Stella Roy Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $1,100,000 - $2,630,334 (varies annually)
Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
Decision Time: Not publicly available
Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,000,000
Geographic Focus: Multi-state (Arizona, District of Columbia, Nevada, Tennessee, Virginia)

Contact Details

Address: Wilmington, DE
EIN: 88-3957641

Note: The foundation does not have a publicly available website, phone number, or email for grant inquiries. This is a private foundation that operates primarily through trustee discretion.

Overview

The Stella Roy Foundation is a Delaware private foundation with total assets of approximately $76.3 million. The foundation makes strategic grants to select organizations, with annual giving ranging from $1.1 million to $2.6 million depending on the year. In 2023, the foundation made 2 grants totaling $1.1 million, while in 2024 it expanded to 8 grants totaling $2.6 million. The foundation's grantmaking reflects the personal philanthropic interests of its namesake founder, with a demonstrated focus on arts organizations (particularly ballet) and Catholic religious organizations. The foundation operates as a private family foundation without a public application process, making grants through trustee discretion and existing relationships with beneficiary organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, it makes discretionary grants in the following areas:

Arts & Culture: Major support to performing arts organizations, particularly ballet companies (grants from $1,000,000)
Religious Organizations: Support to Catholic organizations and missions (grants from $100,000)

Grant amounts vary significantly based on the organization and project, ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000.

Priority Areas

Based on recent grants (2023-2024), the foundation has supported:

Performing arts, particularly ballet and dance companies
Catholic religious organizations and missions
Organizations located across multiple states including Nevada, District of Columbia, Arizona, Tennessee, and Virginia

What They Don't Fund

As a private foundation with limited public information, specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation's giving pattern suggests a focused approach on arts and Catholic organizations rather than broad-based community funding.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation's governance structure is typical of a private family foundation. Stella Roy, the foundation's namesake, serves as a Trustee of Nevada Ballet Theatre, one of the foundation's major grant recipients. This connection illustrates the foundation's approach to grantmaking through personal relationships and board involvement.

Detailed information about the full board of trustees and officers can be found in the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings, which are available through GuideStar and other nonprofit databases.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Stella Roy Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from organizations with whom it does not have an existing relationship.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion, typically to organizations where foundation leadership has direct involvement or personal connections. The foundation's grantmaking appears to be relationship-based and invitation-only.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on a discretionary basis rather than fixed application cycles.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. The foundation made 2 grants in 2023 and 8 grants in 2024, indicating selective grantmaking to a limited number of organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking.

Application Success Factors

Since the Stella Roy Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received funding share these characteristics:

Direct trustee connections: Nevada Ballet Theatre, which received a $1 million grant in 2023 and an additional $2 million donation announced in 2025, has Stella Roy serving as a trustee on its board
Alignment with founder interests: Grant recipients reflect specific interests in performing arts (particularly ballet) and Catholic religious organizations
Geographic diversity: While based in Delaware, the foundation supports organizations across multiple states
Capacity for significant grants: The foundation makes relatively few but substantial grants, suggesting they support established organizations that can effectively deploy six-figure gifts

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates through trustee discretion
Relationship-driven: Grants appear to be made to organizations where foundation leadership has direct involvement (such as board membership)
Large grant sizes: With grants ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000+, the foundation makes fewer but more substantial investments
Focus areas: Demonstrated interest in performing arts (particularly ballet) and Catholic organizations
Multi-state reach: Despite Delaware location, grants have been distributed across Arizona, DC, Nevada, Tennessee, and Virginia
Variable annual giving: The foundation's total grantmaking can vary significantly year to year ($1.1M in 2023 vs. $2.6M in 2024)
Not a viable prospect for cold outreach: Organizations seeking funding should not spend time on unsolicited proposals to this foundation

References

Information accessed December 2025