Kaphan Foundation
Kaphan Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2024 filing lists grants to organizations working in areas including civic engagement, elections, civil liberties, reproductive rights, journalism, environmental policy, and human rights. The filing also describes limited-recourse loans supporting the launch of social investment funds intended to expand opportunity for people living in poverty.
Kaphan Foundation at a glance
In short: Kaphan Foundation gave $22.9M across 86 grants in 2024 (avg $267K), top state New York. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $22,932,455
- +4.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 86
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $266,656
- +4.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $225,320
- Total assets
- $141,398,672
- +1.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (18 of 85, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (32% 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 Kaphan 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: PO Box 18801, Seattle, WA 98118-0801
Phone: (206) 691-9864
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Kaphan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Unite America Institute Inc ($1.6M). Together the top 10 received $7.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
406 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 111 grants of 406 (27%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest shares went to New York (32%), Washington (21%), the District of Columbia (15%), California (13%), and Colorado (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 86 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Kaphan Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 85 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $278K; repeat grants $268K. How we count
Medians: $162K first-time, $248K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 26% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 118% 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 $10.4M (2020) to $22.9M (2024). In 2024 it made 86 grants totaling $22.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unite America Institute Inc Denver, CO | General Support | $1,570,977 |
| Center for Constitutional Rights New York, NY | General Support | $698,763 |
| Center for Reproductive Rights New York, NY | General Support | $698,763 |
| Fairvote Takoma Park, MD | General Support | $698,763 |
| Planned Parenthood New York, NY | General Support | $698,763 |
| American Civil Liberties Union New York, NY | General Support | $628,700 |
| Neo -Four Freedoms Fund New York, NY | General Support | $606,236 |
| Sightline Institute Seattle, WA | General Support | $572,649 |
| Global Press Institute Washington, DC | General Support | $530,860 |
| The Miami Foundation Fund for Nonprofit News (Newsmatch) Miami, FL | General Support | $526,680 |
Ready to take the next step with Kaphan Foundation?
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 | $141,398,672 | $5,733,988 | $24,073,451 | $22,932,455 | 86 | $23,810,253 | $2,730,262 | $20,224,595 |
| 2023 | $138,998,461 | $3,996,290 | $22,809,414 | $22,045,270 | 86 | $23,150,187 | $1,781,067 | $14,910,902 |
| 2022 | $137,634,375 | $3,324,194 | $22,560,291 | $22,042,674 | 80 | $22,371,370 | $1,804,822 | $16,765,490 |
| 2021 | $135,612,615 | $3,581,390 | $18,438,173 | $18,173,444 | 93 | $18,254,529 | $2,544,484 | $22,250,744 |
| 2020 | $134,727,790 | $3,354,502 | $10,635,317 | $10,441,843 | 61 | — | $3,114,112 | $18,216,298 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kaphan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20.2M 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grant recipients include organizations with varied missions. For example, Unite America Institute says it encourages nonpartisan civic engagement and researches political polarization; FairVote says it advances voting reforms; and the Center for Constitutional Rights says it works to protect constitutional and human rights and support social justice movements. Sightline Institute describes its work as independent research and policy solutions for strong communities, a green economy, and a healthy environment. Global Press Institute says it trained and employed local women journalists to report from undercovered regions.
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes its program as “Alpha Access Series LP - Private Equity Access - Secondaries Fund I.” It also reports limited-recourse loans to Global Partnerships to enable the launch of Social Investment Funds 6.0 and 10.0, which the filing says work to expand opportunity for people living in poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 86 grants totaling $22,932,455. Grant amounts ranged from $6,279 to $1,570,977, with a median of $225,320. The largest grant was $1,570,977 to Unite America Institute for general support. Other large general-support grants included $698,763 each to the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Center for Reproductive Rights, FairVote, and Planned Parenthood; $628,700 to the American Civil Liberties Union; and $572,649 to Sightline Institute.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sheldon J. Kaphan as president and treasurer, and Erica Locke as vice president and secretary.
Kaphan Foundation is led by Sheldon J. Kaphan, President & Treasurer since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sheldon J. Kaphan
President & Treasurer
President, Vice President & Treasurer → President & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erica Locke
Vice President & Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
20 hrs/week
$12K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Matthew B. McCutchen (2020–2023) — Secretary
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 $12K, to Erica Locke (Vice President, Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about Kaphan Foundation
How much does Kaphan Foundation give each year?
Kaphan Foundation gave $22.9M across 86 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $22.0M across 86 grants.
What is Kaphan Foundation's typical grant size?
Kaphan Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $225,320, and its average grant was $266,656, across 86 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kaphan Foundation that year got $278K on average.
Where does Kaphan Foundation give grants?
Kaphan Foundation's top state is New York, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (21%) and District of Columbia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (22 grants), New York, NY (17 grants), Washington, DC (11 grants) and San Francisco, CA (7 grants).
Does Kaphan Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of Kaphan Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (84 of 86) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Kaphan Foundation's largest grantees?
Kaphan Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Unite America Institute Inc ($1,570,977), Center for Constitutional Rights ($698,763) and Center for Reproductive Rights ($698,763), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Kaphan Foundation?
Kaphan Foundation reported $141.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Kaphan Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grant recipients include organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kaphan 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 Kaphan Foundation's EIN?
Kaphan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1211107. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Kaphan 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
Live grants for the work Kaphan Foundation funds
Science & Technology Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kaphan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kaphan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kaphan-foundation-morg_b295ea08e03c4c7791a588242a6a4aaf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_651211107_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kaphan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kaphan-foundation-morg_b295ea08e03c4c7791a588242a6a4aaf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Kaphan 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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