Diamonds in the Rough Foundation
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado. In 2024, it made 34 grants totaling $128,593 to charitable organizations, with recipients including organizations in Colorado, New York, Nevada, and other states.
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation at a glance
In short: Diamonds in the Rough Foundation gave $129K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), top state Colorado. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $128,593
- -49.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- +126.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,782
- -77.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,030
- Total assets
- $1,096,592
- -4.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Colorado (46% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Diamonds in the Rough Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 460 Monroe Street, Denver, CO 80206
Phone: (303) 320-0220
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Diamonds in the Rough Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was JCC Denver ($25K). Together the top 10 received $95K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 79 grants of 82 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 46% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado, 20% to New York, 8% to Nevada, 7% to the District of Columbia, and 6% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Diamonds in the Rough Foundation gives
- 0% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 97% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 226% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $65K (2021) to $254K (2023). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $129K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JCC Denver Denver, CO | Charitable Support | $25,000 |
| Mizel Museum Denver, CO | Charitable Support | $15,000 |
| Jewish National Fund New York, NY | Charitable Support | $12,500 |
| Jewishexper Henderson, NV | Charitable Support | $10,000 |
| Fdn for Defense Washington, DC | Charitable Support | $7,500 |
| Teens for Food Justice New York, NY | Ensure universal equitable access to healthy, fresh, affordable food. | $5,181 |
| Usskiandsnowboard Park City, UT | Charitable Support | $5,069 |
| ADL New York, NY | The anti-defamation league helps those who are victims of hate speech | $5,000 |
| Denver Health Foundation Denver, CO | Help support denver health medical center and its mission to sustain and advance the health and well being of denver and the rocky mountain region. | $5,000 |
| Global Down Syndrome Foundation Denver, CO | The global down's syndrome foundation is dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with down syndrome through research, medical care, education and advocacy. | $5,000 |
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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 | $1,096,592 | $74,159 | $139,988 | $128,593 | 34 | $130,705 | $61,202 | $57,850 |
| 2023 | $1,148,164 | $101,369 | $263,453 | $254,074 | 15 | $254,074 | $59,990 | $55,594 |
| 2022 | $1,380,195 | $1,359,539 | $155,774 | $147,062 | 14 | $148,543 | $1,359,469 | $24,487 |
| 2021 | $178,798 | $39,690 | $74,967 | $65,180 | 6 | $65,180 | $29,980 | $2,718 |
| 2020 | $214,930 | $4,274 | $86,931 | $84,462 | 13 | — | — | $4,665 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Diamonds in the Rough Foundation reported a distributable amount of $58K 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 available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose work includes Jewish community and Israel-related causes, food access, health care, housing, and support for people with Down syndrome. For example, Teens for Food Justice describes its mission as building a food-secure future through school-based, youth-led hydroponic farming and providing produce to food desert communities. Mercy Housing describes its mission as developing and operating affordable, program-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $128,593. Grants ranged from $100 to $25,000, with a median grant of $1,030. Its largest awards included $25,000 to JCC Denver, $15,000 to Mizel Museum, $12,500 to Jewish National Fund, and $10,000 to JewishExper.
Other 2024 recipients included Teens for Food Justice ($5,181), Denver Health Foundation ($5,000), Global Down Syndrome Foundation ($5,000), Mercy Housing ($5,000), and National Jewish Health ($1,030). Global Down Syndrome Foundation describes its work as improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through research, medical care, education, and advocacy. National Jewish Health describes its mission as providing integrated care, researching cures, and educating health professionals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists MICHAEL R POLLAK as director.
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation is led by Michael R. Pollak, Director on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael R. Pollak
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 Diamonds in the Rough Foundation
How much does Diamonds in the Rough Foundation give each year?
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation gave $129K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $254K across 15 grants.
What is Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's typical grant size?
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,030, and its average grant was $3,782, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Diamonds in the Rough Foundation give grants?
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's top state is Colorado, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (20%) and Nevada (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (8 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Diamonds in the Rough Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Support" (29 grants).
Who are Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's largest grantees?
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include JCC Denver ($25,000), Mizel Museum ($15,000) and Jewish National Fund ($12,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Diamonds in the Rough Foundation?
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $131K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $58K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Diamonds in the Rough Foundation fund?
The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose work includes Jewish community and Israel-related causes, food access, health care, housing, and support for people with Down syndrome. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Diamonds in the Rough Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's EIN?
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1551428. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Diamonds in the Rough 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
Live grants for the work Diamonds in the Rough Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Diamonds in the Rough Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/diamonds-in-the-rough-foundation-morg_4bdbef5807d74b4889c22f91dfe31bdb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_841551428_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Diamonds in the Rough Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/diamonds-in-the-rough-foundation-morg_4bdbef5807d74b4889c22f91dfe31bdb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Diamonds in the Rough 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.
Diamonds in the Rough Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?