Middle Road Foundation
Middle Road Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. It supports a wide variety of causes, with stated areas of focus including education, health care, assistance to refugees and underprivileged members of the Jewish community living in the former Soviet Union, social justice, and local community organizations.
Middle Road Foundation at a glance
In short: Middle Road Foundation gave $992K across 83 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), top state New York. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $991,750
- +13.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 83
- +1.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,949
- +12.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $13,212,627
- +12.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (18 of 83, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (32% 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 Middle Road Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1140 5Th Ave 14A, New York, NY 10128
Phone: (212) 697-6900
Website: https://middleroadfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Middle Road Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Yale Law School ($302K). Together the top 10 received $721K.
Grant Size Distribution
325 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 310 grants of 325 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies New York City, Los Angeles, and the northwest corner of Connecticut as areas where it supports local community organizations. In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (32%), Connecticut (31%), California (18%), Florida (14%), and New Jersey (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 83 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Middle Road Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 83 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 126% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $872K (2023) to $1.0M (2021). In 2024 it made 83 grants totaling $992K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yale Law School New Haven, CT | General Purpose | $302,000 |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Commit New York, NY | General Purpose | $120,000 |
| FSU Foundation Inc Tallahassee, FL | General Purpose | $65,000 |
| US Forum for Israel North Hills, CA | General Purpose | $42,000 |
| 826LA Los Angeles, CA | General Purpose | $40,000 |
| Foundation for Foster Children Winter Park, FL | General Purpose | $35,000 |
| Rising Earth Human Impact Ed Inc Brooklyn, NY | General Purpose | $35,000 |
| The Innocence Project of Florida Tallahassee, FL | General Purpose | $30,000 |
| Eliat Charities Inc Brooklyn, NY | General Purpose | $27,000 |
| Central Park Conservancy Inc New York, NY | General Purpose | $25,000 |
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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 | $13,212,627 | $2,578,533 | $1,096,912 | $991,750 | 83 | $1,013,595 | $2,509,333 | $806,848 |
| 2023 | $11,718,443 | $754,044 | $1,004,324 | $872,050 | 82 | $902,835 | $667,179 | $808,070 |
| 2022 | $11,939,696 | $273,975 | $1,070,718 | $946,750 | 80 | $970,424 | $171,481 | $846,472 |
| 2021 | $13,417,361 | $2,812,375 | $1,196,751 | $1,011,000 | 80 | — | $2,652,921 | $844,980 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Middle Road Foundation reported a distributable amount of $807K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website identifies education, health care, assistance to refugees and underprivileged members of the Jewish community living in the former Soviet Union, social justice, and local community organizations as principal areas of focus.
Its grantees include organizations working in different fields. For example, 826LA says it supports students ages 6 to 18 with creative and expository writing and helps teachers inspire students to write. The Foundation for Foster Children says it creates meaningful connections for children in foster care through personalized support. JCC Rockland describes its work as enriching and sustaining Jewish life and preserving Jewish heritage.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 83 grants totaling $991,750. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $302,000, with a median of $3,000.
The largest reported grants included $302,000 to Yale Law School, $120,000 to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, $65,000 to FSU Foundation, $42,000 to US Forum for Israel, and $40,000 to 826LA. Other reported grants included $35,000 each to Foundation for Foster Children and Rising Earth Human Impact Ed; $30,000 to the Innocence Project of Florida; $27,000 to Eliat Charities; and $25,000 each to Central Park Conservancy, The Esther Project, and The UCLA Foundation. The listed grant purposes were general purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth R. Varet as president and director; David R. Varet as secretary, treasurer, and director; and Sarah R. Varet and Joseph R. Varet as directors.
Middle Road Foundation is led by Elizabeth R. Varet, President & Director since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth R. Varet
President & Director
Chairman, Director & Asst.sec → Chairman, Director & Assistant Secretary, 2022
Chairman, Director & Assistant Secretary → President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph R. Varet
Director
Vice President & Assistant Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah R. Varet
Director
Vice President & Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David R. Varet
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: David B. Buss (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 Middle Road Foundation
How much does Middle Road Foundation give each year?
Middle Road Foundation gave $992K across 83 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $872K across 82 grants.
What is Middle Road Foundation's typical grant size?
Middle Road Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,000, and its average grant was $11,949, across 83 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Middle Road Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Middle Road Foundation give grants?
Middle Road Foundation's top state is New York, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (31%) and California (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (25 grants), Los Angeles, CA (15 grants), Salisbury, CT (7 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (4 grants).
Does Middle Road Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Middle Road Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (83 of 83) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Middle Road Foundation's largest grantees?
Middle Road Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Yale Law School ($302,000), American Jewish Joint Distribution Commit ($120,000) and FSU Foundation Inc ($65,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Middle Road Foundation?
Middle Road Foundation reported $13.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $807K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Middle Road Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website identifies education, health care, assistance to refugees and underprivileged members of the Jewish community living in the former Soviet Union, social justice, and local community organizations as principal areas of focus. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Middle Road 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 Middle Road Foundation's EIN?
Middle Road Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3202345. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Middle Road 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Middle Road Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/middle-road-foundation-morg_3efbf8aa9c4d4a1981be9cf6d4f30b6b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133202345_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Middle Road Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/middle-road-foundation-morg_3efbf8aa9c4d4a1981be9cf6d4f30b6b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Middle Road 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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