Jacob Burns Foundation Inc
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Pleasantville, New York. Its 2024 filing reports 62 grants totaling $325,692 to charitable organizations, including recipients in New York, Florida, and Massachusetts.
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Jacob Burns Foundation Inc gave $326K across 62 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), top state New York. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $325,692
- +1.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 62
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,253
- +1.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,750
- Total assets
- $7,765,119
- +3.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (11 of 62, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (35% 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 Jacob Burns Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Barry Shenkman 335 Manville Rd, Pleasantville, NY 10570-2118
Phone: (914) 769-0248
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jacob Burns Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Great Barrington Public Theater ($34K). Together the top 10 received $214K.
Grant Size Distribution
376 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 373 grants of 376 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, New York recipients received 35% of grant dollars, Florida recipients 28%, Massachusetts recipients 18%, Washington, DC recipients 8%, and Texas recipients 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Jacob Burns Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 62 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $280K (2020) to $498K (2022). In 2024 it made 62 grants totaling $326K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Great Barrington Public Theater Great Barrington, MA | Charitable | $33,500 |
| George Snow Scholarship Fund Boca Raton, FL | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Charitable Donations Below 1000 Threshold Pleasantville, NY | Charitable | $25,351 |
| The George Washington University Washington, DC | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Artswestchester White Plains, NY | Charitable | $23,100 |
| Boca Raton Regional Hospital Boca Raton, FL | Charitable | $21,000 |
| Boca Raton Historical Society Boca Raton, FL | Charitable | $18,000 |
| Jacob Burns Film Center Pleasantville, NY | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Benjamin N Cardozo School of Law New York, NY | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Great Barrington, MA | Charitable | $8,000 |
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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 | $7,765,119 | $1,043,391 | $832,269 | $325,692 | 62 | $525,148 | $728,552 | $590,722 |
| 2023 | $7,491,191 | $778,649 | $860,879 | $321,299 | 62 | $542,797 | $443,610 | $556,300 |
| 2022 | $7,585,621 | $-6,077 | $1,028,977 | $497,533 | 105 | $677,628 | — | $598,697 |
| 2021 | $8,589,887 | $1,194,119 | $834,143 | $292,503 | 85 | $464,051 | $824,027 | $629,685 |
| 2020 | $8,226,214 | $-52,345 | $884,310 | $279,560 | 62 | — | — | $615,801 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jacob Burns Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $591K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in the arts, education, history, health, and animal care. For example, Great Barrington Public Theater says it creates theatrical experiences and provides a platform for new voices and perspectives; the George Snow Scholarship Fund describes its work as providing personalized scholarships and support services; and the Boca Raton Historical Society describes conservation, curatorial, and educational programs about the city’s history. The Humane Society of Westchester says it provides care for lost, abandoned, injured, and mistreated animals.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 62 grants totaling $325,692. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $33,500, with a median grant of $1,750.
Among the largest reported grants were $33,500 to Great Barrington Public Theater, $30,000 to the George Snow Scholarship Fund, $25,000 to The George Washington University, $23,100 to ArtsWestchester, $21,000 to Boca Raton Regional Hospital, and $18,000 to the Boca Raton Historical Society. Other listed grants included $15,000 to the Jacob Burns Film Center and $8,000 to Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alan Goldberg as vice president and assistant secretary, Barry A Shenkman as president and treasurer, and Jamie Shenkman as executive vice president and secretary.
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc is led by Barry A. Shenkman, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Barry A. Shenkman
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$15K (2023) → $15K (2024)
Alan Goldberg
Vice President & Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$20K (2023) → $15K (2024)
Jamie Shenkman
Executive Vice President & Secretary
Excutive Vice President & Secretary → Executive Vice President & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$26K (2023) → $26K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $26K, to Jamie Shenkman (Executive VP and Secretary). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Jacob Burns Foundation Inc
How much does Jacob Burns Foundation Inc give each year?
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc gave $326K across 62 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $321K across 62 grants.
What is Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $1,750, and its average grant was $5,253, across 62 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jacob Burns Foundation Inc that year got $5K on average.
Where does Jacob Burns Foundation Inc give grants?
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (28%) and Massachusetts (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boca Raton, FL (10 grants), Great Barrington, MA (4 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (3 grants).
Does Jacob Burns Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 62 grants with a stated purpose on Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (62 grants).
Who are Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Great Barrington Public Theater ($33,500), George Snow Scholarship Fund ($30,000) and Charitable Donations Below 1000 Threshold ($25,351), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Jacob Burns Foundation Inc?
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc reported $7.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $525K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $591K (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 does Jacob Burns Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in the arts, education, history, health, and animal care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jacob Burns Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's EIN?
Jacob Burns Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6114245. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Jacob Burns Foundation Inc 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
(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). Jacob Burns Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jacob-burns-foundation-inc-morg_e9fb88eee38949279168f50030300b80
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136114245_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jacob Burns Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jacob-burns-foundation-inc-morg_e9fb88eee38949279168f50030300b80},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Jacob Burns 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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