Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation
MICHAEL AND DEBORAH RATNER SALZBERG is a private foundation based in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Its 2025 filing lists Deborah R Salzberg as president, director, and secretary, and Michael Salzberg as vice president and director.
Key facts about Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation
In short: Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation gave $575K across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), top state Maryland. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-8004524
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $575,291
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- Average grant
- $14,031
- Median grant
- $3,600
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (12 of 39, 2025)
- Total assets
- $2,658,731
- Primary geography
- Maryland (48% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7M
-15.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$575K
+2.6% YoY
Grant Count
41
+5.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-2.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $169K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 39 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 340% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the National Archives Foundation says it supports the Archivist of the United States in developing programs, technology, projects, and materials that introduce the Archives and interpret its holdings. The Federal City Council says it focuses Washington, DC’s business and civic leaders on the city’s challenges and opportunities. Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation says it provides philanthropic support for health care, patient and family support, clinical innovation, caregiver education, and community health services.
Other 2025 grantees describe work in the arts and community services. The Washington Ballet says it presents classic and contemporary ballet, provides dance training, and serves the community through dance education. Martha’s Table says it works to strengthen children, families, and communities through access to education, healthy food, and family supports. N Street Village says it supports homeless and low-income women in areas including housing, income, health, and recovery.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 41 grants totaling $575,291. Grant amounts ranged from $600 to $250,000, with a median grant of $3,600. Among the largest awards were $250,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for its 2025 annual fund, $60,000 to the National Archives Foundation for its annual fund, $47,500 to the National Symphony Orchestra Association of Washington, DC, for its annual fund and the Noseda Era Fund, and $40,000 to the Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, DC, for its annual fund. Other grants included $25,000 to the Federal City Council and $20,000 to Independence Initiative Inc. for the Democracy Rising Collaborative Fund.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Ready to take the next step with Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 48% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland and 44% to recipients in Washington, DC. Smaller shares went to New York (3%), Pennsylvania (2%), and Ohio (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $293K (2020) to $635K (2021). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $575K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish Federation of Greater Washington ($250K). Together the top 10 received $487K.
Grant Size Distribution
171 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 158 grants of 171 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Greater Washington North Bethesda, MD | 2025 Annual Fund | $250,000 |
| National Archives Foundation Washington, DC | Annual Fund | $60,000 |
| Natl Symphony Orchestra Assoc of Washington DC Washington, DC | Annual Fund-$35,000 and the Noseda Era Fund-$12,500 | $47,500 |
| Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington DC Washington, DC | Annual Fund | $40,000 |
| Federal City Council Washington, DC | Annual Fund | $25,000 |
| Independence Initiative Inc Washington, DC | Democracy Rising Collaborative Fund | $20,000 |
| Brooklyn Community Housing & Services Brooklyn, NY | Annual Fund | $10,000 |
| Medstar Health Columbia, MD | Annual Fund | $10,000 |
| Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation Washington, DC | Meditation Garden Fund | $10,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Wharton School-Urban Research and Education Fund | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $575,291 | 41 |
| 2024 | $560,957 | 39 |
| 2023 | $418,895 | 32 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,658,731 | $3,145,125 | $3,595,363 |
| Revenue | $98,217 | $120,850 | $116,012 |
| Expenses | $584,611 | $571,088 | $425,209 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $575,534 | $561,191 | $419,024 |
| Net Investment Income | $91,418 | $114,747 | $116,048 |
| Distributable Amount | $169,476 | $176,793 | $178,915 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Deborah R Salzberg as president, director, and secretary, and Michael Salzberg as vice president and director.
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation is led by Deborah R. Salzberg, President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Deborah R. Salzberg
President, Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Salzberg
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 3401 Tuttle Road 350, Shaker Heights, OH 44122
Phone: (440) 345-3687
Frequently asked questions about Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation
How much does Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation give each year?
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation gave $575K across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $561K across 39 grants.
What is Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,600, and its average grant was $14,031, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation give grants?
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's top state is Maryland, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was District of Columbia (44%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (22 grants), North Bethesda, MD (2 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Silver Spring, MD (2 grants).
Does Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 41) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish Federation of Greater Washington ($250,000), National Archives Foundation ($60,000) and Natl Symphony Orchestra Assoc of Washington DC ($51,596 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation?
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $576K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $169K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's EIN?
Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8004524. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Michael and Deborah Ratner Salzberg Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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