The Rosewater Fund is a private foundation associated with the family of Philadelphia businessman Edward Rosewater that funds Jewish and left-of-center causes. Based in Philadelphia, the foundation was granted charitable status in November 1961. ¹

In its 2017 tax filing, the Rosewater Fund listed book-value assets of $2,784,019 and grants made of $163,750. ²

Grantmaking

Rosewater Fund gives primarily to organizations of interest to the Rosewater family.

The Fund has granted totals of over $240,000 to Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia; over $230,000 to Haverford College; over $120,000 to Wellesley College; over $60,000 to Oberlin College; over $30,000 to Randolph College, and over $20,000 to Randolph-Macon Women’s College.

Additionally, the Fund has gifted over $300,000 to the Jewish Funds for Justice which later became the left-wing Jewish social activism organization Bend the Arc. The Rosewater Fund also provided over $30,000 to left-wing environmentalist group EarthRights International. ³

People

Ann Rosewater

Ann Rosewater is a member of the Rosewater family and sits on the Rosewater Fund board. ⁴ She also sits on the board of Juvenile Law Center, a left-leaning advocacy group for youth involved with the criminal justice system and recipient of Rosewater Fund contributions. ⁵

Edward Rosewater

Edward Rosewater grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Haverford College, he was a leader in commercial real estate in the Philadelphia area. He was a former president of Congregation Rodeph Shalom. He passed away in 2004. ^{6 7}

1. “Rosewater Fund.” guidestar.org. Accessed January 28, 2020. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/23-6261858.  
2. Rosewater Fund, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part II Line 16 Column (b) and Part I Line 25
3. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted January 28, 2020.
4. Rosewater Fund, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part VIII Section 1
5. “Ann Rosewater.” Juvenile Law Center. Accessed January 28, 2020. https://jlc.org/board/ann-rosewater.
6. Perloff, Tom. “Edward Rosewater, President: 1959-1963””. Congregation Rodeph Shalom. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://rodephshalom.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/edward_rosewater_0.pdf
7. “Edward Rosewater”. Philadelphia Inquirer. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/inquirer/obituary.aspx?n=edward-rosewater&pid=1773744