The Grable Foundation

The Grable Foundation

The Grable Foundation was established in 1976 by Minnie K. Grable, widow of Errett M. Grable who founded Rubbermaid. Charles R. Burke, Jr., her grandson, serves as board chair while Jan Nicholson acts as president. The foundation maintains its headquarters in Pittsburgh and concentrates grantmaking on the surrounding region. The foundation deploys capital across private equity limited partnerships, secondaries, and public equities. Confirmed holdings include commitments to Mercer Private Investment Partners VI, Aberdeen US Private Equity II, Commonfund Capital Private Equity VI, and Park Street Capital VIII. It has also held positions in Verizon Communications, Nektar Therapeutics, and Ventas. Geographic reach centers on the United States with primary activity in Pennsylvania and secondary exposure through fund vehicles that operate globally. Assets total $273 million according to internal records, with an investment portfolio valued near $326 million. The foundation employs service providers including Sisterson & Company as auditor, Lowenstein Sandler for legal counsel, and Mercer as investment advisor. It participates in professional networks such as Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and Grantmakers for Education. In November 2025 the foundation spoke at The Global Impact Forum in Pittsburgh on workforce readiness and education innovation. Governance rests with family descendants who set mandate boundaries around Pittsburgh youth outcomes. This structure separates philanthropic distributions from investment management while preserving direct oversight by principals connected to the founding family. The model limits scope to one metropolitan region rather than pursuing national or international grant programs.