Anderson-Rogers Foundation Inc.

The Anderson-Rogers Foundation is a New York City-based family private foundation established in September 1990, now operating from Chelsea (327 W. 19th St., New York, NY 10011). It is governed entirely by the founding Anderson and Pope families: Sarah Anderson Pope serves as President and Treasurer, Porter W. Anderson Jr. as Vice President and Chairman of the Board, and Charles H. Rogers as Director — all uncompensated. Andrew Pope is the sole paid staff member, serving as Executive Director at $80,000 annually. This structure signals a lean, personally engaged operation where the leadership has direct knowledge of every grantee relationship and makes all funding decisions.

The foundation's giving philosophy is simultaneously broad and deeply personal. No single programmatic lens governs the portfolio: reproductive rights, environmental conservation, food security, classical music, civic engagement, and international humanitarian relief all coexist. This breadth reflects the passions of a founding family rather than a formal theory of change. Organizations should not expect impersonal programmatic priorities or a competitive RFP process — alignment with the demonstrated interests of the Anderson and Pope families is the single most important qualification.

Growth has been substantial. Assets have risen from $8.7M in 2012 to approximately $40.2M today, and annual grants paid have nearly tripled from $344,000 in 2014 to $1.3M in 2024. Despite this scale-up, the foundation has not added staff or formalized its process, which means it remains highly accessible through a single-step LOI.

First-time applicants should understand this funder rewards simplicity and mission alignment above all else. There is no invitation-only track — any eligible 501(c)(3) may submit an LOI by email. Organizations that are small, direct-service or advocacy-oriented, and addressing one of the foundation's established priority areas have the strongest chances. Repeat grantee rates are high (all top-50 grantees in the 990 data show multiple consecutive grant cycles), indicating that once funded, well-stewarded relationships generate consistent multi-year support. The path in is a crisp, well-targeted letter; the path to renewal is reliable reporting and demonstrated impact.

Based on 990 filings and grantee data covering approximately two grant cycles, the Anderson-Rogers Foundation paid $970,200 in grants in 2023, up from $934,250 in 2022 and $1,001,567 in 2021. The most recent available figure is $1,321,500 across 99 grants in 2024 — a 36% single-year jump and the foundation's largest grant year on record. Annual giving has grown from $344,000 in 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 11% over the decade.

Individual grant sizes range from $250 at the floor to $100,000 at the ceiling, with a median of $5,000 and an average of $11,006. The typical cluster falls between $5,000 and $30,000, with flagship multi-year relationships receiving $40,000-$50,000 per year. Top annual grants include: National Network of Abortion Funds ($50,000/yr), Planned Parenthood Federation of America ($50,000/yr), Whole Woman's Health Alliance ($50,000/yr), Women's Reproductive Rights Assistance Project ($50,000/yr), American Humanist Association ($40,000/yr), Collective Power for Reproductive Justice ($40,000/yr), Reproductive Health Access Project ($40,000/yr), and Wild Earth Guardians ($40,000/yr).

By program area, reproductive rights and abortion access dominates: approximately 55% of total grantmaking dollars, with 17 distinct organizations funded. Environmental protection and wildlife conservation accounts for approximately 20% of dollars, with 11 organizations funded across habitat restoration, endangered species, wildlife rehabilitation, and water quality. Food security and hunger relief accounts for approximately 7%, civic engagement and humanism approximately 6%, international humanitarian relief approximately 4%, education and social services approximately 4%, and arts and classical music approximately 3%.

Geographically, New York-based organizations receive 37% of grants (38 of 104 tracked grants), with Washington DC at 13% and California at 10%. However, the foundation funds organizations in at least 10 states and internationally (Cambodia, Ukraine, global humanitarian programs), and there is no geographic restriction. The geographic focus stated in IRS records — New York and California — reflects the concentration of grantmaking rather than a formal exclusion.

The following table compares Anderson-Rogers Foundation to four asset-similar environment-focused private foundations identified as peers:

Annual giving estimates for peers use the 5% minimum private foundation payout applied to assets; actual figures may vary.

