Ackerman Family Foundation Inc.

Ackerman Family Foundation Inc. is a closely-held family private foundation based in Mendon, New York (Monroe County, near Rochester). The foundation is run by three family members — David P. Ackerman (President), Philip G. Ackerman (Treasurer), and Quinn E. Ackerman (Secretary) — all serving without compensation. This structure indicates a family-controlled philanthropic vehicle with no professional staff and no published grant guidelines or application portal. There is no publicly available mission statement, formal program descriptions, or geographic focus filed with the IRS or GuideStar. The foundation has not published a website of its own; the website in the IRS records (ackerman.org) resolves to the Ackerman Institute for the Family, a separate New York City-based family therapy nonprofit and likely unrelated to this foundation. Prospective grantees should pursue direct, personal outreach to the Ackerman family through the foundation's registered address at 1279 Pittsford Mendon Rd, Mendon, NY 14506. Given the family's apparent Western New York roots, organizations serving Monroe County and the Greater Rochester area are most likely to receive favorable consideration.

Ackerman Family Foundation Inc. received its principal endowment in fiscal year 2021, when it recorded $4,025,245 in contributions received — effectively its funding origin event. Prior to 2021, assets ranged from $467K to $604K, suggesting the foundation was operating on a modest scale. The 2021 contribution transformed it into a mid-sized private foundation with $4.49M in assets. Since then, growth has been driven by investment returns (dividends and asset sales) with no major new contributions, except $261,467 received in 2023. Total assets peaked at $5.41M in 2023 before declining to $4.58M in 2024. Charitable disbursements have been consistent: 2024 $157,898; 2023 $209,002; 2022 $37,272 (unusually low); 2021 $73,047; 2020 $139,425; 2019 $184,202; 2018 $87,674. The 5-year average (2019-2023) is approximately $128,569/year. In 2024, disbursements were $157,898 — representing 3.4% of total assets, slightly below the IRS-mandated 5% minimum, though prior year distributions and carryover provisions may account for this. The foundation receives essentially no contributions from outside donors in most years, confirming it operates as a pure endowment model funded by the founding Ackerman family.

Ackerman Family Foundation compares to peer New York family foundations of similar size in having low administrative costs and a family governance structure. The 2024 payout rate of approximately 3.4% of total assets is worth monitoring — the IRS requires private foundations to distribute at least 5% of investment assets annually, and failing to meet this threshold over multiple years can trigger excise taxes.

Ackerman Family Foundation remains active and in compliance with IRS reporting as of fiscal year 2024 (990-PF filed May 7, 2025). The foundation returned to profitability in 2024 with $426,516 in revenue and $169,500 in expenses (including $157,898 in charitable disbursements), generating $257,016 in net income. Total assets stand at $4,581,166 with minimal liabilities ($5,587) and net assets of $4,575,579 as of year-end 2024. The officer roster has been stable since 2022 with David P. Ackerman (President), Philip G. Ackerman (Treasurer), and Quinn E. Ackerman (Secretary) — all serving without compensation. Revenue sources in 2024 were: dividends $180,250 (42.3%) and asset sales $235,657 (55.3%), suggesting the foundation holds a diversified stock portfolio. No additional outside contributions were received in 2024, marking a return to the pure endowment model. The foundation has no published programmatic updates or public-facing grants database, consistent with its low-profile family foundation operating style.

Applying to Ackerman Family Foundation requires a direct, personal approach due to the absence of formal application processes, published guidelines, or a public website. Key recommendations: (1) Direct outreach only — contact the foundation at its registered address (1279 Pittsford Mendon Rd, Mendon, NY 14506) with a brief letter of inquiry addressed to David P. Ackerman (President). (2) Focus on Western New York — organizations serving Monroe County, the Greater Rochester region, or Mendon/Pittsford communities are most likely to align with the family's interests given their local address. (3) Be appropriately sized — with average annual disbursements of approximately $128K–$160K, individual grant requests in the range of $5,000–$50,000 are most realistic. (4) Broad philanthropic alignment — without a published mission, focus areas likely include education, community services, arts, or causes personal to the Ackerman family. Research any community connections the Ackerman family may have in the Rochester area. (5) No deadline or cycle — family foundations at this scale typically consider requests on a rolling basis; contact the foundation in Q1 or Q2 of the calendar year to align with annual giving cycles. (6) Keep it personal and concise — family foundations respond to compelling stories of community impact, not lengthy formal proposals.