McFeely-Rogers Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,200,935 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (trustee discretion)
• Decision Time: Not applicable
• Grant Range: Unable to determine from single annual grant
• Geographic Focus: Latrobe, PA (primary) and Pittsburgh, PA (occasional)

Contact Details

Address: 816 Ligonier Street, Suite 610, Latrobe, PA 15650 Phone: (724) 537-5588 Website: None listed Email: Not available

Overview

The McFeely-Rogers Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1953 by Nancy K. McFeely, James H. and Nancy McFeely Rogers, and their son Fred McFeely Rogers—better known as "Mister Rogers" from the beloved children's television show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." With total assets of approximately $25.1 million as of 2024, the foundation continues the Rogers family's commitment to supporting educational and charitable causes in their home community of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The foundation operates as a traditional family foundation, making highly selective grants primarily through trustee discretion rather than open application processes. In recent years, the foundation has made only one grant annually, totaling approximately $1.2 million.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not maintain formal grant programs but provides discretionary funding through trustee decisions. Recent grant-making shows a pattern of single, substantial annual grants exceeding $1 million.

Priority Areas

• Education and educational institutions
• Arts and cultural programs
• Civic affairs and community development
• Healthcare and hospitals
• Human services
• Protestant agencies and churches
• Recreation programs
• Community/economic development

Funds may be used for:

• Annual campaigns
• Building/renovation projects
• Capital campaigns
• Continuing support
• Debt reduction
• Emergency funds
• Endowments
• Equipment purchases
• General/operating support
• Land acquisition
• Matching/challenge support
• Program development
• Scholarships
• Seed money

What They Don't Fund

Not specified in available documentation

Governance and Leadership

The foundation operates under a board of trustees structure. The foundation was established by the Rogers and McFeely families, with Fred Rogers' parents (James H. and Nancy McFeely Rogers) and his maternal grandmother Nancy K. McFeely serving as founders. Historical records indicate Nancy McFeely Flagg (Fred Rogers' mother) served as trustee and vice president until her passing in 1981. Current trustee information is not publicly available.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants appear to be awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to pre-selected organizations with existing relationships to the foundation. The foundation makes only one grant per year based on recent tax filings (2022-2024).

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's highly selective grant-making pattern (one grant per year) and lack of public application process, organizations seeking support would need to establish relationships through:

• Existing connections to the Latrobe community
• Demonstrated alignment with Fred Rogers' legacy of education and child development
• Strong ties to the greater Latrobe area nonprofit ecosystem

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation makes only one grant annually through trustee selection

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to lack of public application process

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's private nature and trustee-discretion model:

• Organizations must have strong existing relationships with the foundation or its trustees
• Demonstrated impact in the Latrobe, PA area is essential
• Alignment with Fred Rogers' values of education, child development, and community service
• The foundation's pattern of single annual grants suggests they support major initiatives or provide substantial operating support to select organizations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The McFeely-Rogers Foundation operates as a traditional private family foundation without public grant applications
• With only one grant made annually, this is an extremely selective funder
• Geographic focus is strictly limited to Latrobe, PA with occasional Pittsburgh funding
• The foundation continues Fred Rogers' legacy through support of educational and community organizations
• Relationship-building and local connections are essential—cold applications are not accepted
• The foundation's substantial assets ($25.1 million) enable significant annual giving despite limited number of grants

References

• CauseIQ. "Mcfeely-Rogers Foundation | Latrobe, PA." Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/mcfeely-rogers-foundation,251120947/
• Instrumentl. "McFeely-Rogers Foundation | Latrobe, PA | 990 Report." Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/mcfeely-rogers-foundation
• GrantStation. "McFeely-Rogers Foundation." Accessed February 27, 2026. https://grantstation.com/grantmakers/mcfeely-rogers-foundation
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Mcfeely Rogers Foundation." Accessed February 27, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/251120947
• Candid Foundation Directory. "Mcfeely-Rogers Foundation." Accessed February 27, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=MCFE001
• Community Development Grants. "McFeely-Rogers Foundation (Pennsylvania)." Accessed February 27, 2026. http://www.communitydevelopmentgrants.info/GrantDetails.aspx?gid=37774