Anderson-Rogers stands apart from its asset peers in two meaningful ways. First, its giving portfolio is dramatically broader than a pure environmental funder — reproductive rights alone accounts for more than half of its grantmaking, and arts, food security, and civic causes add further diversity. Environmental organizations competing for a piece of the Anderson-Rogers portfolio are therefore accessing a relatively contained ~20% allocation rather than the foundation's full grantmaking budget. Second, Anderson-Rogers operates one of the most accessible application processes in this peer set: its rolling, open LOI process with no deadline makes it available to first-time applicants without prior foundation relationships, whereas peers like Swift Foundation are invitation-only. For environmental organizations with a New York connection and modest budgets, Anderson-Rogers offers a realistic entry point that more closed peers do not.

No press releases, blog posts, leadership announcements, or new program launches were found in web research for 2025 or 2026. The Anderson-Rogers Foundation does not maintain social media accounts, publish annual reports, or issue press releases — a deliberate posture consistent with a private family foundation that prefers low public visibility.

The most significant development identifiable from financial and IRS data is a dramatic expansion of the asset base. The 2023 Form 990 reported total assets of $19.3M, but IRS Exempt Organization BMF records now reflect approximately $40.2M — a near-doubling that implies a major capital event (such as a large bequest, inheritance transfer, or exceptional investment performance) occurring in 2024 or early 2025. Net investment income in 2023 alone reached $4.9M against total revenue of $5.1M, suggesting the endowment is generating strong returns.

The 2024 grant cycle reflected this growth: $1,321,500 paid across 99 awards, up 36% from 2023's $970,200. No new program areas or grantee categories appear to have been introduced — the portfolio mix of reproductive rights, environment, food security, arts, and civic causes appears stable.

Leadership has been consistent since at least 2012. Andrew Pope has served as Executive Director throughout, with compensation rising from $22,500 in 2012 to $80,000 in 2023 — a sign of institutional maturity and continuity. The founding families remain fully in control of the board with no outside directors identified in public filings.

Lead with mission alignment, not organizational prestige. The Anderson-Rogers Foundation funds small, direct-service organizations across a defined set of causes — reproductive rights, environmental conservation, food security, classical music, civic engagement. If your work does not map clearly to one of these categories, do not apply. Unlike many foundations, this funder does not respond to broad appeals for general nonprofit capacity.

The LOI is the entire application — treat it as such. No more than two pages. Email to info@andersonrogersfoundation.org. Include: (a) a crisp statement of your mission and primary programs; (b) what you are requesting funding for — general operating support or a specific program — and the dollar amount; (c) why this work aligns with the foundation's stated priorities. Do not attach financials, annual reports, or supporting documents at the LOI stage.

Optimal timing: Submit anytime. The foundation accepts LOIs year-round with no formal deadline. However, given a 12-week response window (and no response means decline), submit at least four to five months before you need the funds. There is no benefit to waiting for a particular season.

Environmental organizations: Emphasize endangered species, wildlife rehabilitation, water quality, habitat restoration, or community-based conservation — the sub-areas consistently funded in the grantee record. Grants in this space range from $5,000 (Caretta Research Project, Friends of Bellport Bay) to $40,000/yr (Wild Earth Guardians). International conservation projects in Asia and elsewhere have been funded (Wild Earth Allies in Cambodia, Wildlife Alliance), so U.S.-only is not a requirement.

Reproductive rights organizations: This is the highest-probability category. Regional abortion funds, healthcare access organizations, medical training programs, and journalism covering reproductive health have all been funded. Organizations serving states with restrictive abortion laws appear to receive particular attention.

Avoid these pitfalls: Do not submit proposals for scholarships or support to individuals. Do not apply if you are a religious organization. Do not send a full proposal before receiving an invitation. Do not expect a rejection notice — silence after 12 weeks is the answer. Do not over-engineer your LOI with elaborate logic models, evaluation frameworks, or multi-year strategic plans; brevity and clarity are rewarded.

Relationship stewardship: The high repeat-grantee rate in 990 data indicates that once you are in, consistent, honest reporting is the path to renewal. Keep annual updates concise and outcome-focused.