Paulson Family Foundation
The Paulson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in West Palm Beach, Florida. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including education, the arts, health research, Jewish life, and historic preservation.
Paulson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Paulson Family Foundation gave $6.6M across 44 grants in 2024 (avg $150K), mostly in New York. 39% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,596,528
- -90.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 44
- -13.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $149,921
- -88.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $1,388,610,735
- -0.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (17 of 44, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (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 Paulson Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The filing lists John Paulson as the contact, with application materials recorded as N/A and awards decided on a case-by-case basis.
- Contact
Application contact: John Paulson
Mailing address: 180 Lakeview Suite 1810, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: (212) 350-5151
Website: https://paulsonco.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Paulson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Manhattan Institute ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $5.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($46,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
213 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 213 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 16% to Florida, 15% to California, and 4% to Massachusetts; 2% was listed with no state specified.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Paulson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 44 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $156K; repeat grants $146K. How we count
Medians: $36K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 48% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 88% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 12% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $6.6M (2024) to $67.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 44 grants totaling $6.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan Institute New York, NY | To support the development of new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility. | $2,000,000 |
| Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream Santa Monica, CA | To support people with a dream, the drive to achieve it, by providing the opportunity to make it come true through good health, good education and an economic system that works for all | $750,000 |
| Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach Palm Beach, FL | To protect and celebrate the architectural, botanical, and cultural heritage of palm beach | $700,000 |
| The UJA Federation New York, NY | To feed the hungry, enhance mental health services, and sustain Jewish institutions | $500,000 |
| Success Academy Charter Schools New York, NY | To provide students of all background with high quality education. | $250,000 |
| Princess Grace Foundation- USA New York, NY | To elevate extraordinary emerging artists in theater, dance, and film via awards in the form of grants, scholarships, and fellowships. | $242,200 |
| Harvard University Business School Boston, MA | To support the mission of harvard to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society. | $200,000 |
| JOHN PAULSON CAMPUS for JEWISH LIFE Miami Beach, FL | To provide the education and means to promote Jewish awareness, knowledge and practice. | $185,000 |
| Prostate Cancer Foundation Santa Monica, CA | To Support the Foundation's Efforts in Cancer Research. | $150,000 |
| Fund for Public Schools Inc New York, NY | To support some of the most innovative programs in 3K-12 education | $110,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Paulson Family 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 | $1,388,610,735 | $11,984,460 | $7,252,854 | $6,596,528 | 44 | $6,596,528 | $11,984,460 | $54,694,097 |
| 2023 | $1,400,869,609 | $28,195,371 | $66,858,447 | $66,626,602 | 51 | $66,626,602 | $36,176,469 | $46,006,538 |
| 2022 | $1,473,216,498 | $-29,391,565 | $67,814,177 | $67,458,540 | 43 | $67,458,540 | $451,784 | $49,503,859 |
| 2021 | $1,572,478,216 | $-118,029,619 | $55,211,715 | $54,805,668 | 36 | $54,805,668 | $480,215 | $63,106,396 |
| 2020 | $1,747,341,667 | $-1,479,630 | $28,225,801 | $28,045,702 | 39 | — | $690,948 | $73,246,972 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paulson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $54.7M 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
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Success Academy Charter Schools describes its mission as building public schools that help students from all backgrounds succeed in college and life. The Prostate Cancer Foundation says it funds research into prostate cancer biology and treatment, while the Princess Grace Foundation-USA says it supports emerging talent in theater, dance, and film. Other 2024 recipients included organizations focused on Jewish life and education, depression research, and preservation of Palm Beach’s architectural, botanical, and cultural heritage.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 44 grants totaling $6,596,528. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $2,000,000, with a median of $50,000.
Among the largest grants were $2,000,000 to the Manhattan Institute; $750,000 to the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream; $700,000 to the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach; and $500,000 to the UJA Federation. Other grants included $250,000 to Success Academy Charter Schools, $242,200 to the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, $200,000 to Harvard University Business School, and $150,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John Paulson as director, president, and secretary, and Lebin Mathew as treasurer.
Paulson Family Foundation is led by John Paulson, Director President & Secretary since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Paulson
Director President & Secretary
Director & Treasurer → Director, President & Secretary, 2023
Director, President & Secretary → Director President & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lebin Mathew
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Christopher Papagianis (2020–2022) — President
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.
Frequently asked questions about Paulson Family Foundation
How much does Paulson Family Foundation give each year?
Paulson Family Foundation gave $6.6M across 44 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $66.6M across 51 grants.
What is Paulson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Paulson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $149,921, across 44 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Paulson Family Foundation that year got $156K on average.
Where does Paulson Family Foundation give grants?
Paulson Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (16%) and California (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (18 grants), Southampton, NY (5 grants), West Palm Beach, FL (4 grants) and Santa Monica, CA (2 grants).
Does Paulson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of Paulson Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 44) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Paulson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Paulson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Manhattan Institute ($2,000,000), Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream ($750,000) and Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach ($700,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($46,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Paulson Family Foundation?
Paulson Family Foundation reported $1.4B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $54.7M (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 Paulson Family Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Success Academy Charter Schools describes its mission as building public schools that help students from all backgrounds succeed in college and life. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Paulson Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Paulson Family Foundation's EIN?
Paulson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3922995. 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). Paulson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/paulson-family-foundation-morg_bc353550d0f34b9e8750755a7282f28b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263922995_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Paulson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/paulson-family-foundation-morg_bc353550d0f34b9e8750755a7282f28b},
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 Paulson 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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