Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation
The Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation is a private foundation based in Corona del Mar, California. In 2025, it reported 22 grants totaling $2,301,056, including support for schools, congregations, and other charitable organizations.
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation at a glance
In short: Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation gave $2.3M across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $105K), mostly in California. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,301,056
- -13.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $104,593
- -21.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $37,800
- Total assets
- $1,854,060
- +69.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (7 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (81% 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 Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1111 Bayside Dr Suite 150, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Phone: (949) 209-7382
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Tarbut Vtorah Community Day School ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 55 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 11% to Illinois, 3% to Maryland, 2% to Missouri, and 2% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 22 grantees (32%) 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 $30K; repeat grants $140K. How we count
Medians: $28K first-time, $41K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2023–2025). 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2025) to $3.5M (2023). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tarbut Vtorah Community Day School Irvine, CA | Donation | $1,000,000 |
| USC for University Gift Advancement Los Angles, CA | Donation | $308,000 |
| Together with Israel Northbrook, IL | Donation | $250,000 |
| Chabad of North Irvine Irvine, CA | Donation | $136,764 |
| Congregation of Adat Yeshrun La Jolla, CA | Donation | $90,851 |
| Chabad Student Center Orange, CA | Donation | $72,000 |
| Beth Jacob Congregation of Irvine Irvine, CA | Donation | $72,000 |
| Wow Inc Baltimore, MD | Donation | $57,800 |
| H F Epstein Hebrew Academy Saint Louis, MO | Donation | $50,000 |
| Chabad of Irvine Irvine, CA | Donation | $41,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,854,060 | $3,332,566 | $2,573,594 | $2,301,056 | 22 | $2,557,715 | $66,559 |
| 2024 | $1,095,088 | $2,022,560 | $2,939,107 | $2,664,725 | 20 | $2,939,107 | $28,522 |
| 2023 | $2,036,011 | $5,560,900 | $3,549,265 | $3,496,090 | 13 | $3,549,265 | $35,817 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $67K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for Jewish schools and congregations, as well as other organizations. For example, Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School describes itself as “an inclusive Jewish school of inquiry and innovation” where academics are important and character is paramount. Irvine Hebrew Day School says its curriculum combines general and Judaic studies, including Hebrew, Jewish history, values, Torah, and prayer.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $2,301,056. Grant amounts ranged from $3,600 to $1,000,000, with a median of $37,800.
The largest reported grants included $1,000,000 to Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School in Irvine, California; $308,000 to USC for University Gift Advancement; $250,000 to Together With Israel; $136,764 to Chabad of North Irvine; and $90,851 to Congregation of Adat Yeshurun.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sheila Samson as president/director, Franki Cohen as secretary/director, and Steven Cohen as treasurer/director.
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation is led by Sheila Samson, President & Director on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sheila Samson
President & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Franki Cohen
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Steven Cohen
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation
How much does Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation give each year?
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation gave $2.3M across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.7M across 20 grants.
What is Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's typical grant size?
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $37,800, and its average grant was $104,593, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation that year got $30K on average.
Where does Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation give grants?
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation gives mostly in California: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Irvine, CA (5 grants) and Los Angles, CA (3 grants).
Does Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (22 grants).
Who are Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's largest grantees?
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Tarbut Vtorah Community Day School ($1,000,000), USC for University Gift Advancement ($308,000) and Together with Israel ($250,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation?
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $67K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for Jewish schools and congregations, as well as other organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation?
The foundation 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 Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's EIN?
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-5193506. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Eric and Sheila Samson 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Rochwarger Family Foundation
Teaneck, NJ
Assets
$360K
Grants
7
Total Given
$20K
Astar Foundation Inc
Lawrence, NY
Assets
$921K
Grants
95
Total Given
$174K
The Schoor Family Foundation
Brooklyn, NY
The Schoor Family Foundation supports charitable organizations with varied social, educational, health, and religious purposes, including organizations serving Israel. In 2024, it awarded 25 grants totaling $94,836, ranging from $68 to $36,000, with a median grant of $1,000; most funding went to recipients in New Jersey and New York. It contributes only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
25
Total Given
$95K
Barbara Lehmann Siegel Charitable
Bethesda, MD
Assets
$3K
Grants
26
Total Given
$35K
The Mindel Foundation
Flushing, NY
The Mindel Foundation supports religious and educational organizations, primarily in New York, with some grants in New Jersey and Florida. Its 2024 grants ranged from $75 to $100,000, with a median of $2,650. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$83K
Grants
26
Total Given
$317K
Partners in Giving Inc
Monsey, NY
Assets
$772K
Grants
46
Total Given
$124K
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/eric-and-sheila-samson-foundation-morg_51b59df0d34e40b6b803d6ffa0803972
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_845193506_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/eric-and-sheila-samson-foundation-morg_51b59df0d34e40b6b803d6ffa0803972},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Eric and Sheila Samson 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.
Eric and Sheila Samson Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?