Mb and Edna Zale Foundation
The M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation is a private charitable foundation based in Dallas, Texas, established to support individuals and families as they build productive and meaningful lives. Incorporated in 1951 and tax-exempt since April 1953, the foundation operates as a family foundation with five generations of the Zale family actively involved in its governance and grantmaking decisions.
Key facts about Mb and Edna Zale Foundation
- EIN
- 75-6037429
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,467,150
- Grants made (2024)
- 143
- Average grant
- $10,260
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $37,514,761
- Primary geography
- Texas (61% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.
Who Mb and Edna Zale Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Mb and Edna Zale Foundation's 143 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (61%), 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). None of its 143 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education & Workforce" (36 grants), "Social Services" (32 grants) and "Jewish Culture & Continuity" (30 grants).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$37.5M
+4.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+2.9% YoY
Grant Count
143
-2.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+5.1% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support individuals and families as they build productive and meaningful lives. The foundation is guided by the values of L'Dor V'Dor (from generation to generation), which emphasize:
- Respect (Kavod) — honoring the time, knowledge, and commitment of board members, family, and philanthropic partners
- Partnership (Areyvut) — cultivating relationships grounded in mutual responsibility and shared purpose
- Integrity (Derech Eretz) — acting with honesty, transparency, and consistency
- Commitment to Impact (Tikkun Olam) — repairing the world and making meaningful, sustainable impact
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Health and healthcare services
- Human services
- Jewish heritage and continuity
- Programs serving the poor and disenfranchised
- Family strengthening and child development
- Senior services
- Job skills training and workforce development
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants primarily in communities where family members live, work, or have interests. Family members convene twice annually (spring and fall) to review and approve grants.
Grant Range
$5,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $13,800
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grants are made primarily in the following communities:
- Dallas County, Texas
- Palm Beach County, Florida
- New York, New York (including parts of Westchester and Nassau Counties and the North Shore of Long Island)
The foundation also supports various other cities and states across the United States where family members reside or have interests.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 143 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $37,514,761
- Total revenues: $5,145,205
- Total expenses: $1,777,001
- Total giving: $1,467,150
- Giving rate: 3.9% of assets
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $36,000,000
- Total revenues: $1,550,000
- Total expenses: $1,960,000
- Total liabilities: $872,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $37,514,761 | $35,950,872 | $33,091,714 |
| Revenue | $5,145,205 | $1,545,484 | $1,734,291 |
| Expenses | $1,777,001 | $1,958,588 | $2,854,232 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,805,528 | $1,759,258 | $1,730,552 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,571,855 | $1,253,725 | $1,159,847 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,743,998 | $1,674,876 | $1,695,133 |
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
598 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Mb and Edna Zale Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas ($275,700 across 8 grants), Florida Atlantic University Foundation ($55,000 across 2 grants), Harlem Educational Activities Fund Inc ($54,000).
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors (2026):
- Margie Plough, Director and Chair (FL)
- Olivia Zale, Director and Vice Chair (IL)
- Karen Seltzer, Director and Immediate Past Chair (NY)
- Donald Zale, Director and Chair Emeritus (TX)
- David Fields, Secretary/Treasurer (TX)
- Emily Hargrove, President (TX)
- Leah Benjamin, Director (MA)
- Sheryl Fields Bog, Director
Staff:
- 2 employees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALISON SELTZER FEIN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CLAUDIA ZALE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DAVID FIELDS | SECRETARY/TREASURER | — | — |
| DAVID ZALE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DONALD ZALE | DIRECTOR EMERITUS | — | — |
| EMILY HARGROVE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $165,120 |
| GLORIA LANDSBERG | DIRECTOR EMERITUS | — | — |
| JEFFREY LANDSBERG | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOSH ASEN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| KAREN SELTZER | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR | — | — |
| LYDIA GERARD MILLHORN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MARGIE PLOUGH | CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| MELISSA SELTZER PAYETTE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| OLIVIA ZALE | VICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD | — | — |
| PAUL GERARD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| RUTH SUZMAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SHERYL FIELDS BOGEN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ETHAN ROSENBERG | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JANET ZALE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JULISSE LEVY | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 12801 N Central Expy Ste 430, Dallas, TX 75243-1716
- Phone: 214-855-0627
- Website: zalefoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mb and Edna Zale Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to support individuals and families as they build productive and meaningful lives. The foundation is guided by the values of L'Dor V'Dor (from generation to generation), which emphasize: • **Respect (Kavod)** — honoring the time, knowledge, and commitment of board members, family, and philanthropic partners • **Partnership (Areyvut)** — cultivating relationships grounded in mutual responsibility and shared purpose • **Integrity (Derech Eretz)** — acting with honesty,…
How do I apply for a grant from Mb and Edna Zale Foundation?
The foundation makes grants primarily in communities where family members live, work, or have interests. Family members convene twice annually (spring and fall) to review and approve grants. **Grant Activity:** • Total giving (2024): $1,467,150 • Number of grants (2024): 115 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $90,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $13,800 **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF): $54,000 (Education & Workforce) • Flo…
Where does Mb and Edna Zale Foundation make grants?
Grants are made primarily in the following communities: • Dallas County, Texas • Palm Beach County, Florida • New York, New York (including parts of Westchester and Nassau Counties and the North Shore of Long Island) The foundation also supports various other cities and states across the United States where family members reside or have interests.
What size grants does Mb and Edna Zale Foundation award?
In 2024, Mb and Edna Zale Foundation awarded 143 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mb and Edna Zale Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mb and Edna Zale Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mb and Edna Zale 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.