Claws Foundation
Claws Foundation is a private foundation based in Reston, Virginia. It supports charitable causes locally, nationally, and internationally, with stated areas of interest that include health care, medical research and innovation, social services, humanitarian relief, and fine and performing arts.
Claws Foundation at a glance
In short: Claws Foundation gave $18.5M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $842K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $18,517,065
- -38.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +4.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $841,685
- -41.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $175,000
- Total assets
- $6,175,094
- -74.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (6 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (63% 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 Claws Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Organizations may send an initial inquiry; its website recommends including the materials described above. The 2024 filing states that no form or materials are prescribed and that awards are limited to recognized Section 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
- Review Cycle
- None; the foundation says it accepts grant requests throughout the year.
- Deadline
- None; the foundation says it accepts grant requests throughout the year.
- Contact
Application contact: Sterling Foundation Management Llc
Mailing address: 12030 Sunrise Valley Dr Ste 450, Reston, VA 20191
Phone: (703) 437-9720
Website: https://clawsfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Claws Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ($5.0M). Together the top 10 received $17.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
125 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 27 grants of 125 (22%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its support as local, national, and international. In 2024, 63% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 26% to New York, 4% to Massachusetts, 3% to Kentucky, and 1% to Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Claws Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 22 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $89K; repeat grants $1.1M. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $675K repeat.
- 59% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 59% from 2021 to 2024. 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 $18.5M (2024) to $45.4M (2021). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $18.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $5,000,000 |
| Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $3,000,000 |
| DIA Art Foundation Beacon, NY | General Support | $2,534,565 |
| Women in Need Inc New York, NY | General Support | $2,025,000 |
| Alliance for Decision Education Bala Cynwyd, PA | General Support | $1,500,000 |
| Calder Gardens Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Refuge Point Cambridge, MA | General Support | $750,000 |
| Fidelity Charitable Covington, KY | General Support | $600,000 |
| Hirshhorn Museum Washington, DC | General Support | $250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Claws Foundation?
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 | $6,175,094 | $376,718 | $18,769,673 | $18,517,065 | 22 | $18,532,939 | $328,824 | $830,934 |
| 2023 | $24,568,049 | $44,818,209 | $30,152,547 | $30,145,000 | 21 | $30,145,000 | $16,901,209 | $91,823 |
| 2022 | $9,902,387 | $10,612,124 | $37,764,971 | $37,601,000 | 23 | $37,601,000 | $10,390,831 | $1,264,662 |
| 2021 | $37,055,234 | $1,734,426 | $45,566,355 | $45,397,500 | 21 | $45,397,500 | $1,565,571 | $2,789,231 |
| 2020 | $80,887,163 | $109,729,050 | $36,310,896 | $36,310,896 | 38 | — | $262,265 | $639,063 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Claws Foundation reported a distributable amount of $831K for 2024 — 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 foundation’s stated areas of interest include health care, particularly for children and underserved communities; medical research and innovation; social services for people with disabilities, low-income individuals and families, and people affected by homelessness or human trafficking; humanitarian relief for refugees and people affected by disasters and emergencies; and fine and performing arts.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate this range. Friends of FACES describes its mission as supporting research and education on epilepsy and advancing treatments and care for people living with epilepsy. Women in Need (WIN) says it focuses on families with children and breaking the cycle of homelessness. The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Dia Art Foundation are among the arts organizations that received grants in 2024.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $18,517,065. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $5,000,000, with a median grant of $175,000. The largest grants included $5,000,000 to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, $3,000,000 to Thomas Jefferson University, $2,534,565 to Dia Art Foundation, $2,025,000 to Women in Need, and $1,500,000 to Alliance for Decision Education. Each was reported for general support.
The foundation says it accepts grant requests throughout the year but does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Organizations may send an initial inquiry. Its website recommends that a request include a contact, a project summary and objectives, a project budget and requested amount, and proof of Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The foundation’s 2024 filing states that no form or materials are prescribed and that awards are restricted to recognized Section 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alan P. Dye and Arthur Dantchik as directors.
Claws Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alan P. Dye
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arthur Dantchik
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jeff Yass (2020–2022) — Director
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 Claws Foundation
How much does Claws Foundation give each year?
Claws Foundation gave $18.5M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $30.1M across 21 grants.
What is Claws Foundation's typical grant size?
Claws Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $175,000, and its average grant was $841,685, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Claws Foundation that year got $89K on average.
Where does Claws Foundation give grants?
Claws Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (26%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Philadelphia, PA (5 grants) and Reston, VA (2 grants).
Does Claws Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Claws Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Claws Foundation's largest grantees?
Claws Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ($5,000,000), Thomas Jefferson University ($3,000,000) and DIA Art Foundation ($2,534,565), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Claws Foundation?
Claws Foundation reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $831K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Claws Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated areas of interest include health care, particularly for children and underserved communities; medical research and innovation; social services for people with disabilities, low-income individuals and families, and people affected by homelessness or human trafficking; humanitarian relief for refugees and people affected by disasters and emergencies; and fine and performing arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Claws Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Claws Foundation's EIN?
Claws Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1658710. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Claws 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 September 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). Claws Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/claws-foundation-morg_9112e461c5cf41e188faf94c27b9dbca
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201658710_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Claws Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/claws-foundation-morg_9112e461c5cf41e188faf94c27b9dbca},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Claws 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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