Karpus Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Check first that your work fits one of the foundation's stated purposes, such as disability and veterans, abuse prevention and health, community violence education, animal welfare, medical treatment and research, or anti-abortion education, and that your programme is run by a 501(c)(3) or equivalent.
- Its stated priorities are Greater Rochester, Florida and Greater Cleveland, with other New York State organisations also considered.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 116 grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $50,000, and half were $15,000 or less, though the largest was about $105,000, so a request in that typical band is the realistic size.
- Start with a Letter of Inquiry, since the full application is made available only if the foundation invites it, and note that completed applications are due on the first day of the month before the relevant board meeting.
- Most grant dollars went to organisations it had funded before (82% in the filing), so a first-time applicant should expect a longer route and should set out measurable impact, efficient operations and sound reserves and financial stewardship clearly; medical charities that cause suffering to animals are excluded.
Overview
Karpus Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Pittsford, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Karpus Family Foundation supports organisations whose work helps people and animals in need, with an emphasis on work, education and productive lives. Its stated purposes include helping disabled people and disabled armed forces veterans become productive workers; preventing abuse of women and children and providing health services to those unable to afford them; education to prevent community violence; preventing cruelty to animals; anti-abortion and right-to-life education; leading-edge medical treatment and research; and educational grants and scholarships for people of a charitable class. It also supports organisations promoting sound, conservative economic principals and education, free markets, capitalism and the United States Constitution. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) organisations or equivalent whose programmes fit these purposes. It prioritises Greater Rochester, Florida and Greater Cleveland, and also considers other New York State organisations and selected regional or national groups. Its approach values measurable impact, efficient operations, strong leadership and responsible stewardship of financial resources.
Themes
- Disability and veterans
- Abuse prevention and health
- Community violence education
- Animal welfare
- Anti-abortion education
- Medical treatment and research
- Conservative principles
Geographic Focus
Priority: The Greater Rochester, New York region; Florida; The Greater Cleveland, Ohio region; New York State.
What They Don't Fund
- Medical charities that cause suffering to animals
- educational assistance in the form of grants and scholarships to individuals of a charitable class only: individuals who are employed by the Foundation; the children of individuals who are employed by the Foundation
How to apply
Organisations submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) for review. The Foundation contacts them about its status and, if it invites them to proceed, makes the full grant application accessible through the online portal.
Deadlines: Completed applications are due on the first day of the month before the relevant board meeting.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 116 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation particularly values measurable impact, operational efficiency and strong mission-focused leadership.
- It may prefer organisations with diversified revenue, strong community or private support and limited reliance on ongoing government assistance.
- It prefers strong fiscal discipline and budget efficiency.
- Applicants may be asked for information about reserves, investments, liquidity and related financial stewardship practices.
- Funding decisions consider responsible asset management, unnecessary overhead, appropriate reserves and measurable community impact.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 11%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to organisations Karpus Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 36 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $15,500 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation · General purpose$50,0002025 tax year
- Friendship Circle of Cleveland · General purpose$50,0002025 tax year
- Family Promise of Ontario County · General purpose$50,0002025 tax year
- Edwins Leaderships & Restaurant Institute · General purpose$50,0002025 tax year
- Semper Fi Fund · General purpose$50,0002025 tax year
- Humane Society of Rochester · General purpose$40,0002025 tax year
- CompassCare Pregnancy Services · General purpose$40,0002025 tax year
- Leadership Institute · General purpose$40,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Donald Haehl — Director
- Deborah Haehl — Director
- Gerard Wenzke — Director
- Joan Riesenberger — Director
- Paul Lipari — Director
- Rodd Riesenberger — Treasurer
- Anthony Mirrione — Director
- Kathleen P Karpus — Vice President, Secretary
- George W Karpus — President, Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,180,221 | $889,100 | $20,149,750 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,202,871 | $935,000 | $21,192,986 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $1,116,427 | $812,000 | $25,818,188 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Karpus Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pittsford, NY
- karpusfamilyfoundation.org
Applying to Karpus Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pittsford, NY
- karpusfamilyfoundation.org