Elkes Foundation III
Elkes Foundation III is a private foundation based in New York, New York. In filing year 2025, it made 82 grants totaling $893,575 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in literacy, youth development, the arts, historic preservation, and environmental stewardship.
Elkes Foundation III at a glance
In short: Elkes Foundation III gave $894K across 82 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in New York. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $893,575
- -14.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 82
- +2.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,897
- -16.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,500
- Total assets
- $21,756,358
- +2.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (31 of 82, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (59% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Elkes Foundation III
- 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: C/O Bradley 55 W 39Th St 14Th Fl, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 764-0644
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Elkes Foundation III funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was James Beard Foundation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $417K.
Grant Size Distribution
375 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 354 grants of 375 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went primarily to organizations in New York, which received 59%. California and Connecticut each received 9%, New Hampshire received 8%, and Nevada received 4%. The listed grants also included recipients in Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 82 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Elkes Foundation III open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 31 of 82 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $424K (2019) to $1.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 82 grants totaling $894K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| James Beard Foundation New York, NY | Charitable | $100,000 |
| Strawton Studios Nyack, NY | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Grassroots Soccer Hanover, NH | Charitable | $45,000 |
| Read to Grow Branford, CT | Charitable | $40,000 |
| Bronx Lacrosse Purchase, NY | Charitable | $34,000 |
| Reach Out Read of Greater New York New York, NY | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Writing Downtown Las Vegas, NV | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Historic Hudson Valley Pocantico Hills, NY | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Marin Health Foundation Greenbrae, CA | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Jacob Burns Film Center Pleasantville, NY | Charitable | $27,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Elkes Foundation III?
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 | $21,756,358 | $1,300,762 | $1,312,441 | $893,575 | 82 | $893,575 | $1,131,384 | $1,038,577 |
| 2024 | $21,164,953 | $1,086,302 | $1,432,331 | $1,045,676 | 80 | $1,045,676 | $1,050,565 | $1,006,956 |
| 2023 | $20,262,600 | $1,431,240 | $1,251,206 | $969,955 | 55 | $969,955 | $1,356,256 | $947,787 |
| 2022 | $19,266,675 | $1,561,030 | $1,384,653 | $1,088,735 | 78 | $1,088,735 | $1,490,228 | $1,004,914 |
| 2021 | $22,879,326 | $1,270,492 | $1,282,626 | $1,024,775 | 80 | $1,024,775 | $1,196,089 | $1,087,104 |
| 2020 | $21,171,664 | $1,112,312 | $1,263,445 | $1,035,002 | 74 | — | $1,098,228 | $984,243 |
| 2019 | $22,631,442 | $1,853,327 | $678,357 | $424,100 | 28 | — | $1,181,077 | $1,042,542 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elkes Foundation III reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No formal mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. Read to Grow describes its work as promoting children’s language skills and literacy from birth and supporting families as children’s first teachers. Bronx Lacrosse describes its mission as improving educational opportunities and life outcomes for underserved middle and high school students in the Bronx through academic and sports-based youth development.
Other 2025 grantees include Historic Hudson Valley, whose stated mission is to celebrate and help preserve the Hudson Valley’s history, architecture, landscape, and material culture; Jacob Burns Film Center, which brings audiences, students, and filmmakers together to experience and learn about film; and Teatown Lake Reservation, which aims to inspire lifelong environmental stewardship.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 82 grants totaling $893,575. Grants ranged from $107 to $100,000, with a median grant of $5,500.
Among its largest grants were $100,000 to James Beard Foundation, $50,000 to Strawtown Studios, $45,000 to Grassroots Soccer, $40,000 to Read to Grow, and $34,000 to Bronx Lacrosse. It also awarded $30,000 each to Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, Writing Downtown, Historic Hudson Valley, and Marin Health Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Steven Elkes and Mitzi Elkes as trustees.
Elkes Foundation III's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mitzi Elkes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$67K (2019) → $73K (2025)
Steven Elkes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$67K (2019) → $73K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $73K, to Steven Elkes (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Elkes Foundation III
How much does Elkes Foundation III give each year?
Elkes Foundation III gave $894K across 82 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.0M across 80 grants.
What is Elkes Foundation III's typical grant size?
Elkes Foundation III's median grant in 2025 was $5,500, and its average grant was $10,897, across 82 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elkes Foundation III that year got $5K on average.
Where does Elkes Foundation III give grants?
Elkes Foundation III gives mostly in New York: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (9%) and Connecticut (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (14 grants), Mt Kisco, NY (5 grants), Pocantico Hills, NY (2 grants) and Las Vegas, NV (2 grants).
Does Elkes Foundation III give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 82 grants with a stated purpose on Elkes Foundation III's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (82 grants).
Who are Elkes Foundation III's largest grantees?
Elkes Foundation III's largest 2025 grantees include James Beard Foundation ($100,000), Strawton Studios ($50,000) and Grassroots Soccer ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Elkes Foundation III?
Elkes Foundation III reported $21.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $894K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (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 Elkes Foundation III fund?
No formal mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. Read to Grow describes its work as promoting children’s language skills and literacy from birth and supporting families as children’s first teachers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elkes Foundation III?
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 Elkes Foundation III's EIN?
Elkes Foundation III's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3897250. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Elkes Foundation III 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Elkes Foundation III's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
United Way Worldwide
Alexandria, VA
United Way Worldwide funds community programs focused on youth opportunity, health, financial security, education, and disaster relief, with 2024 grants made across multiple U.S. states and internationally. Its 209 reported grants ranged from $5,100 to $736,333, with a median of $22,675. It does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$68.0M
Grants
209
Total Given
$11.4M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Synchrony Foundation
Stamford, CT
In 2024, Synchrony Foundation supported charitable organizations across workforce development, education, financial assistance, and giving, with grants ranging from $150 to $2.6 million and a median of $10,000. Its largest shares of grant funding went to Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina, followed by the District of Columbia and New Jersey; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$72.3M
Grants
394
Total Given
$20.5M
The Yelp Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$6.2M
Grants
644
Total Given
$886K
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma
San Francisco, CA
The Federation funds Jewish life and identity, antisemitism response, crisis relief, human services, and justice and inclusion, with work in the Bay Area, Israel, and beyond. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,050 to $2,405,915, with a median of $22,750. It frequently issues requests for proposals and welcomes inquiries about new Bay Area programs; no current organization grant opportunities were listed.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Elkes Foundation III funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/elkes-foundation-iii-morg_6e5f3ea6b6574aefa7dbb9df770bd192
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_823897250_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Elkes Foundation III funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/elkes-foundation-iii-morg_6e5f3ea6b6574aefa7dbb9df770bd192},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Elkes Foundation III'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.
Elkes Foundation III down — hundreds of funders to go?