JVZ Foundation
JVZ Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. In 2024, it made 28 grants totaling $3,228,142 to organizations in New York and other states, including universities, cultural institutions, and community organizations.
JVZ Foundation at a glance
In short: JVZ Foundation gave $3.2M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $115K), mostly in New York. 57% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,228,142
- +48.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- -31.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $115,291
- +116.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $23,073
- Total assets
- $25,161,286
- +284.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 57% first-time grantees (16 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (61% 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 JVZ Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Zelter 990 5Th Ave 10, New York, NY 10075
Phone: (973) 228-3500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who JVZ Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Duke University ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $3.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 104 grants of 128 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York and 35% to recipients in North Carolina. Smaller shares went to Colorado (2%), California (1%), and Washington, DC (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is JVZ Foundation open to new grantees?
57%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 28 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $82K; repeat grants $160K. How we count
Medians: $23K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 36% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 694% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 599% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $390K (2020) to $3.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University Durham, NC | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $1,070,478 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $622,630 |
| Weill Cornell Medical College New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $500,042 |
| UJA New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $460,089 |
| The Greatest Generations Foundation Denver, CO | To meed the tax exempt purpose of the organization | $64,042 |
| Friends of the High Line New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $60,100 |
| Film at Lincoln Center New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $53,513 |
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $50,000 |
| New York City Partnership Foundation Inc New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $50,000 |
| The Teak Fellowship Inc New York, NY | To meet the tax exempt purposes of the organization | $47,286 |
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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 | $25,161,286 | $20,109,012 | $3,233,402 | $3,228,142 | 28 | $3,230,397 | $147,868 | $539,714 |
| 2023 | $6,538,079 | $188,565 | $2,184,529 | $2,180,159 | 41 | $2,183,322 | $187,358 | $413,266 |
| 2022 | $8,065,411 | $199,574 | $1,271,100 | $1,259,290 | 25 | $1,262,413 | $198,387 | $383,219 |
| 2021 | $8,966,921 | $8,709,789 | $409,754 | $406,419 | 21 | $408,642 | $6,622 | $81,187 |
| 2020 | $582,591 | $274,466 | $393,152 | $390,095 | 13 | — | $10,964 | $43,678 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, JVZ Foundation reported a distributable amount of $540K 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
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grantees describe a range of missions: Friends of the High Line works to build and maintain a public space on the High Line; Film at Lincoln Center supports film through festivals and year-round programming; and The Jewish Museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets art and Jewish culture. Other grantees include organizations whose stated missions involve advancing human rights and democratic values (American Jewish Committee), developing leaders in finance (Robert A. Toigo Foundation), and supporting children with cancer and their siblings (Sunrise Day Camps Association).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 28 grants totaling $3,228,142. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $1,070,478, with a median of $23,073. The largest awards included $1,070,478 to Duke University, $622,630 to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, $500,042 to Weill Cornell Medical College, and $460,089 to UJA. Other recipients included Friends of the High Line ($60,100), Film at Lincoln Center ($53,513), American Jewish Committee ($50,000), and The Teak Fellowship ($47,286).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James C. Zelter and Vivian Zelter as trustees.
JVZ Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James C. Zelter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vivian Zelter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
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.
Frequently asked questions about JVZ Foundation
How much does JVZ Foundation give each year?
JVZ Foundation gave $3.2M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.2M across 41 grants.
What is JVZ Foundation's typical grant size?
JVZ Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $23,073, and its average grant was $115,291, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from JVZ Foundation that year got $82K on average.
Where does JVZ Foundation give grants?
JVZ Foundation gives mostly in New York: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (35%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (18 grants) and Durham, NC (2 grants).
Who are JVZ Foundation's largest grantees?
JVZ Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Duke University ($1,070,478), The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($622,630) and Weill Cornell Medical College ($500,042), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is JVZ Foundation?
JVZ Foundation reported $25.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $540K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does JVZ Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from JVZ Foundation?
The foundation 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 JVZ Foundation's EIN?
JVZ Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8042292. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does JVZ 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). JVZ Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jvz-foundation-morg_950dfbaf5d1649598c22069e333f01a0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208042292_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{JVZ Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jvz-foundation-morg_950dfbaf5d1649598c22069e333f01a0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 JVZ 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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