Iris Foundation
The Iris Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 1991. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with the EIN 13-6977690. The foundation's trustee is William D. Zabel.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$89.9M
+1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.7M
-9.4% YoY
Grant Count
4
-42.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.7M
+58.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Iris Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving focuses primarily on higher education. Secondary funding interests include philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking, and arts, culture & humanities.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated primarily in New York and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending August 2023:
- Total assets: $89,025,142
- Total revenues: $15,384,980
- Total expenses: $14,894,759
- Total liabilities: $7,000,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $89,905,904 | $89,025,142 | $81,534,921 |
| Revenue | $14,701,926 | $15,384,980 | $12,772,064 |
| Expenses | $13,821,136 | $14,894,759 | $12,795,790 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,705,389 | $11,823,657 | $10,073,617 |
| Net Investment Income | $13,887,387 | $14,566,616 | $12,044,433 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,333,976 | $5,698,230 | $6,398,234 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
19 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Bard College Ein 14-17130334 ($10,673,927), Florida International Foundation Inc (wolfsonian) Ein 86-2799015 ($10,000), Royal Oak Foundation Inc Ein 23-7349380 ($5,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ROYAL OAK FOUNDATION INC EIN 23-7349380 NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $5,000 |
| BARD COLLEGE EIN 14-17130334 ANNANDALE ON HUDSON, NY | ONGOING ACTIVITIES | $10,673,927 |
| THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART EIN 13-1624086 NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $5,000 |
| FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION INC (WOLFSONIAN) EIN 86-2799015 MIAMI BEACH, FL | UNRESTRICTED GIFT FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
William D. Zabel serves as trustee of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN WEBER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| GEORGE SOROS CO-CHAIR | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| WILLIAM D ZABEL | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
- Phone: 212-501-3034
- Address: 18 W 86th Street, New York, NY 10024
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Iris Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving focuses primarily on higher education. Secondary funding interests include philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking, and arts, culture & humanities.
How do I apply for a grant from Iris Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $10,693,927 (2024 fiscal year) • Typical award range: $1,500 to $11,671,317 • Recent grants include: • Bard College Berlin A Liberal Arts University GGMBH: $11,671,317 (2023) • Metropolitan Museum of Art: $100,000 (2023) • Ars Brevis Foundation: $15,000 (2023)
Where does Iris Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated primarily in New York and Florida.
What size grants does Iris Foundation award?
In 2024, Iris Foundation awarded 4 grants totaling $10.7M — an average of about $2.7M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Iris Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Iris Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Iris Foundation's EIN?
Iris Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6977690. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Iris Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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