Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $350,000 - $730,000 (varies significantly year to year)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available (no formal process)
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $150,000
• Geographic Focus: Dallas, Texas (primarily); occasional grants to Massachusetts-based institutions

---

Contact Details

• Website: None (no public website exists)
• Address: 2626 Howell St, Suite 830, Dallas, TX 75204
• Phone: 214-871-8755
• EIN: 46-1509349

---

Overview

The Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation is a Texas private non-operating foundation established in 2014 and connected to Robert Gerard Pollock (1927-2022), a prominent Dallas philanthropist, Harvard College graduate (class of 1949), and lifelong supporter of the Dallas cultural community. Robert Pollock served on the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Board of Governors from 1996 to 2005 and as an Advisory Governor through 2013. His father, Lawrence Pollock Sr., served as DSO President from 1949 to 1956. Robert and his wife Joan were passionate about art and classical music and served on boards of numerous Dallas organizations. The foundation reflects these lifelong interests, directing grants primarily toward established Dallas arts, culture, education, senior services, and civic institutions. Following Robert Pollock's death in 2022, the foundation's assets grew substantially, reaching $8.69 million by 2024 (up from $890,000 in 2023), likely reflecting bequest transfers. Annual giving has ranged from $350,000 (2024, 3 grants) to $730,000 (2023, 10 grants). The foundation has no public website and operates entirely at trustee discretion.

---

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate named grant programs. Grants are made at trustee discretion and typically support general operations of established Dallas-area nonprofits. Recent documented grants include:

2024 Grants ($350,000 total, 3 awards):

• The Legacy Senior Communities: $150,000 (General Operations)
• Harvard University: $100,000 (General Operations)
• [Third recipient not publicly identified]

2023 Grants ($730,000 total, 10 awards):

• Dallas Museum of Art: $150,000 (General Operations)
• Dallas Symphony Orchestra: $150,000 (General Operations)
• Temple Emanu-El (Dallas): $100,000 (General Operations)
• Visiting Nurses Association: $30,000 (General Operations)
• Dallas Public Library: $25,000 (General Operations)
• Creative Arts Center: $20,000 (General Operations)
• Planned Parenthood: $20,000 (General Operations)
• Lumin Education: $10,000 (General Operations)
• Dallas Arboretum: Amount unconfirmed

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant history, the foundation supports:

• Arts and culture (symphony orchestras, art museums, community arts centers)
• Jewish community organizations (synagogues and affiliated institutions in Dallas)
• Senior services and healthcare (senior living communities, visiting nurse associations, healthcare access organizations)
• Public civic institutions (public libraries, public gardens and arboreta)
• Education (K-12 education nonprofits, higher education connected to Robert Pollock's alma mater, Harvard University)

What They Don't Fund

No formal exclusions are documented. However, based on grant history:

• The foundation does not appear to fund organizations outside Dallas or Massachusetts (Harvard University being the sole exception)
• There is no evidence of funding for capital campaigns, individual scholarships, research, or international programs
• The foundation does not fund organizations outside its established network of Dallas civic and cultural institutions

---

Governance and Leadership

• Trustee: Richard D. Trubitt (sole trustee; serves on a voluntary, uncompensated basis)
• Founder: Robert Gerard Pollock (1927-2022) - Dallas native, Harvard College graduate (1949), board member of numerous Dallas cultural institutions including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (Board of Governors, 1996-2013)
• Employees: None (the foundation has no full-time staff)
• Tax-Exempt Since: September 2014
• IRS Classification: 501(c)(3) private non-operating foundation; files Form 990-PF

No public statements or quotes from foundation leadership are available.

---

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation is a private discretionary trust with a single trustee and no staff. There is no website, no grant portal, no published guidelines, and no formal application form or procedure. Grants are made entirely at the discretion of trustee Richard D. Trubitt to organizations that reflect the philanthropic interests of the late Robert Gerard Pollock.

All documented grants have been for "General Operations" support, suggesting the foundation supports the ongoing work of organizations already within its established network rather than responding to project-specific requests.

Getting on Their Radar

The following is specific, documented intelligence about this funder rather than generic advice:

• The foundation funds organisations with which Robert Pollock had a personal connection during his lifetime. All 2023 and 2024 grant recipients are organisations where Robert Pollock or his family had board membership, membership, or documented personal involvement. Organisations already connected to this network are most likely to receive consideration.
• The trustee (Richard D. Trubitt) is based in Dallas at 2626 Howell St, Suite 830 - which is the address of a professional services firm. A formal introductory letter to this address is the most direct avenue for any outreach, though responses are not guaranteed.
• The foundation's 2024 grant to Harvard University (Robert Pollock's alma mater) suggests that organisations connected to Harvard's alumni network in Dallas could be of interest.
• Senior services organisations appear to be a growing priority - The Legacy Senior Communities received the largest 2024 grant ($150,000), suggesting this may be an increasingly important area given Robert Pollock's age at death.

