Carnegie Fund for Authors
Carnegie Fund for Authors is a private foundation based in Rockville Centre, New York. It provides emergency financial assistance to American authors who have published a commercially issued, full-length work and face urgent financial need.
Carnegie Fund for Authors at a glance
- Total assets
- $1,890,437
- +13.6% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $43,367
- -40.8% vs 2024
- Qualifying distributions (2025)
- $7,695
- -85.5% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $24,851
- -62.8% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Carnegie Fund for Authors
- How to Apply
-
The filing directs applicants to complete the foundation’s application and provide supporting documentation. The website instructs applicants who believe they qualify to register and then complete the online application. It says applications must include documentation of the emergency; applicants who do not provide documentation cannot be considered. The filing lists no award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Carnegie Fund For Authors
Mailing address: 66 West 94Th Street Apt 17F, New York, NY 10025
Phone: (917) 698-3388
Website: https://www.carnegiefundforauthors.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carnegie Fund for Authors funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 73 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Carnegie Fund for Authors gives
- Giving fell 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 9% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2020) to $68K (2022). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $40K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 10 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $39,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,890,437 | $43,367 | $24,851 | — | — | $7,695 | $30,005 | $85,470 |
| 2024 | $1,663,495 | $73,203 | $66,781 | $39,500 | 10 | $53,213 | $60,041 | $77,296 |
| 2023 | $1,473,590 | $37,376 | $74,355 | $54,500 | 15 | $63,064 | $26,344 | $67,145 |
| 2022 | $1,291,802 | $26,833 | $78,721 | $67,500 | 18 | $75,737 | $24,599 | $68,671 |
| 2021 | $1,615,109 | $36,635 | $79,941 | $65,550 | 30 | $73,230 | $34,315 | $75,466 |
| 2020 | $1,426,046 | $26,190 | $31,588 | $19,750 | 23 | — | $23,459 | $61,116 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carnegie Fund for Authors reported a distributable amount of $85K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s mission is to assist published authors in emergency financial need. Eligible applicants must be American authors with at least one full-length fiction or nonfiction work published by a mainstream publisher; a work the author paid to have published does not establish eligibility. The work may be in print or eBook format.
Applicants must document their emergency and need. Examples of acceptable supporting materials include a physician’s letter, redacted tax-return pages, or other relevant documentation. Applicants who received a fund grant within the past five calendar years cannot apply.
Grantmaking
The fund reported 10 grants totaling $39,500 in 2024, an average of $3,950 per grant. In 2023, it reported 15 grants totaling $54,500, an average of about $3,633 per grant. The 2025 filing reported no grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Barbara Magalnick, Fred Plotkin, and Daniel Roberts as trustees.
Carnegie Fund for Authors's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barbara Magalnick
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$2K (2020) → $2K (2025)
Daniel Roberts
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2021) → $2K (2025)
Fred Plotkin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$2K (2020) → $2K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Margaret L. Moser (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $2K, to Barbara Magalnick (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Carnegie Fund for Authors
How large is Carnegie Fund for Authors?
Carnegie Fund for Authors reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $85K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Carnegie Fund for Authors fund?
The fund’s mission is to assist published authors in emergency financial need. Eligible applicants must be American authors with at least one full-length fiction or nonfiction work published by a mainstream publisher; a work the author paid to have published does not establish eligibility. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carnegie Fund for Authors?
The filing directs applicants to complete the foundation’s application and provide supporting documentation. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carnegie Fund for Authors's EIN?
Carnegie Fund for Authors's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6084244. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Figures come from Carnegie Fund for Authors'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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