Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2024 filing reports 83 grants totaling $6,087,394 to organizations working in areas including education, climate, civic engagement, health, journalism, and arts and culture, as described by the grantees or in grant purposes.
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc gave $6.1M across 83 grants in 2024 (avg $73K), top state New York. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,087,394
- +54.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 83
- -3.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $73,342
- +60.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $24,415,176
- -10.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (27 of 83, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists a written application with details on proposals, identifies Michael Sonnenfeldt as the contact, and reports no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Michael Sonnenfeldt
Mailing address: C/O Bonadio 1040 6Th Ave 3Rd Fl, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 600-2854
Email: rganer@bonadio.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Aabgu ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $4.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
437 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 371 grants of 437 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (46%), Massachusetts (20%), Florida (16%), and Washington, DC (7%), followed by Texas (3%). The listed grants also include recipients in California, Oregon, and New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 83 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 27 of 83 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $73K; repeat grants $74K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 222% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 482% 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 $1.1M (2020) to $6.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 83 grants totaling $6.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aabgu New York, NY | Educational and Charitable | $1,000,000 |
| The Jewish Climate Trust Palm Beach, FL | Educational and Charitable | $1,000,000 |
| MIT Cambridge, MA | Educational and Charitable | $1,000,000 |
| Earthjustice New York, NY | Educational and Charitable | $350,000 |
| Center for New American Security Washington, DC | Educational and Charitable | $300,000 |
| The Whitney Museum New York, NY | Educational and Charitable | $232,500 |
| Turnout Activism Cambridge, MA | Educational and Charitable | $200,000 |
| National Breast Cancer Dallas, TX | Educational and Charitable | $200,000 |
| Harlem Village Academies New York, NY | Educational and Charitable | $148,140 |
| JCC of Manhattan New York, NY | Educational and Charitable | $125,000 |
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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 | $24,415,176 | $3,414,169 | $6,249,273 | $6,087,394 | 83 | $6,105,071 | $718,059 | $1,266,615 |
| 2023 | $27,195,536 | $3,691,291 | $4,141,060 | $3,942,764 | 86 | $3,961,209 | $3,664,468 | $1,336,558 |
| 2022 | $27,631,412 | $6,587,136 | $3,183,824 | $3,061,164 | 79 | $3,078,008 | $6,574,685 | $1,294,415 |
| 2021 | $24,244,166 | $12,431,478 | $1,925,231 | $1,887,850 | 102 | $1,904,993 | $8,092,669 | $951,551 |
| 2020 | $13,642,578 | $696,166 | $1,146,884 | $1,059,139 | 87 | — | $625,379 | $1,087,417 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M 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 a mission for the foundation. Its grants support a range of organizations. For example, Turnout Activism describes its mission as strengthening democracy by increasing youth civic action; Yellow Dot Studios says it produces content to build public awareness of urgent climate action; and the American Independent Foundation describes its mission as fostering strong, independent journalism that raises public awareness of progressive issues. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Other 2024 recipients include organizations whose stated work involves climate research and communication, youth climate litigation, Jewish culture, and services and institutions in Israel.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 83 grants totaling $6,087,394. Grant amounts ranged from $400 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $1,000,000 each to AABGU, the Jewish Climate Trust, and MIT; $350,000 to Earthjustice; and $300,000 to the Center for New American Security. Other notable grants included $232,500 to the Whitney Museum, $200,000 each to Turnout Activism and National Breast Cancer, and $148,140 to Harlem Village Academies. The filing lists “educational and charitable” as the purpose for these grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Sonnenfeldt as president, Katja B. Goldman as trustee, Peter Joseph as vice president, Wendy Gartenberg as CFO, Ruth Bender as secretary, and Kathleen Dunleavy as assistant secretary.
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc is led by Michael Sonnenfeldt, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Sonnenfeldt
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Katja B. Goldman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kathleen Dunleavy
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Peter Joseph
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ruth Bender
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Wendy Gartenberg
CFO
New on the 2024 filing
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 Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc
How much does Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc give each year?
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc gave $6.1M across 83 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 86 grants.
What is Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $73,342, across 83 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc that year got $73K on average.
Where does Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc give grants?
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (20%) and Florida (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (41 grants), Washington, DC (8 grants), Cambridge, MA (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 83 grants with a stated purpose on Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational and Charitable" (83 grants).
Who are Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Aabgu ($1,000,000), The Jewish Climate Trust ($1,000,000) and MIT ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc?
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc reported $24.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its grants support a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc?
The filing lists a written application with details on proposals, identifies Michael Sonnenfeldt as the contact, and reports no restrictions on awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's EIN?
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3997780. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/goldman-sonnenfeldt-foundation-inc-morg_fb017ed00f0445fa8c18ef0d7cbfc719
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133997780_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/goldman-sonnenfeldt-foundation-inc-morg_fb017ed00f0445fa8c18ef0d7cbfc719},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Goldman-Sonnenfeldt 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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