Karam Foundation
Karam Foundation is dedicated to help people help themselves. We seek to restore the dignity and quality of life for people affected by conflict by eliminating barriers to success through innovative education, entrepreneurial development, and community-driven aid.
Karam Foundation at a glance
In short: Karam Foundation gave $150K across 5 grants in 2024 (avg $30K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $149,886
- +95.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 5
- +66.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $29,977
- +17.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $2,819,480
- -42.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (47% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Karam Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Paper Airplanes Inc ($42K). Together the top 5 received $150K.
Grant Size Distribution
13 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 13 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
Cities
How Karam Foundation gives
- Giving grew 185% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2020) to $1.4M (2019). In 2024 it made 5 grants totaling $150K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paper Airplanes Inc San Francisco, CA | General Support | $42,000 |
| Seeds Film LLC New York, NY | Produce the Film | $39,969 |
| SYE Initiative INC New York, NY | General Support | $30,000 |
| Reaching Across Borders Jacksonville, FL | General Support | $29,917 |
| Finding Refuge Bridgeview, IL | General Support | $8,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,819,480 | $1,793,682 | $3,822,380 | $149,886 | 5 | $29,675 |
| 2023 | $4,865,239 | $4,562,837 | $3,747,655 | $76,750 | 3 | $-143 |
| 2022 | $4,151,416 | $2,411,217 | $2,783,885 | $85,867 | 2 | — |
| 2021 | $4,231,584 | $2,840,038 | $2,549,014 | $52,599 | 1 | — |
| 2020 | $4,060,202 | $3,331,354 | $3,049,197 | $16,530 | 2 | — |
| 2019 | $3,780,162 | $5,209,260 | $3,723,554 | $1,427,016 | Total only | — |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Karam Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Karam Foundation is a public charity, based in Chicago, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $2.8M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 5 grants totaling $150K. Net investment income was $30K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Karam Foundation is led by Lina Sergie Attar, CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2019); 3 of 11 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lina Sergie Attar
CEO
CEO & Co-Founder → CEO & Founder, 2020
CEO & Founder → CEO, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$97K (2019) → $122K (2024)
Rasha Mansouri
Chairman
Chairman → Board Chair, 2021
Board Chair → Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anna Nolan
Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Omar Salem
Director
Chairman → Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Razan Wafai Massarani
Director
Director → Treasurer, 2020
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharad Samy
Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Rahman
Director
On filings since 2022
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heba AL Ayouby
Director
New on the 2024 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rula Jamous
Treasurer & Dr.fin.
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$91K (2023) → $91K (2024)
Demetri Fadel
Cso
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$105K (2024)
Mamak Shahbazi
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chair, 2020
Vice Chair → Vice Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Aya Samman (2019–2023) — Secretary
- Former: John O'Farell (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Sana Mustafa (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Mohamad Ojjeh (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Ghazi Jeiroudi (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Maya Khater (2019) — Director & Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 $122K, to Lina Sergie Attar (CEO). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Karam Foundation
How much does Karam Foundation give each year?
Karam Foundation gave $150K across 5 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $77K across 3 grants.
What is Karam Foundation's typical grant size?
Karam Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $29,977, across 5 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Karam Foundation give grants?
Karam Foundation's top state is New York, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (28%) and Florida (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Karam Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of Karam Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 5) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Karam Foundation's largest grantees?
Karam Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Paper Airplanes Inc ($42,000), Seeds Film LLC ($39,969) and SYE Initiative INC ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Karam Foundation?
Karam Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.8M.
What is Karam Foundation's EIN?
Karam Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 37-1548241. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Karam Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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