The Paul K. Richter Memorial Fund is a higher-education–focused private foundation that primarily funds merit- and research-oriented student support at selective colleges and research universities. Its giving centers on named Richter scholarships, fellowships, and undergraduate research/travel awards as well as graduate dissertation and doctoral support, especially in STEM and humanities research. Grants are concentrated among a small set of institutions across elite liberal arts colleges and major research universities, often supporting recurring, program-specific awards bearing the Richter name.
The Paul K Richter Memorial Fund’s giving is built around named Richter programs at selective colleges and research universities: Richter Scholar, Richter Fellowship, Richter Awards, and Richter doctoral and dissertation support. Recent grants show a consistent pattern of institution-based awards that fund student research, exploration, and advanced study rather than broad operating support. Wake Forest University received $315,000 in 2023 for the Richter Scholar Program, while Northwestern University received $300,000 in 2025 for Richter doctoral support. The fund also backs elite institutions with recurring awards that appear across multiple years. Reed Institute received $300,000 in 2023 and 2024 for Richter Scholars, and Occidental College received $300,000 in 2023 and $275,000 in 2024 for Richter research support. Claremont Graduate University, Pomona College, Yale University, California Institute of Technology, Knox College, Dartmouth College, and Southern Methodist University also appear in the recent-grants list with named Richter-related purposes. The picture that emerges is a private foundation centered on higher education, merit-based student support, and research development at a small set of colleges and universities.
A core theme is undergraduate research and exploration. Pomona College received $250,000 in 2023 for exploration research, followed by $250,000 in 2024 and $210,000 in 2025 for the same purpose, indicating repeated support for student-led inquiry. Graduate and doctoral support is another clear focus. Claremont Graduate University was awarded $300,000 in 2023 and $250,000 in 2024 for research and dissertation work, then $210,000 in 2025 for the same area. Northwestern University received $300,000 in 2025 and $250,000 in 2024 and 2023 for Richter doctoral support. The fund also supports STEM excellence. California Institute of Technology received $300,000 in 2024 and $250,000 in 2023 for excellence in STEM. These grants align with the foundation’s emphasis on research-oriented student support in higher education.
Typical grants are large: the p25 is $210,000, the median is $250,000, and the p75 is $293,750. The recent record also includes repeated awards to the same institutions across multiple years, including Reed Institute, Occidental College, Northwestern University, and Dartmouth College. That pattern points to ongoing program support rather than isolated one-time gifts. The fund is a private foundation, and it funds individuals as well as institutions, though the recent-grants list here shows institutional awards tied to named scholar, fellow, and research programs.
$2.9M
$58.6M
$6.4M
$3.6M
Most grants fall between $210K and $294K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$210K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$294K
About 9% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated, repeat funding: a relatively small number of mid-to-large grants directed to recurring program support at the same institutions (multiple multi-year gifts to core grantees rather than many one-off small grants).
Notable grantees: Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, Knox College, Reed Institute, Occidental College
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States, and the foundation gives most often in North Carolina. Recent grants also cluster in California, Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Named recipient cities include Winston-Salem, Pasadena, Galesburg, Los Angeles, Evanston, Claremont, Westfield, Hanover, and New Haven. Texas is present as well, with Southern Methodist University in Dallas appearing in the recent list.
Its recent grants center on Richter Scholar and Richter Fellowship programs, Richter Awards, Richter doctoral support, dissertation research, exploration research, and STEM excellence. The recurring program names show a focus on merit-based student support and research development at colleges and universities.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years in the recent-grants list, including Reed Institute, Occidental College, Northwestern University, and Dartmouth College. The repeated awards suggest ongoing program support rather than one-off grants.
Among recent grants, the p25 is $210,000, the median is $250,000, and the p75 is $293,750. Many awards fall near the $250,000 level, with some larger gifts above $300,000.
