The Ross Family Foundation
Philadelphia, PA · EIN 24-6017499. Reported 538 grants totalling $1,087,608 to 144 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Ross Family Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $797. Half of everything it gave fell between $500 and $1,500; the smallest was $100 and the largest $35,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Way Lackawanna & Wayne Counties | Scranton, PA | $118,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| First United Methodust Church of Germantown | Philadelphia, PA | $90,600 | 8 | 5 | 2025 |
| Quintessence Theatre Group | Philadelphia, PA | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Covenant Presbyterian Church | Scranton, PA | $63,350 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $49,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Keystone College | Laplume, PA | $44,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Philharmonic Society of Ne Pa | Avoca, PA | $40,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Way of Se Pa | Philadelphia, PA | $33,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | $30,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wvia Public Tv & Radio | Pittston, PA | $25,750 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Johnson College | Scranton, PA | $25,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Women's Resource Center | Scranton, PA | $22,450 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Everhart Museum | Scranton, PA | $21,750 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Countrywide Conservancy | Laplume, PA | $21,200 | 4 | 3 | 2023 |
| Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine | Scranton, PA | $14,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Outreach Center for Community Resources | Scranton, PA | $14,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Tanglewood Friends of Music | Boston, MA | $14,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Clintonville United Methodist Church | Clintonville, NY | $14,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Planned Parenthood of Northeast Pa | Reading, PA | $11,500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Greater Scranton YMCA | Dunmore, PA | $10,450 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Boy Scouts of America Ne Pa Council | Scranton, PA | $10,200 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Countryside Conservancy | Laplume, PA | $10,000 | 3 | 2 | 2025 |
| Whyy Fm & Channel 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $9,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Friends of the Poor | Scranton, PA | $8,900 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Salvation Army | Scranton, PA | $8,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Iowa State University Foundation | Ames, IA | $7,900 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Scranton Cultural Center | Scranton, PA | $7,900 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Abington Community Library | Clarks Summit, PA | $7,800 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Marywood University | Scranton, PA | $7,700 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| University of Scranton | Scranton, PA | $7,700 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Plymouth Meeting Friends School | Plymouth Meeting, PA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Scranton Area Foundation | Scranton, PA | $7,350 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Allied Services Foundation | Scranton, PA | $7,050 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Planned Parenthood | Scranton, PA | $6,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Meals on Wheels of Ne Pa | Scranton, PA | $6,200 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Trustees of the University of Pa | Philadelphia, PA | $6,100 | 10 | 5 | 2025 |
| Griffin Pond Animal Shelter | South Abington Townshi, PA | $6,050 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Weinberg Ne Pa Regional Food Bank | Wilkesbarre, PA | $6,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Arcadia Chorale | Chinchilla, PA | $5,144 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Red Cross | Scranton, PA | $5,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Food Bank of Larimer County | Loveland, CO | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Nature Conservancy | Philadelphia, PA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Smith Memorial Playground | Philadelphia, PA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Finca International | Washington, DC | $4,850 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lackawanna River Corridor Assn | Scranton, PA | $4,400 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Family Promise of Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $4,250 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Ne Regional Cancer Institute | Scranton, PA | $4,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Asbury United Methodist Church | Scranton, PA | $4,200 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Girl Scouts in Heart of Pa | Scranton, PA | $4,150 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival | Becket, MA | $4,150 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Exponent Philanthropy | Washington, DC | $4,070 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lantern Theatre | Philadelphia, PA | $4,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Planned Parenthood of Northeastern Pa | Scranton, PA | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| UC Health Northern Colorado Fdn | Ft Collins, CO | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Day Nursery Association of Scranton | Scranton, PA | $3,900 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Numismatic Assn | Colorado Springs, CO | $3,700 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Lackawanna College | Scranton, PA | $3,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lackawanna Historical Society | Scranton, PA | $3,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Visiting Nurse Association | Olyphant, PA | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wildflower Music Festival | White Mills, PA | $3,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friendship House | Scranton, PA | $3,350 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York, NY | $3,150 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Anthracite Heritage Museum | Scranton, PA | $2,950 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Unitarian Universalist Association | Boston, MA | $2,900 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Museum of Modern Art | New York, NY | $2,850 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| American Museum of Natural History | New York, NY | $2,825 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Metropolitan Opera Guild | New York, NY | $2,800 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Rails to Trail Council of Ne Pa | Union Dale, PA | $2,700 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Waverly Community House | Waverly, PA | $2,600 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Wskg Public Broadcasting | Vestal, NY | $2,550 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Arden Theater | Philadelphia, PA | $2,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Child Fund International | Richmond, VA | $2,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Circle in the Square Theatre | New York, NY | $2,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Clarks Summit Fire Company | Clarks Summit, PA | $2,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Jewish Federation of Ne Pa | Scranton, PA | $2,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Opera Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $2,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia Orchestra | Philadelphia, PA | $2,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Doctors Without Borders | Hagerstown, MD | $2,450 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Peec Pocono Environmental Educ Center | Dingmans Ferry, PA | $2,400 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Neighborhood Center | Throop, PA | $2,350 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Smithsonian Institution Friends of | Washington, DC | $2,175 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Geisinger Health System | Danville, PA | $2,150 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| International Rescue Committee | Albert Lea, MN | $2,043 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Lacawac Foundation Sanctuary | Lake Ariel, PA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Noco Humane | Loveland, CO | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia Ballet | Philadelphia, PA | $2,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Southern Poverty Law Center | Montgomery, AL | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Unitarian Universalist Service Committee | Cambridge, MA | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| United Way of Larimer County | Fort Collins, CO | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jewish Family Service of Ne Pa | Scranton, PA | $1,750 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Northwest Village Network | Philadelphia, PA | $1,650 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Dalton Community Library | Dalton, PA | $1,550 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Dickenson College | Carlisle, PA | $1,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Kimmel Regional Performing Arts Center | Philadelphia, PA | $1,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Planned Parenthood | Washington, DC | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| World Wildlife Fund | Washington, DC | $1,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Archaeological Institute of America | Boston, MA | $1,350 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Spoleto Festival | Charleston, SC | $1,300 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Aububon Society | New York, NY | $1,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Trust for Historic Preservation | Hagerstown, MD | $1,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Wildlife Federation | Reston, VA | $1,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| New York Philharmonic | New York, NY | $1,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Pierpont Morgan Library | New York, NY | $1,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Urban Resources Development Corp | Philadelphia, PA | $1,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Saratoga Performing Arts Center | Saratoga Springs, NY | $1,150 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Council on Foreign Relations | New York, NY | $1,086 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Asce Foundation | Reston, VA | $1,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ensemble Arts | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Equal Justice America | Midlothian, VA | $1,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Junior Achievement of Ne Pa | Scra, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Public Interest Law Center | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| United Neighborhood Center Ne Pa Camp Kelly | Throop, PA | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wamc Northeast Public Radio | Albany, NY | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Charity Watch | Chicago, IL | $900 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Appalachian Trail Conservancy | Harpers Ferry, WV | $775 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Bucknell University | Lewisburg, PA | $750 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Dorflinger Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary | White Mills, PA | $700 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Biblical Archaeology Society | Washington, DC | $650 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Bbb Wise Giving Alliance | Arlington, VA | $580 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Parks Conservation Ass'n | Washington, DC | $510 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Alzheimer's Foundation | Poughkeepsie, NY | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| American Numismatic Association | New York, NY | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Anderson Center for Autism | Staatsburg, NY | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Autism Speaks | Boone, IA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Exodus Prison and Aftercare Ministries | Pittston, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pennsylvania Ballet | Philadelphia, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Presbyterian Senior Living | Dillsburg, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Second Harvest | Nazareth, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Union of Concerned Scientists | Cambridge, MA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| West Mt Airy Neighbors | Philadelphia, PA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| American Numismatic Society | Colorado Springs, CO | $350 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Connecticut Public Media | Hartford, CT | $300 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| National Park Foundation | Washington, DC | $300 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Whosoever Gospel Missiom | Philadelphia, PA | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Compassionate Animal Rescue of Dutchess County | Wappimger Falls, NY | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit | Clarks Summit, PA | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Philabundance | Philadelphia, PA | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Seamens Church Institute | New York, NY | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jeuvenile Law Center | Philadelphia, PA | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Juvenile Law Center | Philadelphia, PA | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
114 of 144 (79%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 89%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Philharmonic Society of Ne Pa
$5,000 for general purposes; $5,000 for Young Peoples Concerts - Plymouth Meeting Friends School
Anne Javsicas Community Scholarship Fund - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Adrian E. Ross Class of 1934 Scholarship Fd - Countrywide Conservancy
Flood repair Dalton Trail - Boy Scouts of America Ne Pa Council
For general purposesFor general purposes - Food Bank of Larimer County
$1,500 for WHYY FM radio; $1,5000 for WHYY TV
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 242 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 110 | $194,984 | $765 |
| 2022 | 100 | $205,193 | $797 |
| 2023 | 116 | $236,315 | $775 |
| 2024 | 103 | $212,183 | $750 |
| 2025 | 109 | $238,933 | $900 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
81% of its giving went to organizations in Pennsylvania. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $797. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Ross Family Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 1 Summit Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19118. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 24-6017499 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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