Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation
The Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation is a private foundation based in West Hollywood, California. In its 2025 filing, it stated that it supports art, educational, religious, and public institutions through direct grants.
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation gave $597K across 19 grants in 2026 (avg $31K), mostly in California. 26% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $597,270
- +65.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 19
- +72.7% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $31,435
- -4.3% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $9,441,925
- -3.5% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (5 of 19, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (67% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Max Rifkind Barron. Submit a written application describing the applicant’s background and qualifications and the project to be researched.
- Review Cycle
- Applications are considered as they are submitted.
- Deadline
- Applications are considered as they are submitted.
- Contact
Application contact: Max Rifkind Barron
Mailing address: PO Box 69216, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: (310) 699-2942
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Los Angeles County Art Museum ($170K). Together the top 10 received $522K.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 74 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 29% to recipients in New York, and 4% to recipients in Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 5 of 19 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 47% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 36% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2026). 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 2019 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $277K (2020) to $597K (2026). In 2026 it made 19 grants totaling $597K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County Art Museum Los Angeles, CA | Further Goals of the Foundation | $170,000 |
| Film Forum New York, NY | Further Goals of the Foundation | $90,000 |
| Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Los Angeles, CA | Further Goals of the Foundation | $50,000 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Further goals of the foundationfurther goals of the foundation | $50,000 |
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Los Angeles, CA | Further Goals of the Foundation | $31,940 |
| Queer Art Inc New York, NY | Further Goals of the Foundation | $30,000 |
| American Cinematheque Los Angeles, CA | Further Goals of the Foundation | $25,000 |
| Film Independent Los Angeles, CA | Further Goals of the Foundation | $25,000 |
| Sundance Institute Park City, UT | Further Goals of the Foundation | $25,000 |
| The Industry Los Angeles, CA | Further Goals of the Foundation | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $9,441,925 | $517,863 | $864,706 | $597,270 | 19 | $660,951 | $403,538 | $587,594 |
| 2025 | $9,788,768 | $3,130,621 | $562,444 | $361,460 | 11 | $425,141 | $3,026,683 | $504,306 |
| 2024 | $7,220,591 | $262,767 | $574,291 | $384,160 | 10 | $431,740 | $278,764 | $459,807 |
| 2023 | $7,532,115 | $339,927 | $583,506 | $440,560 | 14 | $490,560 | $270,937 | $441,497 |
| 2022 | $7,775,694 | $458,581 | $633,546 | $476,600 | 20 | $538,519 | $365,519 | $473,319 |
| 2021 | $7,950,659 | $279,836 | $671,589 | $524,000 | 29 | — | $265,304 | $417,191 |
| 2020 | $8,342,412 | $2,657,999 | $372,739 | $277,020 | 12 | — | $218,775 | $345,949 |
| 2019 | $6,057,152 | $247,105 | $546,030 | $442,500 | 17 | — | $183,399 | $334,183 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation reported a distributable amount of $588K for 2026 — 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 filing describes its grant support broadly as serving art, educational, religious, and public institutions. Its 2026 grants included museums, universities, film and arts organizations, and a fund for Indigenous peoples.
The grantees’ own mission statements illustrate some of the work represented in its grants. Film Forum describes its work as presenting challenging new films and historically important movies to the public. Queer Art says it supports LGBTQ+ art and artists across generations and disciplines. The American Cinematheque describes its work as building a film community through film curation, conversation, and presentation, while Film Independent says it champions creative independence in visual storytelling and fosters inclusion. The foundation’s filing separately identifies its German Expressionist art collection and its scholar-in-residence program at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $597,270. Itemized grants ranged from $2,000 to $170,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest awards included $170,000 to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, $90,000 to Film Forum, and $50,000 each to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Columbia University. Other grants included $31,940 to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and $30,000 to Queer Art.
The foundation’s 2025 filing says applications should be written and state the applicant’s background and qualifications, along with the project to be researched. It states that there are no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Max Rifkind-Barron as president, Jonathan Davidson as treasurer, and Ed Patuto as director.
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation is led by Max Rifkind-Barron, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Max Rifkind-Barron
President
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$32K (2019) → $90K (2026)
Ed Patuto
Director
On filings since 2025
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Davidson
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Jane Levikow (2019–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $90K, to Max Rifkind-Barron (President).
Frequently asked questions about Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation
How much does Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation give each year?
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation gave $597K across 19 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $361K across 11 grants.
What is Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $25,000, and its average grant was $31,435, across 19 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation that year got $24K on average.
Where does Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation give grants?
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation gives mostly in California: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (29%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (10 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Pasadena, CA (2 grants).
Does Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Further Goals of the Foundation" (14 grants) and "Further the Goals of the Foundation" (4 grants).
Who are Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Los Angeles County Art Museum ($170,000), Film Forum ($90,000) and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures ($50,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation?
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation reported $9.4M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $661K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $588K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its grant support broadly as serving art, educational, religious, and public institutions. Its 2026 grants included museums, universities, film and arts organizations, and a fund for Indigenous peoples. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation?
Contact Max Rifkind Barron. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's EIN?
Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3397350. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 8, 2019)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-gore-rifkind-foundation-morg_630340c0ecbc4722941aed15c8eceb9c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953397350_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-gore-rifkind-foundation-morg_630340c0ecbc4722941aed15c8eceb9c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Robert Gore Rifkind 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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