Fernholz Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Princeton, NJ EIN: 90-0403980

Fernholz Foundation is a private foundation, based in Princeton, NJ. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $16.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $1.1M. Net investment income was $923K.

Fernholz Foundation at a glance

In short: Fernholz Foundation gave $1.1M across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $151K), mostly in New Jersey. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$1,055,000
-15.9% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
7
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$150,714
-15.9% vs 2024
Median grant
$200,000
Total assets
$16,531,186
-0.8% vs 2024
Primary geography
New Jersey (50% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Fernholz Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 7 recipients in 2025

Institute for Advanced Study: $250KInstitute for Advanced Study$250KPrinceton University Math Department: $250KPrinceton University MathDepartment$250KChange Maker Trust Inc: $250KChange Maker Trust Inc$250KSimons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute: $200KSimons Laufer MathematicalSciences Institute$200KColumbia University: $75KColumbia University$75KPrinceton Community Housing Inc: $20KPrinceton Community HousingInc$20KPrinceton Medical Center: $10KPrinceton Medical Center$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Institute for Advanced Study ($250K). Together the top 7 received $1.1M.

Grant Size Distribution

29 grants across all recorded years

7<$50K1$50–100K8$100–250K13$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 13 grants of 29 (45%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.

Cities

PrincetonNew YorkBerkeleyCambridgePalinsboroBoston

How Fernholz Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M5 grants2020 6 grants2021 5 grants2022 4 grants2023 7 grants2024 7 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $795K (2023) to $1.3M (2024). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $1.1M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, NJSchool of Mathematics$250,000
Princeton University Math Department Princeton, NJDepartment of Mathematics$250,000
Change Maker Trust Inc Boston, MADocumentary Film About Applied Science$250,000
Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute Berkeley, CASchool of Mathematics$200,000
Columbia University New York, NYDepartment of Mathematics$75,000
Princeton Community Housing Inc Princeton, NJGeneral Support - Affordable Housing$20,000
Princeton Medical Center Palinsboro, NJGeneral Support - Mecial Center$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$16,531,186$927,277$1,063,819$1,055,0007$1,059,410$922,868$1,172,122
2024$16,663,482$497,368$1,263,503$1,255,0007$1,259,252$493,117$1,099,570
2023$17,429,617$300,400$797,484$795,0004$796,242$426,487$955,890
2022$17,926,701$345,506$997,372$995,0005$996,185$344,319$982,863
2021$18,578,567$232,795$1,177,880$1,170,0006$1,173,940$228,855$1,100,290
2020$19,523,652$587,946$1,157,531$1,150,0005—$582,680$1,056,340

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fernholz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Fernholz Foundation is led by Luisa T. Fernholz, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Luisa T. Fernholz

    Director & President

    On filings since 2020

    6 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Daniel T. Fernholz

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • E. Robert Fernholz

    Director & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ricardo T. Fernholz

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Ryan Briganti

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Stephen A. Briganti (2020–2024) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Fernholz Foundation

How much does Fernholz Foundation give each year?

Fernholz Foundation gave $1.1M across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 7 grants.

What is Fernholz Foundation's typical grant size?

Fernholz Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $200,000, and its average grant was $150,714, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Fernholz Foundation give grants?

Fernholz Foundation gives mostly in New Jersey: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (24%) and California (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Princeton, NJ (3 grants).

Does Fernholz Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 29% of Fernholz Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 7) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Fernholz Foundation's largest grantees?

Fernholz Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Institute for Advanced Study ($250,000), Princeton University Math Department ($250,000) and Change Maker Trust Inc ($250,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Fernholz Foundation?

Fernholz Foundation reported $16.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (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 is Fernholz Foundation's EIN?

Fernholz Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 90-0403980. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 29, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Fernholz 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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