Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus
The Martha Washington Straus-Harry H Straus Foundation Inc is a private foundation incorporated in 1949 and based in Stamford, Connecticut. It operates as a family foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$842K
+28.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$704K
+6.8% YoY
Grant Count
65
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+6.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus reported a distributable amount of $694K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Health: Medical research, education, hospitals, and health associations
- Education
- Religious institutions: Roman Catholic and Jewish religious organizations
- Social services: Support for persons with disabilities and federated giving programs
- Philanthropy and voluntarism: Grantmaking and related activities
Grantmaking
Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- New York
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2024):
- Total assets: $842,202
- Total giving: $704,000
- Total revenues: $899,533
- Total expenses: $714,992
Previous Year (2023):
- Total distributions: $659,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $842,202 | $657,661 | $727,259 |
| Revenue | $899,533 | $603,260 | $634,522 |
| Expenses | $714,992 | $672,858 | $695,094 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $704,000 | $659,000 | $683,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $899,383 | $602,390 | $633,713 |
| Distributable Amount | $693,845 | $663,140 | $676,032 |
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
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Columbia University Huntington Disease Center ($38,000), Boston College ($25,000), Georgetown University ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE BRONX, NY | MEDICAL | $5,000 |
| AMERICARES FOUNDATION STAMFORD, CT | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | $18,000 |
| ASHEVILLE SCHOOL ASHEVILLE, NC | EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| AUTISM RESEARCH INSTITUTE SAN DIEGO, CA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $15,000 |
| BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY BRILOFF MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND BINGHAMPTON, NY | EDUCATION | $15,000 |
| BOSTON COLLEGE NEWTONVILLE, MA | EDUCATION | $25,000 |
| BREVARD MUSIC CENTER BREVARD, NC | ART, MUSIC | $5,000 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES ARCHDIOCES OF WASHINGTON WASHINGTON, DC | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | $5,000 |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES BALTIMORE, MD | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | $10,000 |
| CHRISTOPHER & DANA REEVE FOUNDATION SHORT HILLS, NJ | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members and Directors:
- Thomas R King (Director/Manager)
- David L Straus (Director)
- Hillary J Straus (Director)
- Patricia Gerleit (Director)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS R KING | DIRECTOR/MANAGER | — | — |
| DAVID L STRAUS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| HILLARY J STRAUS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| PATRICIA GERLEIT | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 10 Skyline Lane Stamford, CT 06903
Telephone: 203-329-3786
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • **Health**: Medical research, education, hospitals, and health associations • **Education** • **Religious institutions**: Roman Catholic and Jewish religious organizations • **Social services**: Support for persons with disabilities and federated giving programs • **Philanthropy and voluntarism**: Grantmaking and related activities
How do I apply for a grant from Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $38,000 • Median grant amount: $10,000 • Maximum grant amount: $38,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** Recent grants include: • Georgetown University: $25,000 (Education) • Lustgarten Foundation: $20,000 (Medical Research) • St Jude Children's Research Hospital: $20,000 (Medical Research) The foundation made 65 grants in its most recent filing period.
Where does Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • New York • District of Columbia • Maryland
What size grants does Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus award?
In 2024, Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus awarded 65 grants totaling $704K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus reported a distributable amount of $694K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus's EIN?
Martha Washington Straus-harry H Straus's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0645526. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.