The Rowe Family Foundation concentrates a small number of large, unrestricted gifts to institutions focused on biomedical aging research and Catholic higher education, with additional support for urban community services. Their giving favors well-established organizations and appears driven by institutional relationships—most notably a multi-year commitment to the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Grants are typically general operating support rather than project-restricted funding.
A defining feature of the Rowe Family Foundation is its repeated commitment of $500,000 grants to the Buck Institute for Research on Aging across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including a 2025 award specifically for doctoral training. That pattern sits alongside major support for Catholic higher education in Buffalo, where Canisius College received $700,000 in 2023 and Canisius University of Buffalo New York received $300,000 in 2025. The foundation’s recent giving also reaches into New York City institutions and select medical research settings, with awards to organizations such as the YMCA Greater New York, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. The profile that emerges is of a donor making a relatively small number of large grants, often unrestricted, to established institutions with long operating histories. Its grantmaking connects aging research, Jesuit/Catholic higher education, and New York community and academic organizations, with several awards tied to general support rather than narrow project funding. Recipients range from research institutes and universities to cultural and youth-serving nonprofits.
Biomedical aging research is one of the clearest areas of support: the foundation gave $500,000 in 2025 to the Buck Institute for Research on Aging to support doctoral training, after giving the same organization $500,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for general and unrestricted support. In higher education, it backed Canisius University of Buffalo New York with $300,000 in 2025 and Canisius College with $700,000 in 2023, both as general and unrestricted gifts. Medical research appears in several forms, including $150,000 in 2025 to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for a Parkinson’s disease fellowship under Doctor Bressman and $100,000 in 2025 to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for a urology research program. The foundation also supported Columbia University’s Department of Health Policy and Management with $50,000 in 2024 and another $50,000 in 2025.
Typical grant size is tightly clustered: the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are $50,000, $50,000, and $100,000. The recent record shows a mix of one-off awards and repeated support to the same institutions over multiple years, especially the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Canisius, Columbia University, and New York Yacht Club Foundation. Grants are often structured as general and unrestricted support, with some designated research, fellowship, scholarship, and charitable-event awards. The foundation funds individuals as well as institutions, and it does not make program-related investments.
$1.6M
$35M
$2.6M
$1.8M
Most grants fall between $50K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Highly concentrated giving: few, large grants with repeat funding to select core grantees; predominantly unrestricted general support rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Canisius College (Buffalo), Young Men's Christian Association of Greater New York (YMCA)
Grantmaking is national, and every recent grant in the dataset went to a U.S. recipient. New York is the top recipient state by grant count, with awards landing in New York City, Buffalo, and several other New York institutions. Other recipient hubs include Boston, Washington, DC, and Stanford, CA, with additional grants to Novato, CA; Brunswick, ME; Andover, NH; Belmont, MA; and Ann Arbor, MI. The foundation gives nothing to recipients in Delaware.
It supports established institutions in biomedical aging research, Jesuit/Catholic higher education, and New York City community and academic organizations. Recent grants include repeated support for the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Canisius College and Canisius University of Buffalo New York, and several New York-based nonprofits and universities.
The grant-size distribution is clustered around larger awards: the 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000. Recent grants also include several much larger awards, such as $700,000 and $550,000.
Yes. The Buck Institute for Research on Aging received $500,000 in 2023, $500,000 in 2024, and $500,000 in 2025. Columbia University, Urban Institute, Harvard Medical School, Stanford University, Museum of the City of New York, New York Yacht Club Foundation, and Student Sponsor Partnership also appear more than once.
The foundation gives nationally, but New York is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include New York City and Buffalo in New York, along with Boston, Washington, DC, Novato, Stanford, Brunswick, Andover, Belmont, and Ann Arbor.
