MB and Edna Zale Foundation
The M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1951, it supports individuals and families in building productive and meaningful lives. Its current strategic focus is workforce development and basic needs for young people and young adults, particularly those facing barriers to employment, in selected Texas communities.
MB and Edna Zale Foundation at a glance
In short: MB and Edna Zale Foundation gave $1.5M across 143 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Texas. 43% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,467,150
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 143
- -2.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,260
- +5.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $37,514,761
- +4.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (43 of 99, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (61% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to MB and Edna Zale Foundation
- Review Cycle
- Grant decisions are usually made twice a year; submission deadlines are noted on the foundation’s website.
- Deadline
- Grant decisions are usually made twice a year; submission deadlines are noted on the foundation’s website.
- Contact
Application contact: Emily A Hargrove President
Mailing address: 12801 N Central Expy Suite 430, Dallas, TX 75243
Phone: (214) 855-0627
Website: https://zalefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from MB and Edna Zale Foundation
Who MB and Edna Zale Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas ($276K across 8 grants). Together the top 10 received $677K.
Grant Size Distribution
598 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 567 grants of 598 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s current stated funding geographies are El Paso for basic needs of young mothers and workforce development; Amarillo for workforce development; Dallas ZIP codes 75215 and 75216 for young mothers’ basic needs; and rural East Texas for exploratory learning in both basic needs and workforce development.
Separately, its 2024 filing lists Dallas, New York, Chicago, Portland, and Palm Beach County as preferred locations. In 2024, 61% of grant dollars went to Texas recipients, 19% to New York, 6% to Florida, 3% to Washington, D.C., and 2% to Mississippi.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 143 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is MB and Edna Zale Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 43 of 99 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 43% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $1.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 143 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas Dallas, TX | Social Services | $200,000 |
| Harlem Educational Activities Fund Inc New York, NY | Education & Workforce | $54,000 |
| Florida Atlantic University Foundation Boca Raton, FL | Jewish Culture & Continuity | $50,000 |
| Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas Dallas, TX | Hunger Relief | $45,000 |
| Friends of United Hatzalah Inc New York, NY | Health Care | $36,000 |
| Hebrew Union College-JIR New York, NY | Jewish Culture & Continuity | $36,000 |
| Uvalde Cisd Moving Forward Foundation Uvalde, TX | Education & Workforce | $36,000 |
| Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum Dallas, TX | Education & Workforce | $35,000 |
| Dallas Jewish Community Foundation Dallas, TX | Social Services | $30,000 |
| Goldringwoldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life Jackson, MS | Jewish Culture & Continuity | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with MB and Edna Zale Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $37,514,761 | $5,145,205 | $1,777,001 | $1,467,150 | 143 | $1,805,528 | $4,571,855 | $1,743,998 |
| 2023 | $35,950,872 | $1,545,484 | $1,958,588 | $1,425,730 | 146 | $1,759,258 | $1,253,725 | $1,674,876 |
| 2022 | $33,091,714 | $1,734,291 | $2,854,232 | $1,419,360 | 103 | $1,730,552 | $1,159,847 | $1,695,133 |
| 2021 | $39,630,743 | $3,098,373 | $1,657,472 | $1,437,425 | 101 | $1,723,088 | $2,759,064 | $1,859,285 |
| 2020 | $36,280,858 | $1,822,151 | $1,641,380 | $1,301,308 | 105 | — | $1,555,234 | $1,596,410 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, MB and Edna Zale Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support individuals and families as they build productive and meaningful lives. Its primary areas are:
- Workforce development: Helping young people build skills, access employment, and achieve long-term economic mobility.
- Basic needs: Supporting access to essentials such as housing, childcare, and food, especially for young mothers.
- Jewish culture and continuity: An area the foundation is exploring, but it says it has not yet defined priorities or an application process and is not accepting inquiries or requests related to this work.
