Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 20-8113017

The Alson Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 2008. Also known as The Neil Barsky and Joan S Davidson Foundation, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN 20-8113017. The foundation makes general grants to nonprofit organizations across various sectors.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.1M

+0.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$155K

+5.9% YoY

Grant Count

-5.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

+12.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky reported a distributable amount of $104K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's grantmaking focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking, human services, arts, creative writing, journalism, and historic preservation. Recent grants demonstrate support for cultural institutions and educational organizations.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 28 grants in 2023. Recent grant recipients include:

Average Grant

amount and median grant amount not specified in available data. The foundation does not appear to have live grant opportunities listed.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $931K (79%)

District of Columbia $68K (6%)

California $57K (5%)

Florida $52K (4%)

Vermont $33K (3%)

Massachusetts $11K (1%)

Arizona $10K (1%)

New Jersey $6K (0%)

+5 more states

States

Arizona California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Illinois Louisiana Massachusetts New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Texas Vermont

Cities

BenningtonBerkeleyBostonBriarwoodBridgehamptonBronxBrooklynBurlingtonChicagoDelray BeachEast HamptonFrenchtownGreat BarringtonHigh BridgeKatonahLong Island CityMarfaMiamiMountainvilleNew Orleans

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total Assets: $2,089,612
Total Revenues: $867,985
Total Expenses: $156,335
Total Giving: $155,342

Revenue Composition (2023):

Investment income and dividends: $111,888
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $756,097

The foundation had zero employees as of 2023. Investment income increased significantly year-over-year, with dividend and investment income rising 152.1% from 2022 to 2023.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,097,257	$2,089,612	$1,460,821
Revenue	$182,962	$867,985	$37,494
Expenses	$176,553	$156,335	$329,734
Qualifying Distributions	$155,342	$146,735	$273,000
Net Investment Income	$179,546	$864,598	—
Distributable Amount	$104,247	$106,783	$137,673

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

127 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Studio Museum in Harlem ($70,000), The World Around ($25,000), Alliance of Families for Justice ($15,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR CHILDREN NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$1,000
J STREET EDUCATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL	$5,000
NEW YORK LIVE ARTS NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$7,500
NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$1,500
OSBORNE ASSOCIATION BRONX, NY	GENERAL	$2,500
STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$70,000
THE ABRAHAM INITIATIVES NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$10,000
THE MET CLOISTERS NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$210
THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL	$200
FUTURE NOW ACTION WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
NEIL BARSKY	OFFICER	1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky fund?

How do I apply for a grant from Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky?

The foundation made 28 grants in 2023. Recent grant recipients include: • Studio Museum in Harlem: $70,000 (2023) • Bennington College Corporation: $10,000 (2023) • The Center at West Park: $6,505 (2023) Typical grant awards range from $100 to $70,000, with an average grant amount and median grant amount not specified in available data. The foundation does not appear to have live grant opportunities listed.

Where does Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey.

What size grants does Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky award?

In 2024, Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky awarded 16 grants totaling $155K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky reported a distributable amount of $104K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky's EIN?

Alson Foundation Fka the Neil Barsky's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8113017. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.