Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc
The Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1999 by investor and entrepreneur Michael W. Sonnenfeldt and his wife Katja Goldman. The foundation represents the combined philanthropy of Katja Goldman, Michael Sonnenfeldt, and their four children. It operates as a 501(c)(3) exempt private foundation with no employees.
Key facts about Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc
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.
- EIN
- 13-3997780
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,087,394
- Grants made (2024)
- 83
- Average grant
- $73,342
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (27 of 83, 2024)
- Total assets
- $24,415,176
- Primary geography
- New York (46% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no specified deadlines. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Rolling
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers 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. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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.
Next steps with Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc
- How to evaluate Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.4M
-10.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.1M
+54.4% YoY
Grant Count
83
-3.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$73K
+60.0% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's philanthropic priorities center on three primary areas:
- Fighting Climate Change — including environmental sustainability initiatives
- Protecting and Strengthening Democracy
- Building Jewish Community & Combatting Antisemitism
Additional funding areas include:
- Education, particularly higher education institutions
- Arts and culture, including museums
- Health and human services
- Agriculture and environmental protection
- Jewish organizations and causes
The foundation seeks partners that are disrupting norms, taking risks to solve problems, and working to scale proven solutions.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $85 to $940,000
Review Cycle
. The foundation operates without formal named grant programs.
How to Apply
** Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no specified deadlines. The foundation operates without formal named grant programs.
Ready to take the next step with Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is deeply invested in the New York City and Long Island communities and has given extensively to support local organizations. While emphasis is placed on the New York City metro area and New York State, the foundation supports a wide range of cities across the United States, including major urban centers like Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as smaller communities. Geographic reach extends across multiple states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, and others. The foundation also makes international grants.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 83 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $24.4 million to $27.2 million (varying by reporting year)
Annual Giving: $3.1 million to $6.1 million (varying by year)
Foundation Expenses: $4.1 million
Foundation Revenue: $3.7 million
Contact Address: c/o Ganer Ganer, 1995 Broadway, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10023
Phone: (212) 873-1472
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,415,176 | $27,195,536 | $27,631,412 |
| Revenue | $3,414,169 | $3,691,291 | $6,587,136 |
| Expenses | $6,249,273 | $4,141,060 | $3,183,824 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,105,071 | $3,961,209 | $3,078,008 |
| Net Investment Income | $718,059 | $3,664,468 | $6,574,685 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,266,615 | $1,336,558 | $1,294,415 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
437 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Michael Sonnenfeldt — President and founder of the Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation. He is the founder of TIGER 21, a premier peer membership organization for high-net-worth individuals. Current board positions include Board Member at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Co-Chair of the Jewish Climate Trust, Advisory Board Member of the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, and Board of Governors member at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Katja B. Goldman — Trustee
Peter Joseph — Vice President
Robert (contact person) — Email: robert@ganer.com
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.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2022, the foundation made a transformative $20 million commitment to establish the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, signaling the foundation's increasing focus on environmental and climate change issues.
Goldman Sonnenfeldt Foundation to Donate $20 Million Naming Gift to the SchoolMichael Sonnenfeldt has spent more than four decades in various leadership positions in organizations the foundation supports, amplifying impact with decades of expertise and an extensive network.
Goldman Sonnenfeldt Foundation to Donate $20 Million Naming Gift to the SchoolSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's philanthropic priorities center on three primary areas: • **Fighting Climate Change** — including environmental sustainability initiatives • **Protecting and Strengthening Democracy** • **Building Jewish Community & Combatting Antisemitism** Additional funding areas include: • Education, particularly higher education institutions • Arts and culture, including museums • Health and human services • Agriculture and environmental protection • Jewish organizations and causes The fou…
How do I apply for a grant from Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no specified deadlines. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.