grant recipients, amounts, and detailed funding criteria are not publicly disclosed without accessing Form 990-PF filings

References

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