Adelson Family Foundation
The Adelson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Needham, Massachusetts. Established in 2007 by Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson, it supports charitable organizations located primarily in Israel and the United States, with the stated purpose of strengthening the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
Adelson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Adelson Family Foundation gave $66.9M across 55 grants in 2024 (avg $1.2M), mostly in New York. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $66,861,072
- +52.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- +7.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,215,656
- +41.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $21,016,741
- +2727.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (18 of 55, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (62% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Adelson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website says it is not accepting unsolicited proposals. Its guidelines describe eligible recipients as public charities or certain other qualified nonprofit organizations and state that it generally does not fund capital projects or endowments.
- Contact
Mailing address: 300 First Ave, Needham, MA 02494
Phone: (781) 972-5950
Website: https://adelsonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Adelson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Friends of Ariel University ($10.8M). Together the top 10 received $57.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
312 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 312 (35%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports organizations located primarily in Israel and the United States. In 2024, 62% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 17% to Nevada, 8% to California, 2% to Massachusetts, and 6% to recipients whose state was unspecified in the filing data.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Adelson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 55 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $640K; repeat grants $1.5M. How we count
Medians: $75K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $43.8M (2023) to $98.7M (2020). In 2024 it made 55 grants totaling $66.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Friends of Ariel University Brooklyn, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $10,850,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $9,000,000 |
| Friends of Sourasky TEL Aviv Medical Center New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $5,666,667 |
| Maccabee Task Force Foundation Las Vegas, NV | General Charitable Purposes | $5,601,557 |
| Jewish Agency for Israel N American Council New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $5,500,000 |
| Israeli American Council Woodland Hills, CA | General Charitable Purposes | $5,000,000 |
| Adelson Educational Institute Las Vegas, NV | General Charitable Purposes | $4,900,000 |
| Hashomer Hachadash | General Charitable Purposes | $4,000,000 |
| PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $3,830,000 |
| The Tikvah Fund New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $3,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $21,016,741 | $87,963,664 | $67,690,290 | $66,861,072 | 55 | $66,927,152 | $618,493 | $710,415 |
| 2023 | $743,367 | $45,022,474 | $44,514,097 | $43,806,189 | 51 | $43,806,189 | $20,018 | $46,598 |
| 2022 | $234,990 | $39,973,149 | $45,364,573 | $44,697,169 | 44 | $45,363,584 | $15,761 | $63,330 |
| 2021 | $5,626,414 | $49,822,227 | $79,595,546 | $78,938,686 | 81 | $79,594,215 | — | $373,401 |
| 2020 | $35,399,733 | $134,306,656 | $99,429,031 | $98,749,039 | 81 | — | — | $276,124 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Adelson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $710K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Its programmatic categories are Holocaust and Anti-Semitism Awareness, Israel Advocacy, Israel Programs, Jewish and Zionist Identity & Education, Social Services and Health, and Welfare.
The foundation supports public charities and certain other qualified nonprofit organizations. Its guidelines say it generally does not contribute to capital projects or provide endowment funding. Examples of grantees’ work include university support, research and scholarships, as described by American Friends of Ariel University; educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults, as described by Birthright Israel Foundation; and campus programs addressing antisemitism and the BDS movement, as described by Maccabee Task Force Foundation. Other grantees describe work including health and emergency medical services in Israel, as well as support for organizations in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 55 grants totaling $66,861,072. Grant amounts ranged from $6,753 to $10,850,000, with a median of $100,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $10,850,000 to American Friends of Ariel University, $9,000,000 to Birthright Israel Foundation, $5,666,667 to Friends of Sourasky Tel Aviv Medical Center, $5,601,557 to Maccabee Task Force Foundation, and $5,500,000 to Jewish Agency for Israel N American Council. Each was reported for general charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Dr. Miriam Adelson as trustee and Michael Bohnen as president. The foundation’s leadership page identifies Sheldon G. Adelson, who died on January 11, 2021, as a founding trustee.
Adelson Family Foundation is led by Michael Bohnen, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Bohnen
President
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Miriam Adelson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sheldon G. Adelson Dec (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Adelson Family Foundation
How much does Adelson Family Foundation give each year?
Adelson Family Foundation gave $66.9M across 55 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $43.8M across 51 grants.
What is Adelson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Adelson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $1,215,656, across 55 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Adelson Family Foundation that year got $640K on average.
Where does Adelson Family Foundation give grants?
Adelson Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Nevada (17%) and California (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (16 grants), Las Vegas, NV (9 grants), Brooklyn, NY (2 grants) and Beverly Hills, CA (2 grants).
Does Adelson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Adelson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (54 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Adelson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Adelson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Friends of Ariel University ($10,850,000), Birthright Israel Foundation ($9,000,000) and Friends of Sourasky TEL Aviv Medical Center ($5,666,667), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Adelson Family Foundation?
Adelson Family Foundation reported $21.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $66.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $710K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Adelson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Its programmatic categories are Holocaust and Anti-Semitism Awareness, Israel Advocacy, Israel Programs, Jewish and Zionist Identity & Education, Social Services and Health, and Welfare. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Adelson Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Adelson Family Foundation's EIN?
Adelson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-7024330. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Adelson Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Adelson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/adelson-family-foundation-morg_20d6bcd1f82a401d81dd6213d941f25a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_047024330_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Adelson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/adelson-family-foundation-morg_20d6bcd1f82a401d81dd6213d941f25a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Adelson Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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