SOURCE OF WEALTH: Rotella Capital Management
FUNDING AREAS: Policy, Environment
OVERVIEW: Robert and Rosemarie Rotella move their philanthropy through the Robert P. Rotella Foundation, which according to available tax filings, awarded around $585,000 in grants in 2017. The foundation’s grantmaking focuses on policy and environmental organizations.
BACKGROUND: Robert P. Rotella graduated with a B.S. in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1978 and an MBA from Temple University in 1980. He began his trading career in 1982 and started writing computer programs and trading independently in 1985. He began trading the Polaris program in 1990 with Commodities Corporation, arguably one of the most successful incubators of traders. In 1994 he moved to Singapore and worked as a senior trader for Commodities Corp. and Orix Corp. He launched Rotella Capital in 1995. His 1992 book, The Elements of Successful Trading, identified three critical elements to trading—Method, Money Management, and Psychology.
ISSUES:
POLICY: The Rotella Foundation gives to a long list of policy organizations, particularly those of the right-of-center variety. Grantees have included Atlas Economic Research Foundation, whose goal is to promote free-market economic policies across the world; Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty; Cato Institute; Competitive Enterprise Institute; Center for Individual Rights; FIRE; National Health Freedom Coalition; and Just Facts, “a non-profit research and educational institute dedicated to publishing comprehensive, straightforward, and rigorously documented facts about public policy issues.”
The Rotellas have supported unconventional organizations such as the Association for Research and Enlightenment, which aims to “create opportunities for profound personal change in body, mind, and spirit through the wisdom found in the Edgar Cayce material;” and The Exopolitics Institute, which offers a number of educational programs evidence concerning the extraterrestrial hypothesis.
ENVIRONMENT: The Rotellas support a sizable list of environmental organizations through their foundation. Grantees have included Bat Conservation International, Conservation International, Food Democracy Now, Earthworks, Rainforest Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Network, Nature Conservancy, and Washington Trails Association
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the couple’s support of policy and environmental organizations to continue.
CONTACT:
The Robert P. Rotella Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:
The Robert P. Rotella Foundation
800 Bellevue Way NE, Suite 200
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 213-5700
