The Kaphan Foundation is a private foundation established in 2003 and based in Seattle, Washington. Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a family foundation focused on supporting progressive causes at local and national levels.
Key facts about Kaphan Foundation
- EIN
- 65-1211107
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $22,932,455
- Grants made (2024)
- 86
- Average grant
- $266,656
- Median grant
- $225,320
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (18 of 85, 2024)
- Total assets
- $141,398,672
- Primary geography
- New York (32% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Kaphan Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Kaphan Foundation's 86 itemized 2024 grants were New York (32%), 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). 98% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
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 IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Kaphan Foundation
- How to evaluate Kaphan Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$141.4M
+1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$22.9M
+4.0% YoY
Grant Count
86
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$267K
+4.0% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a broad range of progressive causes with particular emphasis on:
- Civic engagement and democracy
- Global development and health
- Criminal and immigrant justice
- Reproductive and maternal health
- Education
- Economic opportunity
- Jewish causes
- Human rights and social justice
- Community health
The foundation is responsive to emerging issues and demonstrates flexibility in its grantmaking priorities across these areas.
Grantmaking
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Kaphan Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation gives locally in Seattle, Washington, but also supports national organizations and U.S.-based global nonprofits. Primary funding areas include Washington, New York, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 86 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $141,398,672
- Total Revenue: $5,733,988
- Total Expenses: $24,073,451
- Total Giving: $22,932,455
- Total Liabilities: $753
- Net Income: -$18,339,463
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Total grants and contributions: $3,050,477
- Investment income and dividends: $1,451,878
The foundation has maintained tax-exempt status since April 2005.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $141,398,672 | $138,998,461 | $137,634,375 |
| Revenue | $5,733,988 | $3,996,290 | $3,324,194 |
| Expenses | $24,073,451 | $22,809,414 | $22,560,291 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $23,810,253 | $23,150,187 | $22,371,370 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,730,262 | $1,781,067 | $1,804,822 |
| Distributable Amount | $20,224,595 | $14,910,902 | $16,765,490 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
406 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Unite America Institute Inc ($1,570,977), Center for Constitutional Rights ($698,763), Center for Reproductive Rights ($698,763).
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sheldon J. Kaphan – President and Treasurer (unpaid position, 20 hours/week). Founder and steering force of the foundation. Former vice president and CTO of Amazon.com, responsible for the online retailer's early programming. Serves on the board of MapLight.
- Martin Collier – Co-Executive Director ($121,000 compensation, 20 hours/week)
- Sarah Meyer – Co-Executive Director ($208,000 compensation, 40 hours/week)
- Erica Locke – Vice President and Secretary ($12,000 compensation, 20 hours/week)
Staff: The foundation employs 2 full-time equivalent staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon J Kaphan | President, Treasurer | 20 | — |
| Erica Locke | Vice President, Secretary | 20 | $12,233 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation maintains a low profile and does not maintain a public website, which limits publicly available information on its grantmaking priorities and activities. Tax filings indicate ongoing support for some grantees while also demonstrating responsiveness to emerging issues in areas such as democracy, reproductive health, and criminal justice.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Kaphan Foundation fund?
The foundation supports a broad range of progressive causes with particular emphasis on: • Civic engagement and democracy • Global development and health • Criminal and immigrant justice • Reproductive and maternal health • Education • Economic opportunity • Jewish causes • Human rights and social justice • Community health The foundation is responsive to emerging issues and demonstrates flexibility in its grantmaking priorities across these areas.
How do I apply for a grant from Kaphan Foundation?
The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Kaphan Foundation make grants?
The foundation gives locally in Seattle, Washington, but also supports national organizations and U.S.-based global nonprofits. Primary funding areas include Washington, New York, and California.
What size grants does Kaphan Foundation award?
In 2024, Kaphan Foundation awarded 86 grants totaling $22.9M — an average of about $267K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Kaphan Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Kaphan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.