The Roche Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,520,000 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: $25,000 - $230,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Maryland, with select grants to educational institutions nationally

Contact Details

The foundation does not have a public website, email, or phone number for grant inquiries.

Registered Address: Baltimore, MD EIN: 06-1801624

Overview

The Roche Family Foundation was established in May 2007 as a private independent foundation based in Baltimore, Maryland. With total assets of approximately $45-51 million and annual charitable distributions of $530,000 to $1,520,000, the foundation supports a select group of preselected charitable organizations. The foundation is governed by three family trustees who each dedicate approximately one hour per week to foundation activities. The foundation's portfolio generates income primarily through dividends (86%) and asset sales (14%), enabling consistent grant-making focused on education, arts, and cultural institutions, particularly in the Baltimore region.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs. All grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to preselected organizations.

Grant Amounts (2024):

• Typical Grant: $25,000 (median)
• Range: $25,000 - $230,000
• Total Grants Awarded: 7 grants in 2024, 14 grants in 2023

Application Method: Invitation only - no public application process

Priority Areas

Based on recent grant-making patterns, the foundation supports:

• Education: Colleges and independent schools (Bowdoin College, The Nightingale-Bamford School)
• Arts & Culture: Theater and performing arts organizations (Everyman Theatre)
• Baltimore-based Organizations: Strong preference for local Maryland institutions
• Unrestricted Support: Most grants are unrestricted, allowing organizations maximum flexibility

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has stated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. This means they do not fund:

• Organizations not already known to the trustees
• Unsolicited grant proposals
• Organizations outside their existing network

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• George A. Roche (Trustee, 1 hour/week, uncompensated)
• Kathryn Roche Hope (Trustee, 1 hour/week, uncompensated)
• Marianne Schmitt Hellauer (Trustee, 1 hour/week, uncompensated)

The foundation operates with an all-volunteer trustee board consisting of family members. There are no paid staff or executives. Trustees collectively dedicate minimal time to foundation management, suggesting a streamlined, trust-based approach to grant-making focused on organizations they already know and support.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Roche Family Foundation explicitly states 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 three family trustees based on their existing knowledge of and relationships with organizations.

Organizations cannot apply for funding through any formal application process, online portal, or letter of inquiry.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded based on trustee discretion to organizations they have preselected.

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no public application process to generate success rate data.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications or unsolicited proposals.

Application Success Factors

Since The Roche Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there are no application success factors in the traditional sense. However, analysis of their grant-making patterns reveals:

Organizations in Their Portfolio:

• Consistent Support: The foundation appears to provide ongoing support to a small number of organizations, such as Everyman Theatre, which has received multiple grants
• Unrestricted Grants: Most grants are designated as "unrestricted," indicating the foundation trusts the leadership of recipient organizations to allocate funds where most needed
• Educational Focus: Recent grants show support for educational institutions including colleges (Bowdoin College) and independent schools (The Nightingale-Bamford School)
• Baltimore Connection: Strong preference for Baltimore-based organizations, particularly in the arts and culture sector

Trustee Discretion: All funding decisions are made by the three family trustees based on their personal knowledge, relationships, and assessment of organizational impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, applications, or letters of inquiry - do not invest time in applying
• Invitation-Only Model: The foundation operates on a trust-based model where trustees proactively select organizations to support
• Baltimore Focus: Strong preference for Baltimore-based organizations, particularly in arts, culture, and education
• Unrestricted Support Philosophy: The foundation tends to provide unrestricted grants, suggesting they value organizational autonomy and leadership judgment
• Small Portfolio: With only 7-14 grants annually from assets of $45-51 million, the foundation maintains a highly selective, focused portfolio
• Education & Arts: Recent grants indicate sustained interest in educational institutions (colleges, independent schools) and cultural organizations (theater)
• Family Foundation: Operated by three family members who dedicate minimal time, suggesting streamlined decision-making based on personal knowledge and relationships

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Roche Family Foundation (EIN 06-1801624). Form 990-PF filings for 2024, 2023, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/61801624 (Accessed January 2026)
• Grantmakers.io - The Roche Family Foundation Profile. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/061801624-the-roche-family-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ - The Roche Family Foundation. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-roche-family-foundation,061801624/ (Accessed January 2026)
• IRS Form 990-PF data showing trustees George A. Roche, Kathryn Roche Hope, and Marianne Schmitt Hellauer; grant recipients including Bowdoin College ($230,000), Everyman Theatre Inc ($100,000), and The Nightingale-Bamford School ($100,000)