Decision Timeline

No decision timeline is publicly available. Given the absence of staff and a formal process, grant decisions are likely made on an ad hoc basis by the sole trustee.

Success Rates

• 2024: 3 grants awarded
• 2023: 10 grants awarded
• No application volume data is available as there is no formal application process

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented. Repeat grants are evident in the grant history (e.g. Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Museum of Art), suggesting established relationships receive ongoing support.

---

Application Success Factors

The following insights are specific to this foundation's documented pattern of giving:

• Established relationship is the primary criterion. Every documented grant recipient is an organisation with which Robert Pollock had a decades-long personal connection. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Museum of Art, and Temple Emanu-El were all central to his personal life. Cold applications from organisations outside this network are unlikely to succeed.
• All grants are for General Operations. The foundation does not fund specific projects, capital campaigns, or restricted purposes. Organisations seeking unrestricted general operating support align most closely with this foundation's documented giving pattern.
• Grants reflect the personal philanthropic legacy of one individual. Because grants appear to honour Robert Pollock's own interests and relationships, the most relevant alignment factors are: Dallas civic identity, arts and culture (particularly classical music and visual arts), Jewish community institutions, senior welfare, and Harvard University.
• Large, established organisations dominate. The Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Temple Emanu-El are major Dallas institutions. Smaller organisations that did receive grants (Lumin Education, Creative Arts Center) appear to have had existing community ties rather than being discovered through open competition.
• The foundation is growing. With assets jumping from $890,000 to $8.69 million between 2023 and 2024, the foundation's capacity to give is increasing significantly. The number of grants in 2024 dropped (3 vs 10 in 2023) but amounts per grant were larger ($100,000-$150,000 vs a median of $28,000 in 2023), suggesting a shift toward fewer, larger grants to major institutions.

---

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation has no public application process. Cold applications or portal submissions are not applicable. Any approach must be relationship-based and directed to the sole trustee, Richard D. Trubitt, via written correspondence to the Dallas address on record.
• The foundation honours a personal legacy. Grants reflect the lifelong interests of Robert Gerard Pollock in Dallas arts, culture, education, Jewish community life, and senior welfare. Alignment with these specific interests is essential.
• General operating support is the only documented grant type. If pursuing this foundation, position your organisation's core mission and operating needs, not a specific project.
• The foundation's assets grew dramatically in 2024, suggesting increased future giving capacity. Organisations that can establish a timely connection to the trustee may benefit from this growth.
• Repeat grantees dominate the record. The best candidates are organisations already receiving grants from this foundation or those with verifiable historical connections to Robert Pollock personally.
• Senior services and Harvard-connected organisations appear to be emerging priorities in 2024, potentially reflecting the trustee's current discretion following Pollock's death.
• No application deadline, success rate, or turnaround time is publicly documented. This is an opaque, relationship-driven funder. Managing expectations accordingly is critical.

---

References

1. CauseIQ - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation | Dallas, TX" - https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/robert-gerard-pollock-foundation,461509349/ - Accessed 17 February 2026
2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation" (EIN 46-1509349) - https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/461509349 - Accessed 17 February 2026
3. Instrumentl - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation | Dallas, TX | 990 Report" - https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/robert-gerard-pollock-foundation - Accessed 17 February 2026
4. GrantExec - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation" (EIN 461509349) - https://grantexec.com/foundations/461509349 - Accessed 17 February 2026
5. Candid Foundation Directory Online - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation" (Key: ROBE591) - https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=ROBE591 - Accessed 17 February 2026
6. Candid (app) - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation 46-1509349" - https://app.candid.org/profile/9373029/robert-gerard-pollock-foundation-46-1509349 - Accessed 17 February 2026
7. Charity Navigator - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation" (EIN 461509349) - https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/461509349 - Accessed 17 February 2026
8. Dallas Symphony Orchestra - "Remembering Robert G. Pollock (1927-2022)" - https://www.dallassymphony.org/news/remembering-robert-g-pollock-1927-2022/ - Accessed 17 February 2026
9. GreatNonprofits - "Robert Gerard Pollock Foundation in Texas, Dallas" - https://greatnonprofits.org/org/robert-gerard-pollock-foundation - Accessed 17 February 2026