Adelson Family Foundation
The Adelson Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2007 by Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson. Based in Needham, Massachusetts, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since February 2010.
Key facts about Adelson Family Foundation
- EIN
- 04-7024330
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $66,861,072
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- Average grant
- $1,215,656
- Median grant
- $100,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (18 of 55, 2024)
- Total assets
- $21,016,741
- Primary geography
- New York (62% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- All inquiries should be addressed to questions@adelsonfoundation.org. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Adelson Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Adelson Family Foundation's 55 itemized 2024 grants were New York (62%), 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). 98% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
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 IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Adelson Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Adelson Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$21.0M
+2727.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$66.9M
+52.6% YoY
Grant Count
55
+7.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.2M
+41.5% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The primary purpose of the foundation is to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The foundation focuses on the following categories:
- Healthcare
- Holocaust and Anti-Semitism awareness
- Israel Advocacy and defense
- Israel studies
- Jewish and Zionist identity and education
- Media and culture
- Welfare
Grantmaking
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Adelson Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on New York, Nevada, and Massachusetts, with significant international focus on Israel.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 55 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 (Most Recent):
- Total Assets: $21,016,741
- Total Revenue: $87,963,664
- Total Expenses: $67,690,290
- Total Giving: $66,861,072
2023:
- Total Assets: $743,367
- Total Revenue: $45,022,474
- Total Expenses: $44,514,097
2022:
- Total Assets: $5,626,414
- Total Revenue: $39,973,149
- Total Expenses: $45,364,573
The foundation maintains zero liabilities and operates with zero employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,016,741 | $743,367 | $234,990 |
| Revenue | $87,963,664 | $45,022,474 | $39,973,149 |
| Expenses | $67,690,290 | $44,514,097 | $45,364,573 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $66,927,152 | $43,806,189 | $45,363,584 |
| Net Investment Income | $618,493 | $20,018 | $15,761 |
| Distributable Amount | $710,415 | $46,598 | $63,330 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
312 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include American Friends of Ariel University ($10,850,000), Birthright Israel Foundation ($9,000,000), Friends of Sourasky Tel Aviv Medical Center ($5,666,667).
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Michael Bohnen is listed as President.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Miriam Adelson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Michael Bohnen | President | 30 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Adelson Family Foundation made a close to eight-figure donation to Bar-Ilan University to establish the Adelson Institute for Smart Materials. The foundation also awarded $4.5 million to the Shalem Center in Jerusalem. Additionally, the foundation supports the Adelson Scholarship through the Public Education Foundation, helping local students.
Adelson family makes \u2018close to an eight-figure\u2019 donation to Bar-Ilan\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Adelson Family Foundation fund?
The primary purpose of the foundation is to strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people. The foundation focuses on the following categories: • Healthcare • Holocaust and Anti-Semitism awareness • Israel Advocacy and defense • Israel studies • Jewish and Zionist identity and education • Media and culture • Welfare
How do I apply for a grant from Adelson Family Foundation?
All inquiries should be addressed to questions@adelsonfoundation.org. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Adelson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on New York, Nevada, and Massachusetts, with significant international focus on Israel.
What size grants does Adelson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Adelson Family Foundation awarded 55 grants totaling $66.9M — an average of about $1.2M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Adelson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Adelson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $710K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.