Koret Foundation
The Koret Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California, dedicated to creating a vibrant Bay Area and strengthening the worldwide Jewish community. Established in 1979 by Joseph Koret following his wife Stephanie's passing, the foundation has distributed over $1 billion in grants since 1980.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$315.5M
-19.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$36.4M
-8.7% YoY
Grant Count
293
-8.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$124K
-0.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Koret Foundation reported a distributable amount of $16.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's work is grounded in traditional Jewish principles and values, including:
- Limmud (learning and teaching)
- Kavod habriyot (dignity and worth of the individual)
- Kehillah (community)
The foundation invests in effective community organizations and is deeply committed to innovation, testing new ideas, and serving as a catalyst by bringing people and organizations together to help solve social problems of common concern.
Primary Funding Areas
- Educational opportunities
- Arts and cultural initiatives
- Jewish community projects
- Programs serving vulnerable populations
- Bay Area community strengthening
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations may introduce themselves through the foundation's contact page. The foundation operates with a trust-based approach to grantmaking, emphasizing flexible, responsive, and adaptive funding with long-term relationships over transactional funding.
Grant Range
** $1,000 - $2,050,000
Average Grant
** Approximately $50,000
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations may introduce themselves through the foundation's contact page. The foundation operates with a trust-based approach to grantmaking, emphasizing flexible, responsive, and adaptive funding with long-term relationships over transactional funding.
Ready to take the next step with Koret Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds in three primary areas:
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Israel
- Worldwide Jewish community
The foundation has a significant focus on California and supports initiatives across numerous U.S. states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue
- Total Assets (2024): $315,527,122
- Total Assets (2023): $393 million
- Total Revenue (2024): $34,417,583
- Total Revenue (2023): $11 million
- Total Expenses (2024): $40,398,430
- Total Expenses (2023): $65.4 million
Organization Details
- Founded: 1966 (tax-exempt status); 1979 (foundation established)
- EIN: 94-1624987
- Tax Status: 501(c)(3)
- Staff Size: 7 employees
- Address: 611 Front Street, San Francisco, California 94111
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $315,527,122 | $392,510,686 | $465,244,923 |
| Revenue | $34,417,583 | $11,020,210 | $29,789,138 |
| Expenses | $40,398,430 | $65,404,795 | $54,705,095 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $41,104,004 | $44,919,563 | $49,291,949 |
| Net Investment Income | $24,345,169 | $149,391,292 | $16,155,548 |
| Distributable Amount | $16,481,517 | $18,904,971 | $22,511,509 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Friends of the Tel Aviv University Inc ($2,000,000), American Israel Education Foundation Inc ($1,500,000), American Israel Education Foundation Inc ($1,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 42ND STREET MOON SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| 826 VALENCIA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAMS | $20,000 |
| AFFORDABILITY PROJECT INC SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT IN HONOR OF THE CATALYST FUNDRAISER | $30,000 |
| AHA FOUNDATION INC BETHESDA, MD | CRITICAL THINKING FELLOWSHIP | $50,000 |
| ALONZO KING LINES BALLET SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| AMERICA FIRST INC ROSSLYN, VA | HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM INITIATIVE | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE INC NEW YORK, NY | BILATERAL COLLABORATION ON CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA RESEARCH BETWEEN THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATRE FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | BOLD ACCESS INITIATIVE | $150,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF POLIN MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF POLISH JEWS INC NEW YORK, NY | POLIN MUSEUM DONOR COUNCIL | $40,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL MUSEUM NEW YORK, NY | VISITOR BOOKLETS FOR THE ISRAEL MUSEUM'S "MOST LIKELY: DESIGNERS, ARCHAEOLOGISTS, AND MYSTERIOUS OBJECTS" EXHIBIT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors
- Michael J. Boskin – President
- Anita Friedman – President
- Richard L. Greene – Director
- Abraham D. Sofaer – Director
Staff
- Jeffrey A. Farber – Chief Executive Officer
- Marlena Wong – Chief Financial Officer
- Danielle Foreman – Director of Programs
- Ashley Rodwick – Senior Program Officer
- Rachel Schonwetter – Program Officer
- Ellen Lathrop – Associate Program and Communications Officer
- Jamie Wong – Finance & Operations Manager
- Alison Wong Stein – Senior Manager of Grants Operations
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL J BOSKIN | DIRECTOR | 15 | $39,000 |
| ANITA FRIEDMAN | DIRECTOR | 15 | $35,000 |
| RICHARD L GREENE SEE STATEMENT 24 | DIRECTOR | 6 | $38,500 |
| ABRAHAM D SOFAER | DIRECTOR | 6 | $36,500 |
| JEFFREY FARBER | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 38 | $573,710 |
| MARLENA WONG | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 38 | $313,924 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced several major initiatives and grants in recent years:
Koret Foundation injects $6M into Bay Area's major arts institutionsAnnouncement of $50 million in grants to Bay Area colleges and universities
Koret announces $50 million in grants to Bay Area colleges and universities$6 million injection into Bay Area's major arts institutions
Koret Foundation injects $6M into Bay Area's major arts institutionsSupport for cross-disciplinary research at Stanford University
Cross-disciplinary research: Stanford University - Koret FoundationGrantee spotlight on Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School's ambitious renovation project
Jewish Story Partners announces spring 2022 granteesSupport for SF Opera's world premiere of "The Monkey King" in November 2025
Funding for Israel on Campus Coalition to empower student advocacy and promote dialogue
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Koret Foundation fund?
The foundation's work is grounded in traditional Jewish principles and values, including: • **Limmud** (learning and teaching) • **Kavod habriyot** (dignity and worth of the individual) • **Kehillah** (community) The foundation invests in effective community organizations and is deeply committed to innovation, testing new ideas, and serving as a catalyst by bringing people and organizations together to help solve social problems of common concern. • Educational opportunities • Arts and cultural…
How do I apply for a grant from Koret Foundation?
• **Annual Giving (2024):** $36.4 million • **Total Grants Made (2024):** 284 awards • **Grant Range:** $1,000 - $2,050,000 • **Average Grant:** Approximately $50,000 • **Median Grant:** $25,000 The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations may introduce themselves through the foundation's contact page. The foundation operates with a trust-based approach to grantmaking, emphasizing flexible, responsive, and adaptive funding with long-term relationships over transactiona…
Where does Koret Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds in three primary areas: • San Francisco Bay Area • Israel • Worldwide Jewish community The foundation has a significant focus on California and supports initiatives across numerous U.S. states.
What size grants does Koret Foundation award?
In 2024, Koret Foundation awarded 293 grants totaling $36.4M — an average of about $124K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Koret Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Koret Foundation reported a distributable amount of $16.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Koret Foundation's EIN?
Koret Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1624987. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Koret Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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