Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Short Hills, NJ EIN: 22-3411571

The Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Short Hills, New Jersey. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in New York and the remainder to recipients in New Jersey.

Key facts about Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc

In short: Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc gave $2.3M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $228K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
22-3411571
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$2,280,000
Grants made (2025)
10
Average grant
$228,000
Median grant
$162,500
Total assets
$56,159,912
Primary geography
New York (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$56.2M

+14.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.3M

+192.3% YoY

Grant Count

10

+233.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$228K

-12.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc gives

  • 20% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 7500% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included program support, general operating support, capital support, and scholarship support. Among its grantees, Birthright Israel Foundation describes its mission as providing eligible young Jewish adults an educational trip to Israel; American Friends of Or National Missions describes work supporting volunteerism and charitable activity related to American and Jewish educational and social needs; and The Miryam Institute describes charitable, educational, and cultural work that includes educating the public about the circumstances and challenges facing Israeli soldiers. Central Fund of Israel says it was established to direct donations to charities in Israel, while Kean University Foundation says it raises funds to support Kean University.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $2,280,000. Grant amounts ranged from $25,000 to $500,000, with a median of $162,500.

Notable 2025 grants included $500,000 each to Birthright Israel Foundation, Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), and Park East Synagogue; $300,000 to National Library of Israel USA; and $250,000 to American Friends of Or National Missions. Other grants included $75,000 to UJA-Federation of New York, $50,000 each to Central Fund of Israel and The Miryam Institute, $30,000 to Kean University Foundation, and $25,000 to The Young Scholars Institute.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 2% to recipients in New Jersey.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkUnionBelmontLivingstonMorristownSummitWhippanyCedarhurstGreat NeckHartfordNew BrunswickPhiladelphiaTrenton

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M5 grants2019 11 grants2020 2 grants2021 1 grant2022 2 grants2023 3 grants2024 10 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2022) to $2.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $2.3M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Birthright Israel Foundation: $500KBirthright Israel Foundation$500KJewish Agency for Israel (Jafi): $500KJewish Agency for Israel(Jafi)$500KPark East Synagogue: $500KPark East Synagogue$500KNational Library of Israel USA: $300KNational Library of Israel USA$300KAmerican Friends of or National Missions: $250KAmerican Friends of orNational Missions$250KUJA-Federation of New York: $75KUJA-Federation of New York$75KCentral Fund of Israel: $50KCentral Fund of Israel$50KThe Miryam Institute Inc: $50KThe Miryam Institute Inc$50KKean University Foundation Inc: $30KKean University Foundation Inc$30KThe Young Scholars Institute: $25KThe Young Scholars Institute$25K

The largest 2025 recipient was Birthright Israel Foundation ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.

Grant Size Distribution

18 grants across all recorded years

6<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K4$250–500K5$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 6 grants of 18 (33%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NYProgram Support$500,000
Jewish Agency for Israel (Jafi) New York, NYProgram Support$500,000
Park East Synagogue New York, NYGeneral Operating Support$500,000
National Library of Israel USA New York, NYCapital Support$300,000
American Friends of or National Missions New York, NYProgram Support$250,000
UJA-Federation of New York New York, NYProgram Support$75,000
Central Fund of Israel Cedarhurst, NYProgram Support$50,000
The Miryam Institute Inc Great Neck, NYProgram Support$50,000
Kean University Foundation Inc Union, NJScholarship Support$30,000
The Young Scholars Institute Trenton, NJProgram Support$25,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $56,159,912 $6,218,269 $2,325,997 $2,280,000 (10 grants)
2024 $48,860,507 $6,143,168 $800,852 $780,000 (3 grants)
2023 $41,105,497 $5,873,106 $536,192 $530,000 (2 grants)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$56,159,912$48,860,507$41,105,497
Revenue$6,218,269$6,143,168$5,873,106
Expenses$2,325,997$800,852$536,192
Qualifying Distributions$2,288,657$786,519$536,031
Net Investment Income$1,255,687$1,135,835$1,118,529
Distributable Amount$2,472,041$2,106,966$1,687,142

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 14, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 7, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 7, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 28, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 17, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Leonard Wilf as president and trustee; Zygmunt Wilf as vice president and trustee; and Mark Wilf as secretary and trustee. It also lists Elizabeth Wilf, Daniel Wilf, Elana Wilf Tanzman, Halle Wilf, Jason Wilf, Jonathan Wilf, and Orin Wilf as trustees.

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc is led by Leonard Wilf, President & Trustee on every filing since 2019; none of the 13 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Leonard Wilf

    President & Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elana Wilf Tanzman

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jason Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jonathan Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Wilf

    Secretary & Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Orin Wilf

    Trustee

    Trustee & Treasurer → Trustee, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steven Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Zygmunt Wilf

    Vice President & Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Daniel Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Halle Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rachel S. Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stephanie Wilf

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 820 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills, NJ 07078
Phone: (973) 924-8246

Frequently asked questions about Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc

How much does Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc give each year?

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc gave $2.3M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $780K across 3 grants.

What is Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $162,500, and its average grant was $228,000, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc give grants?

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants).

Does Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 10% of Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (7 grants).

Who are Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Birthright Israel Foundation ($500,000), Jewish Agency for Israel (Jafi) ($500,000) and Park East Synagogue ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc?

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc reported $56.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.5M (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 Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included program support, general operating support, capital support, and scholarship support. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc?

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's EIN?

Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-3411571. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Joseph and Elizabeth Wilf Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

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