Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation
The Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Rockville, Maryland. Its 2025 grants supported organizations including schools, a congregation, a hospital foundation, and other charitable organizations.
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation gave $111K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Maryland. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $110,512
- -70.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- -29.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,209
- -58.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,217
- Total assets
- $2,362,019
- +13.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a letter of solicitation to Ellen Exelbert. Awards are restricted to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Ellen Exelbert
Mailing address: 507 Oak Knoll Terrace, Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (301) 251-8522
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Charles E Smith Jewish Day School ($31K). Together the top 10 received $110K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 73 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland, 12% to recipients in Washington, DC, and 7% to recipients in New York. The filing also reports less than 1% to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $180; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $180 first-time, $5K repeat.
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $111K (2025) to $374K (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $111K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charles E Smith Jewish Day School Rockville, MD | General Support | $31,138 |
| Suburban Hospital Foundation Bethesda, MD | Completed Pledge | $19,910 |
| Ohr Kodesh Congregation Chevy Chase, MD | General Support | $18,000 |
| Sela PCS Washington, DC | General Support | $10,000 |
| The Torah School of Greater Washington Silver Spring, MD | PLEDGE 2024 | $10,000 |
| Chabad of Potomac Potomac, MD | General Support | $5,225 |
| Jewish National Fund New York, NY | General Support | $5,209 |
| Yeshiva of Greater DC Silver Spring, MD | General Support | $5,000 |
| America Gives Washington, DC | General Support | $3,350 |
| The Tikvah Fund New York, NY | General Support | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ruth & Samuel Salzberg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,362,019 | $116,484 | $115,362 | $110,512 | 12 | $112,137 | $112,406 | $108,579 |
| 2024 | $2,088,079 | $98,926 | $380,268 | $374,287 | 17 | $375,862 | $97,351 | $107,521 |
| 2023 | $2,061,653 | $158,437 | $154,280 | $150,400 | 18 | $151,926 | $156,937 | $95,162 |
| 2022 | $1,913,401 | $61,418 | $150,712 | $149,750 | 11 | $149,750 | $61,418 | $98,373 |
| 2021 | $858,990 | $22,843 | $150,918 | $150,200 | 15 | $150,200 | $69,192 | $100,159 |
| 2020 | $987,065 | $61,334 | $145,636 | $145,636 | 11 | — | $69,905 | $91,144 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $109K for 2025 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations including Jewish schools and community organizations, a hospital foundation, and other charitable organizations.
Suburban Hospital Foundation states that it raises and distributes philanthropic gifts in support of Suburban Hospital’s programs and priorities. America Gives describes its mission as providing information about charities and promoting and facilitating philanthropy. Camp Avoda says it provides Jewish boys with a safe, nurturing summer environment and fosters teamwork, leadership, self-confidence, and respect.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $110,512. Grant amounts ranged from $180 to $31,138, with a median grant of $5,217. The largest grants included $31,138 to Charles E Smith Jewish Day School for general support, $19,910 to Suburban Hospital Foundation for a completed pledge, and $18,000 to Ohr Kodesh Congregation for general support. Other grants included $10,000 to Sela PCS for general support and $10,000 to The Torah School of Greater Washington for a 2024 pledge.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ellen Exelbert as president and treasurer, Arthur Salzberg as vice president, and Michael Salzberg as secretary.
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation is led by Ellen Exelbert, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen Exelbert
President & Treasurer
Vice President & Treasurer → President & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Arthur Salzberg
Vice President
Vice President & Secretary → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Salzberg
Secretary
President → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/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.
Frequently asked questions about Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation
How much does Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation give each year?
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation gave $111K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $374K across 17 grants.
What is Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,217, and its average grant was $9,209, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation that year got $180 on average.
Where does Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation give grants?
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (12%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Silver Spring, MD (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 83% of Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Charles E Smith Jewish Day School ($31,138), Suburban Hospital Foundation ($19,910) and Ohr Kodesh Congregation ($18,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation?
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $112K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $109K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations including Jewish schools and community organizations, a hospital foundation, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation?
Submit a letter of solicitation to Ellen Exelbert. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's EIN?
Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-6051254. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ruth & Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-and-samuel-salzberg-family-foundation-morg_9b2e5cfc25864d408eca69a2085f6e3c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_526051254_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ruth \& Samuel Salzberg Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-and-samuel-salzberg-family-foundation-morg_9b2e5cfc25864d408eca69a2085f6e3c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Ruth & Samuel Salzberg 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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