Max Kagan Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Auburn, ME EIN: 01-6019033

The Max Kagan Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Auburn, Maine. Its 2024 filing lists 85 grants totaling $313,565, with grant purposes reported as operational support. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 75 grants totaling $196,900.

Max Kagan Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Max Kagan Family Foundation gave $197K across 75 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Massachusetts. 57% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$196,900
-37.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
75
-11.8% vs 2024
Average grant
$2,625
-28.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,800
Total assets
$3,963,001
+0.3% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
57% first-time grantees (43 of 75, 2025)
Primary geography
Massachusetts (24% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Max Kagan Family Foundation

How to Apply

The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The filing names Dr. Candace K. Platz as the contact. Application form and materials, restrictions on awards, and deadlines are listed as N/A.

Contact

Application contact: Dr Candace K Platz
Mailing address: PO Box 1240, Auburn, ME 04211
Phone: (207) 576-1170

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Max Kagan Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Pals Skyhope: $15KPals Skyhope$15KAngels for Angels: $12KAngels for Angels$12KMaine Jewish Museum: $10KMaine Jewish Museum$10KTucson Jewish Museum: $8KTucson Jewish Museum$8KMaine Holocaust & Human Rights: $7KMaine Holocaust & Human Rights$7KCure Alzheimers Fund: $6KCure Alzheimers Fund$6KTemple Shalom Synagogue: $5KTemple Shalom Synagogue$5KRiding to the Top: $5KRiding to the Top$5KETZ Chaim: $5KETZ Chaim$5KJewish Fed of Collier County: $5KJewish Fed of Collier County$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Pals Skyhope ($15K). Together the top 10 received $77K.

Grant Size Distribution

409 grants across all recorded years

409<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 409 grants of 409 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (29%), Massachusetts (15%), Florida (15%), Maine (11%), and California (10%).

Grant Distribution by State

22states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 75 itemized grants.

Cities

NaplesNew YorkGloucesterBostonLewistonPortlandChicagoLexingtonFraminghamAuburnBangorCambridgeCoral GablesWashingtonDeerfieldEssexFarmingdaleFreeportSan FranciscoWellesley Hills

Is Max Kagan Family Foundation open to new grantees?

57%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 43 of 75 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 71% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K78 grants2020 85 grants2021 92 grants2022 72 grants2023 85 grants2024 75 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $197K (2025) to $314K (2024). In 2025 it made 75 grants totaling $197K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Pals Skyhope Farmingdale, NYOperational Support$15,000
Angels for Angels Seattle, WAOperational Support$11,600
Maine Jewish Museum Portland, MEOperational Support$10,000
Tucson Jewish Museum Tucson, AZOperational Support$7,500
Maine Holocaust & Human Rights Augusta, MEOperational Support$7,000
Cure Alzheimers Fund Wellesley Hills, MAOperational Support$5,500
Temple Shalom Synagogue Auburn, MEOperational Support$5,000
Riding to the Top Windham, MEOperational Support$5,000
ETZ Chaim Portland, MEOperational Support$5,000
Jewish Fed of Collier County Naples, FLOperational Support$5,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$3,963,001$317,636$247,955$196,90075$203,972$228,853$289,297
2024$3,952,869$577,273$384,887$313,56585$321,042$470,993$264,134
2023$3,760,483$290,617$268,346$212,40072$217,803$200,446$240,191
2022$3,738,212$335,774$336,004$255,22092$261,282$234,542$241,169
2021$3,738,442$660,491$324,280$245,61585$254,509$555,079$266,552
2020$3,402,231$464,264$352,388$299,42078—$346,172$228,480

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Max Kagan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $289K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose work spans several areas. For example, Brooke USA says it supports sustainable equine welfare programs across multiple regions, while Friends of Yad Sarah describes providing services to ill and injured people in Israel. American Friends of Magen David Adom says it supports the life-saving efforts of Magen David Adom in Israel. Other 2024 recipients include organizations that describe their work as combating antisemitism and hate, supporting people with Huntington’s disease and their families, and providing social, vocational, and educational connections for people with disabilities.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 85 grants totaling $313,565. Awards ranged from $100 to $20,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Among the largest grants were $20,000 to Friends of Israel Defense Force, $13,750 to Brooke USA, $12,500 to Friends of Yad Sarah, and $11,250 to Palsskyhope. The listed purpose for these grants was operational support. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 75 grants totaling $196,900.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Richard Grossman, Dr. Candace K. Platz, Daniel Kagan, and Nikki Kagan Harishonm as trustees.

Max Kagan Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Candace K. Platz

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Richard Grossman

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Daniel Kagan

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nikki Kagan Harishonm

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Leahgrace Brienna Kayler (2020–2023) — Trustee
  • Former: Ronald Striar (2020–2023) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Max Kagan Family Foundation

How much does Max Kagan Family Foundation give each year?

Max Kagan Family Foundation gave $197K across 75 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $314K across 85 grants.

What is Max Kagan Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Max Kagan Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,800, and its average grant was $2,625, across 75 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Max Kagan Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.

Where does Max Kagan Family Foundation give grants?

Max Kagan Family Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (24%) and Maine (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Naples, FL (10 grants), Gloucester, MA (7 grants), New York, NY (6 grants) and Chicago, IL (4 grants).

Does Max Kagan Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Max Kagan Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (75 of 75) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Max Kagan Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Max Kagan Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Pals Skyhope ($15,000), Angels for Angels ($11,600) and Maine Jewish Museum ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Max Kagan Family Foundation?

Max Kagan Family Foundation reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $204K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $289K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Max Kagan Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose work spans several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Max Kagan Family Foundation?

The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Max Kagan Family Foundation's EIN?

Max Kagan Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-6019033. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 2, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Max Kagan Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/max-kagan-family-foundation-morg_a2ba0eab892e45aab0b64473b4a1d10c

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_016019033_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Max Kagan Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/max-kagan-family-foundation-morg_a2ba0eab892e45aab0b64473b4a1d10c},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-11-03. 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 Max Kagan Family 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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