Often, yes. Many recent awards are labeled general and unrestricted, including grants to Canisius College, the YMCA Greater New York, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Student Sponsor Partnership, Museum of the City of New York, Urban Institute, Harvard Medical School, and New York Yacht Club Foundation.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | For the benefit of the Department of Health Policy in the School of Medicine |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2026 | Rowe Family Fellowship fund in Movement Disorders |
| CARROLL SCHOOL CORP | WAYLAND, MA | $150,000 | 2026 | For the support of the Carroll/ Public School Partnership Program |
| MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $105,000 | 2026 | For the support of the Lenape exhibit |
| THE CARPENTERS BOAT SHOP | PEMAQUID, ME | $100,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEW YORK YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2026 | Bladder Cancer Research Program Fund |
| URBAN INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | annual fund |
| LINCOLN CENTER THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $96,388 | 2026 | Kent Island Postdoctoral Scholar program |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $83,000 | 2026 | For the benefit of the Linda P Fried Scholarship Fund at the Mailman School of Public Health |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | Annual fund |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | For the benefit of the Stanford Center on Longevity |
| NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | For support of the Gala event |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | For the benefit of the Research Support Fund of the Department of Health Policy and Management in the Mailman School |
| UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $40,000 | 2026 | George Eastman Circle Scholarship funds- Warner School of Education and Human Development |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | In support of early childhood development programs |
| BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING | NOVATO, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | To support doctoral training |
| CANISIUS UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO NEW YORK | BUFFALO, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | Support for Fellowship in Parkinson's Disease under the direction of Doctor Bressman in the Department of Neurology |
| MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | to support the research program of Doctor Boris Gershman in the Department of Urology |
| NEW YORK YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| STUDENT SPONSOR PARTNERSHIP INC | NEW YORK, NY | $80,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | For the benefit of the Research Support Fund of the Department of Health Policy and Management of the Mailman School of Public Health |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $50,000 | 2025 | Kent Island Postdoctoral Scholar program |
| LINCOLN CENTER THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE CARPENTERS BOAT SHOP | PEMAQUID, ME | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | For the benefit of the Stanford Center on Longevity |
| PROCTOR ACADEMY | ANDOVER, NH | $40,000 | 2025 | Hart Nibbrig Learning Skills Endowed Scholarship fund and Annual Fund |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | To support early childhood development programs |
| YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW YO | NEW YORK, NY | $550,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING | NOVATO, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| STUDENT SPONSOR PARTNERSHIP INC | NEW YORK, NY | $135,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $100,000 | 2024 | Kent Island Postdoctoral Scholar program |
| NEW YORK YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | Centennial Fund |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | Charitable Event |
| PROCTOR ACADEMY | ANDOVER, NH | $50,000 | 2024 | Learning Skills Endowed Scholarship Fund |
| LINCOLN CENTER THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | Charitable Event |
| URBAN INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | Research Support Fund of the Department of Health Policy and Management of the Mailman School of Public Health |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | Annual support for Board of Fellows |
| THE CARPENTERS BOAT SHOP | PEMAQUID, ME | $50,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | Support "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery" exhibit |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2024 | Harvard Kennedy School Project on American Indian Economic Development |
| CANISIUS COLLEGE | BUFFALO, NY | $700,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING | NOVATO, CA | $500,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| VIVIAN BEAUMONT THEATER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| GENERATIONS UNITED INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$250,000For the benefit of the Department of Health Policy in the School of Medicine
Rowe Family Fellowship fund in Movement Disorders
CARROLL SCHOOL CORP
$150,000For the support of the Carroll/ Public School Partnership Program
THE CARPENTERS BOAT SHOP
$100,000General & Unrestricted
General & Unrestricted
LINCOLN CENTER THEATER
$100,000General & Unrestricted
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$83,000For the benefit of the Linda P Fried Scholarship Fund at the Mailman School of Public Health
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
$50,000Annual fund
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$50,000For the benefit of the Stanford Center on Longevity
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$50,000For the benefit of the Research Support Fund of the Department of Health Policy and Management in the Mailman School
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
$40,000George Eastman Circle Scholarship funds- Warner School of Education and Human Development
In support of early childhood development programs
Support for Fellowship in Parkinson's Disease under the direction of Doctor Bressman in the Department of Neurology
BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER INC
$100,000to support the research program of Doctor Boris Gershman in the Department of Urology
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$50,000For the benefit of the Research Support Fund of the Department of Health Policy and Management of the Mailman School of Public Health
LINCOLN CENTER THEATER
$50,000General & Unrestricted
THE CARPENTERS BOAT SHOP
$50,000General & Unrestricted
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$50,000For the benefit of the Stanford Center on Longevity
PROCTOR ACADEMY
$40,000Hart Nibbrig Learning Skills Endowed Scholarship fund and Annual Fund
To support early childhood development programs
STUDENT SPONSOR PARTNERSHIP INC
$135,000General & Unrestricted
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$100,000Charitable Event
PROCTOR ACADEMY
$50,000Learning Skills Endowed Scholarship Fund
LINCOLN CENTER THEATER
$50,000Charitable Event
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$50,000Research Support Fund of the Department of Health Policy and Management of the Mailman School of Public Health
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
$50,000Annual support for Board of Fellows
THE CARPENTERS BOAT SHOP
$50,000General & Unrestricted
Support "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery" exhibit
Harvard Kennedy School Project on American Indian Economic Development
VIVIAN BEAUMONT THEATER INC
$150,000General & Unrestricted