Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation
The Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation is a private foundation based in Purchase, New York. In 2024, it gave $1,462,000 through 48 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in hunger relief, wildlife conservation, reproductive health, public media, arts, and housing and community services.
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation at a glance
In short: Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation gave $1.5M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $30K), mostly in New York. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,462,000
- +18.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,458
- +18.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $12,570,411
- +20.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 48, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (85% 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 Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation
- 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: 18 Ponds Lane, Purchase, NY 10577
Phone: (914) 946-3096
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was WCC Foundation ($120K). Together the top 10 received $675K.
Grant Size Distribution
243 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 207 grants of 243 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, New York recipients received 85% of grant dollars. Recipients in Georgia and Illinois each received 3%; recipients in Colorado and the District of Columbia each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 48 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 82% 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 $1.2M (2022) to $1.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WCC Foundation Valhalla, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $120,000 |
| Feeding Westchester Elmsford, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $80,000 |
| New York Philharmonic New York, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $75,000 |
| Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $75,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Hawthorne, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $70,000 |
| Wnet New York, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $55,000 |
| Feeding America Chicago, IL | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $50,000 |
| New York Botanical Garden Bronx, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $50,000 |
| New York City Ballet New York, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $50,000 |
| Westhab Inc Yonkers, NY | To be used by the organization for its charitable purpose. | $50,000 |
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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 | $12,570,411 | $3,974,893 | $1,893,335 | $1,462,000 | 48 | $1,560,995 | $3,642,553 | $1,903,439 |
| 2023 | $10,452,536 | $2,744,170 | $1,558,696 | $1,237,000 | 48 | $1,314,237 | $2,499,711 | $1,484,798 |
| 2022 | $9,471,761 | $1,402,675 | $1,528,336 | $1,197,000 | 48 | $1,273,649 | $1,147,988 | $1,478,479 |
| 2021 | $9,597,422 | $2,324,419 | $1,531,332 | $1,217,000 | 49 | $1,290,560 | $2,083,647 | $1,422,533 |
| 2020 | $8,804,335 | $2,152,042 | $1,727,232 | $1,475,000 | 50 | — | $1,961,933 | $1,166,813 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied charitable purposes. For example, Feeding Westchester says its mission is to lead hunger-action programs and mobilize resources to eradicate hunger in Westchester County. The Wildlife Conservation Society says it works to save wildlife and wild places through science, conservation action, education, and public engagement. Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic says it provides family planning, prenatal and abortion services, health education, and other medical care.
Other 2024 grantees describe their work as delivering public-service media and lifelong learning (WNET), advancing plant science and public understanding of the natural world (New York Botanical Garden), expanding equitable access to nutritious food (Feeding America), and providing affordable housing and services to people with low incomes and distressed communities (Westhab). The Jacob Burns Film Center says it brings audiences, students, and filmmakers together to experience film and learn about its craft.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $1,462,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $120,000, with a median of $20,000.
Among the grants were $120,000 to WCC Foundation; $80,000 to Feeding Westchester; $75,000 each to the New York Philharmonic and Wildlife Conservation Society; $70,000 to Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic; and $55,000 to WNET. Other grants included $50,000 each to Feeding America, the New York Botanical Garden, New York City Ballet, and Westhab; $45,000 to WNYC Radio; and $40,000 each to Children’s Aid Society and the Jacob Burns Film Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Greg Werlinich as treasurer, Lucille Werlinich as president, and Barbara Abeles as vice president.
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation is led by Lucille Werlinich, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lucille Werlinich
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$83K (2020) → $134K (2024)
Barbara Abeles
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Greg Werlinich
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $134K, to Lucille Werlinich (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation
How much does Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation give each year?
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation gave $1.5M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 48 grants.
What is Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation's typical grant size?
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $30,458, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation give grants?
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation gives mostly in New York: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (17 grants), Bronx, NY (3 grants), Yonkers, NY (3 grants) and Valhalla, NY (2 grants).
Who are Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation's largest grantees?
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include WCC Foundation ($120,000), Feeding Westchester ($80,000) and New York Philharmonic ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation?
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation reported $12.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (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 & Sophia Abeles Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied charitable purposes. For example, Feeding Westchester says its mission is to lead hunger-action programs and mobilize resources to eradicate hunger in Westchester County. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation?
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 Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation's EIN?
Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6259577. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation 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). Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-and-sophia-abeles-foundation-morg_f6b00b38b7164b4c8037760c0916a70c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136259577_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joseph \& Sophia Abeles Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joseph-and-sophia-abeles-foundation-morg_f6b00b38b7164b4c8037760c0916a70c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation'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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