The website identifies young people ages 16–24 and older as a focus, particularly young mothers and people facing barriers to employment. Recent grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas says it provides comprehensive health services promoting physical, emotional, nutritional, and financial well-being. Harlem Educational Activities Fund describes its work as tuition-free academic enrichment and career-readiness programming for youth from under-resourced New York City communities. The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum says its mission is to teach Holocaust history and advance human rights.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 143 grants totaling $1,467,150. Grants ranged from $100 to $200,000, with a median award of $5,000.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $200,000 to Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas for social services; $54,000 to Harlem Educational Activities Fund for education and workforce; $50,000 to Florida Atlantic University Foundation for Jewish culture and continuity; and $45,000 to Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas for hunger relief. Other notable awards included $36,000 each to Friends of United Hatzalah for health care and Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation for education and workforce, and $35,000 to Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum for education and workforce.
The foundation welcomes brief introductory inquiries from organizations that closely align with its priorities, population, and geographic regions. Selected organizations may be invited to submit a short proposal or existing materials. Its 2024 filing says applications are made through an online grant-management portal, with grant guidelines available on its website. The filing also states that awards have no restrictions, while preference is given to Dallas, New York, Chicago, Portland, and Palm Beach County. The foundation’s grant-program information says it is currently closed to external grant applications while undergoing strategic planning.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists Emily Hargrove as president; David Fields as secretary/treasurer; and Alison Seltzer Fein, Claudia Zale, David Zale, Jeffrey Landsberg, and Josh Asen as directors. Karen Seltzer is listed as immediate past chair. Donald Zale and Gloria Landsberg are listed as directors emeritus.
The foundation’s website lists Margie Plough as director and chair, Olivia Zale as director and vice chair, and Karen Seltzer as director and immediate past chair in its 2026 board information.
MB and Edna Zale Foundation is led by Emily Hargrove, President on every filing since 2023; 1 of 20 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Emily Hargrove
President
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$153K (2023) → $165K (2024)
Margie Plough
Chairman
Vice Chairman of the Board → Chair of the Board, 2023
Chair of the Board → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Claudia Zale
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David Zale
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Landsberg
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Julisse Levy
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ruth Suzman
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sheryl Fields Bogen
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Josh Asen
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Paul Gerard
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Alison Seltzer Fein
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Lydia Gerard Millhorn
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Melissa Seltzer Payette
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Ethan Rosenberg
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Janet Zale
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Donald Zale
Director Emeritus
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Gloria Landsberg
Director Emeritus
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Karen Seltzer
Immediate Past Chair
Chairman of the Board → Immediate Past Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Olivia Zale
Vice Chair of the Board
Director → Vice Chair of the Board, 2023
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
David Fields
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Leonard R. Krasnow (2020–2023) — President & Retired
- Former: Hannah Zale (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Jacob Levy (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Leah Benjamin (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Dana Z. Gerard (2020–2022) — Immediate Past Chairman
- Former: Jennifer Cox (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Alison Seltzer (2022) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Asen (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: George Tobolowsky (2020–2021) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Melissa Seltzer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sarah Sorkin (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $165K, to Emily Hargrove (President).
Frequently asked questions about MB and Edna Zale Foundation
How much does MB and Edna Zale Foundation give each year?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation gave $1.5M across 143 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 146 grants.
What is MB and Edna Zale Foundation's typical grant size?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,260, across 143 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from MB and Edna Zale Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does MB and Edna Zale Foundation give grants?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (19%) and Florida (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (54 grants), New York, NY (18 grants), Boca Raton, FL (5 grants) and Addison, TX (4 grants).
Does MB and Edna Zale Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 143 grants with a stated purpose on MB and Edna Zale Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education & Workforce" (36 grants), "Social Services" (32 grants) and "Jewish Culture & Continuity" (30 grants).
Who are MB and Edna Zale Foundation's largest grantees?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas ($275,700 across 8 grants), Florida Atlantic University Foundation ($55,000 across 2 grants) and Harlem Educational Activities Fund Inc ($54,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is MB and Edna Zale Foundation?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation reported $37.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does MB and Edna Zale Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support individuals and families as they build productive and meaningful lives. Its primary areas are: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from MB and Edna Zale Foundation?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check zalefoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is MB and Edna Zale Foundation's EIN?
MB and Edna Zale Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6037429. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). MB and Edna Zale Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mb-and-edna-zale-foundation-morg_cad5028baaf944f2b3dd053d1ca2ab3a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_756037429_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{MB and Edna Zale Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mb-and-edna-zale-foundation-morg_cad5028baaf944f2b3dd053d1ca2ab3a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 MB and Edna Zale 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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