Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation
The Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Paula, California. In its 2025 filing, it reported 14 grants totaling $33,375 to charitable organizations, including organizations working on clean water and community well-being, wildlife conservation, education, health care, and guide dogs for people with vision loss.
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation at a glance
In short: Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation gave $33K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in California. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $33,375
- +35.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,384
- +16.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,650
- Total assets
- $329,966
- +38.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (4 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (66% 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 & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 12495 Koenigstein Road, Santa Paula, CA 93060
Phone: (310) 310-3743
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Samburu Project ($13K). Together the top 10 received $31K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 56 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 66% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 18% to New York, 6% each to Virginia and Colorado, and 3% to the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 14 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 38% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 197% 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 $19K (2023) to $33K (2025). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $33K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Samburu Project Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $13,275 |
| Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA Laguna Hills, CA | General Support | $3,000 |
| Lewa Wildlife Conservancy USA New York, NY | General Support | $2,500 |
| Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY | General Support | $2,500 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America Alexandria, VA | General Support | $2,000 |
| The Sarara Foundation Reteti Elephant Sanctuary Denver, CO | General Support | $2,000 |
| Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $1,800 |
| Kora Project George Adamson and Tonay Fitzjohn Wildlife Trust Malibu, CA | General Support | $1,500 |
| Guiding Eyes for the Blind Yorktown Heights, NY | General Support | $1,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America Washington, DC | General Support | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $329,966 | $129,833 | $38,128 | $33,375 | 14 | $33,375 | $29,326 | $16,954 |
| 2024 | $238,261 | $24,345 | $28,718 | $24,560 | 12 | $24,560 | $24,345 | $14,421 |
| 2023 | $242,634 | $15,963 | $24,244 | $19,450 | 9 | $19,450 | $15,963 | $14,588 |
| 2022 | $250,915 | $19,689 | $28,164 | $24,100 | 12 | $24,100 | $19,589 | $15,686 |
| 2021 | $259,390 | $26,535 | $31,417 | $26,500 | 9 | $26,500 | $24,513 | $16,237 |
| 2020 | $264,272 | $20,431 | $23,856 | $19,700 | 12 | — | $20,431 | $16,180 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17K 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 went to organizations with varied missions. For example, The Samburu Project describes its work as providing access to clean water and supporting community initiatives in health, education, women’s empowerment, and well-being. Lewa Wildlife Conservancy USA says it supports the work of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya and promotes community conservation. Venice Family Clinic says it provides primary health care to people in need, while Guiding Eyes for the Blind says it provides guide dogs to people with vision loss. Hobart and William Smith Colleges describes its mission as preparing students to lead lives of consequence.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $33,375. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $13,275, with a median of $1,650. The largest awards included $13,275 to The Samburu Project, $3,000 to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, and $2,500 each to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy USA and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Other notable grants were $2,000 each to Charities Aid Foundation America and The Sarara Foundation Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, and $1,800 to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The listed grants were for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rita Goldstein and Sarah Nargiso as trustees.
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sarah Nargiso
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rita Goldstein
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Rita Goldstein Ashton (2020) — Trustee
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 & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation
How much does Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation give each year?
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation gave $33K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 12 grants.
What is Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's typical grant size?
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,650, and its average grant was $2,384, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation give grants?
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation gives mostly in California: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (18%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's largest grantees?
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Samburu Project ($13,275), Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA ($3,000) and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy USA ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation?
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation reported $330K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $33K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, The Samburu Project describes its work as providing access to clean water and supporting community initiatives in health, education, women’s empowerment, and well-being. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's EIN?
Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-1478693. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein 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.
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 July 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Figures come from Ruth & Sheldon Goldstein 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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