The fund supports both individuals and institutions. In the recent-grants data, the awards shown are to colleges and universities for named scholar, fellowship, doctoral, dissertation, and research programs.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KNOX COLLEGE | GALESBURG, IL | $661,000 | 2026 | RICHTER AWARDS |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $275,000 | 2026 | EXCELLENCE IN STEM |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $270,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $250,000 | 2026 | INTERNAL GRANTS FOR |
| POMONA COLLEGE | CLAREMONT, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | EXPLORATION RESEARCH |
| OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | SUPPORTS RICHTER RESEARCH |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $225,000 | 2026 | RICHTER SCHOLAR PROGRAM |
| CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY | CLAREMONT, CA | $225,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION |
| GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY | NEWBERG, OR | $210,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY | Dallas, TX | $200,000 | 2026 | RICHTER FELLOWSHIP |
| REED INSTITUTE | WESTFIELD, MA | $40,000 | 2026 | RICHTER SCHOLARS |
| KNOX COLLEGE | GALESBURG, IL | $300,000 | 2025 | RICHTER AWARDS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $300,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTS RICHTER DOCTORAL |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $261,000 | 2025 | INTERNAL GRANTS FOR |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | EXCELLENCE IN STEM |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $225,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $221,000 | 2025 | RICHTER SCHOLAR PROGRAM |
| CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY | CLAREMONT, CA | $210,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION |
| POMONA COLLEGE | CLAREMONT, CA | $210,000 | 2025 | EXPLORATION RESEARCH |
| OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTS RICHTER RESEARCH |
| REED INSTITUTE | WESTFIELD, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | RICHTER SCHOLARS |
| SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY | Dallas, TX | $185,000 | 2025 | RICHTER FELLOWSHIP |
| GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY | NEWBERG, OR | $62,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $300,000 | 2024 | EXCELLENCE IN STEM |
| REED INSTITUTE | WESTFIELD, MA | $300,000 | 2024 | RICHTER SCHOLARS |
| OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $275,000 | 2024 | SUPPORTS RICHTER RESEARCH |
| CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY | CLAREMONT, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | SUPPORTS RICHTER DOCTORAL |
| POMONA COLLEGE | CLAREMONT, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | EXPLORATION RESEARCH |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $250,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| KNOX COLLEGE | GALESBURG, IL | $210,000 | 2024 | RICHTER AWARDS |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $200,000 | 2024 | INTERNAL GRANTS FOR |
| SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY | Dallas, TX | $200,000 | 2024 | RICHTER FELLOWSHIP |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $200,000 | 2024 | RICHTER SCHOLAR PROGRAM |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $315,000 | 2023 | RICHTER SCHOLAR PROGRAM |
| REED INSTITUTE | WESTFIELD, MA | $300,000 | 2023 | RICHTER SCHOLARS |
| OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $300,000 | 2023 | SUPPORTS RICHTER RESEARCH |
| CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY | CLAREMONT, CA | $300,000 | 2023 | RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION |
| KNOX COLLEGE | GALESBURG, IL | $300,000 | 2023 | RICHTER AWARDS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $250,000 | 2023 | SUPPORTS RICHTER DOCTORAL |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $250,000 | 2023 | EXCELLENCE IN STEM |
| POMONA COLLEGE | CLAREMONT, CA | $250,000 | 2023 | EXPLORATION RESEARCH |
| SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY | Dallas, TX | $250,000 | 2023 | RICHTER FELLOWSHIP |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $250,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $200,000 | 2023 | INTERNAL GRANTS FOR |
KNOX COLLEGE
$661,000RICHTER AWARDS
YALE UNIVERSITY
$270,000SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$250,000INTERNAL GRANTS FOR
POMONA COLLEGE
$250,000EXPLORATION RESEARCH
SUPPORTS RICHTER RESEARCH
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
$225,000RICHTER SCHOLAR PROGRAM
CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
$225,000RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION
GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY
$210,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY
$200,000RICHTER FELLOWSHIP
REED INSTITUTE
$40,000RICHTER SCHOLARS
KNOX COLLEGE
$300,000RICHTER AWARDS
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$261,000INTERNAL GRANTS FOR
YALE UNIVERSITY
$225,000SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
$210,000RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION
POMONA COLLEGE
$210,000EXPLORATION RESEARCH
REED INSTITUTE
$200,000RICHTER SCHOLARS
GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY
$62,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
REED INSTITUTE
$300,000RICHTER SCHOLARS
CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
$250,000RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION
POMONA COLLEGE
$250,000EXPLORATION RESEARCH
YALE UNIVERSITY
$250,000SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
KNOX COLLEGE
$210,000RICHTER AWARDS
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$200,000INTERNAL GRANTS FOR
REED INSTITUTE
$300,000RICHTER SCHOLARS
CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
$300,000RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION
KNOX COLLEGE
$300,000RICHTER AWARDS
POMONA COLLEGE
$250,000EXPLORATION RESEARCH
YALE UNIVERSITY
$250,000SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$200,000INTERNAL GRANTS FOR