Sam Roosth Foundation
The Sam Roosth Foundation is a private foundation based in Tyler, Texas. In 2024, it made grants to charitable organizations addressing humanitarian needs, Jewish life and education, community services, and health care.
Sam Roosth Foundation at a glance
In short: Sam Roosth Foundation gave $457K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in Texas. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $457,275
- -4.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +71.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $19,053
- -44.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,438
- Total assets
- $8,597,895
- +0.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (9 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (50% 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 Sam Roosth Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 8300, Tyler, TX 75711
Phone: (903) 593-8333
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sam Roosth Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Jewish Joint Distribution ($70K). Together the top 10 received $338K.
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 96 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 50% of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas, 34% to New York, 7% to California, 5% to Virginia, and 2% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sam Roosth Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 24 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% 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 $418K (2020) to $488K (2022). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $457K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Jewish Joint Distribution New York, NY | Humanitarian Support | $70,000 |
| East Texas Communities Foundation Tyler, TX | East Texas initiative endowment fund at the dallas holocaust museum | $65,000 |
| Jewish Agency for Israel New York, NY | Funds to provide flights to israel and support israel emergency fund | $50,000 |
| Congregation Ahavath Achim Tyler, TX | Safety and security improvements to building and underwriting for off-duty police officers | $33,400 |
| Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jeru Beverly Hills, CA | Purchase of a mobile ultrasound machine for the pediatric emergency room | $30,000 |
| Reach for Uganda Arlington, VA | Support | $25,000 |
| Ort America New York, NY | Support | $20,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | Support in sending participants from Texas on birthright israel trips | $15,000 |
| Path Tyler, TX | Funding to provide programs and services to the economically disadvantaged in smith and surrounding counties | $15,000 |
| Texas Am Hillel Foundation College Station, TX | Support the Shabbat and Holiday Meals | $15,000 |
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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 | $8,597,895 | $545,377 | $487,969 | $457,275 | 24 | $466,275 | $525,591 | $519,774 |
| 2023 | $8,540,487 | $570,555 | $512,786 | $479,000 | 14 | $488,947 | $544,729 | $476,200 |
| 2022 | $8,482,718 | $457,377 | $549,488 | $488,218 | 15 | $498,155 | $419,846 | $479,876 |
| 2021 | $8,574,829 | $745,245 | $492,532 | $437,350 | 19 | $448,025 | $699,731 | $498,893 |
| 2020 | $8,322,116 | $591,288 | $468,978 | $418,300 | 24 | — | $548,495 | $437,575 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sam Roosth Foundation reported a distributable amount of $520K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for humanitarian relief, Jewish organizations and programs, local community services, and medical equipment.
Among the recipients, East Texas Communities Foundation says it supports philanthropy by helping donors achieve charitable goals and manages charitable funds, including scholarships and endowments. Reach for Uganda describes its work as partnering with rural Ugandan communities to improve quality of life through education, health care, and community development. ORT America says it advances Jewish and other people through training and education, including support for schools, colleges, and science and technology initiatives. Birthright Israel Foundation says it raises funds for educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $457,275. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $70,000, with a median of $12,438.
Notable grants included $70,000 to American Jewish Joint Distribution for humanitarian support; $65,000 to East Texas Communities Foundation for the East Texas Initiative Endowment Fund at the Dallas Holocaust Museum; and $50,000 to Jewish Agency for Israel to provide flights to Israel and support its Israel Emergency Fund. Other grants included $33,400 to Congregation Ahavath Achim for building safety and security improvements and off-duty police officers, and $30,000 to Shaare Zedek Medical Center for a mobile ultrasound machine for its pediatric emergency room. The foundation also awarded $25,000 to Reach for Uganda, $20,000 to ORT America, and $15,000 each to Birthright Israel Foundation, PATH in Tyler, Texas A&M Hillel Foundation, and the University of Texas at Hillel Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Steven C. Roosth as president; Marleen Swerdlow as vice president; Toni Roosth as secretary/treasurer; Stacy Burk as assistant secretary; and Kenneth Roosth, Celia Schoenbrun, and Ann Melamed as directors.
Sam Roosth Foundation is led by Steven C. Roosth, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Steven C. Roosth
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ann Melamed
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Celia Schoenbrun
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kenneth Roosth
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Marleen Swerdlow
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Stacy Burk
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Toni Roosth
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sam Roosth (2020) — Director
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 Sam Roosth Foundation
How much does Sam Roosth Foundation give each year?
Sam Roosth Foundation gave $457K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $479K across 14 grants.
What is Sam Roosth Foundation's typical grant size?
Sam Roosth Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,438, and its average grant was $19,053, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sam Roosth Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Sam Roosth Foundation give grants?
Sam Roosth Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (34%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tyler, TX (5 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Dallas, TX (4 grants).
Does Sam Roosth Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Sam Roosth Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support" (10 grants).
Who are Sam Roosth Foundation's largest grantees?
Sam Roosth Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Jewish Joint Distribution ($70,000), East Texas Communities Foundation ($65,000) and Jewish Agency for Israel ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sam Roosth Foundation?
Sam Roosth Foundation reported $8.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $466K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $520K (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 Sam Roosth Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for humanitarian relief, Jewish organizations and programs, local community services, and medical equipment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sam Roosth Foundation?
The foundation 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 Sam Roosth Foundation's EIN?
Sam Roosth Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6023828. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sam Roosth 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
(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). Sam Roosth Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sam-roosth-foundation-morg_ff73df84194441fa8a7c32f34bec4f12
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_756023828_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sam Roosth Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sam-roosth-foundation-morg_ff73df84194441fa8a7c32f34bec4f12},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Sam Roosth 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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