Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc
The Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. In its 2024 filing, it reported grants to preselected charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in California.
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc gave $20K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), mostly in California. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,850
- +99.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +128.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,241
- -12.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $32,152
- -41.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (5 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (90% 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 Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1200 California Street 24B, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 567-9184
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco ($4K). Together the top 10 received $17K.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 61 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 10% to recipients in South Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 16 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $950; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 25% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−17%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 887% of 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 $10K (2023) to $24K (2021). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $20K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | General Support | $3,500 |
| Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| San Francisco Opera San Francisco, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| San Francisco Symphony San Francisco, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| St Joseph's Indian School Chamberlain, SD | General Support | $2,000 |
| CPMC Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| Glaucoma Research Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| San Francisco Ballet Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| San Francisco Jazz Organization San Francisco, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| Schools of Sacred Heart San Francisco, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
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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 | $32,152 | $2,419 | $25,584 | $19,850 | 16 | $19,850 | — | $2,238 |
| 2023 | $55,317 | $2,722 | $13,092 | $9,950 | 7 | $9,950 | $1,662 | $3,066 |
| 2022 | $65,687 | $954 | $20,775 | $17,200 | 12 | $17,200 | — | $3,897 |
| 2021 | $85,508 | $10 | $27,904 | $24,050 | 14 | $24,050 | — | $5,126 |
| 2020 | $113,402 | $354 | $23,413 | $18,350 | 12 | — | — | $6,361 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including cultural, educational, health-related, religious, and child-safety organizations. For example, the San Francisco Symphony says it seeks to inspire and serve audiences and communities through musical performance; the Glaucoma Research Foundation describes its mission as curing glaucoma and restoring vision through innovative research. Pierce’s Pledge says it works to keep children safe during custody disputes, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music says it educates talented musicians.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $19,850. Grants ranged from $200 to $3,500, with a median grant of $1,000.
Its largest reported grants included $3,500 to Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco; $2,000 each to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and St. Joseph’s Indian School; and $1,000 each to CPMC Foundation, Glaucoma Research Foundation, San Francisco Ballet Foundation, San Francisco Jazz Organization, Schools of the Sacred Heart, UCSF Foundation, and St. Ignatius Church. The listed grants were for general support. Other 2024 recipients included Pierce’s Pledge ($500) and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music ($250).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Cynthia Fried as president and director, Eliot Fried as CFO and director, and Sara Ehrlich as secretary and director.
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc is led by Cynthia Fried, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Cynthia Fried
President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eliot Fried
CFO & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sara Ehrlich
Secretary & 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 Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc
How much does Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc give each year?
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc gave $20K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $10K across 7 grants.
What is Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,241, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc that year got $950 on average.
Where does Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc give grants?
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was South Dakota (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (15 grants).
Does Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco ($3,500), Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco ($2,000) and San Francisco Opera ($2,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc?
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc reported $32K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $20K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including cultural, educational, health-related, religious, and child-safety organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's EIN?
Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3234971. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc 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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Figures come from Eliot and Cynthia Fried Foundation Inc'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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