Samis Foundation is a private independent foundation headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with a presence in Israel. Founded in 1994, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking. The foundation has distributed more than $110 million in grants across over 150 different programs, organizations, and initiatives since its inception.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$109.3M
+1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.3M
+4.0% YoY
Grant Count
73
+4.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$114K
-0.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Samis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Samis Foundation was created to support Jewish education in Washington state and initiatives in Israel, preserving the legacy and vision of Sam Israel. The foundation maintains six program areas in Israel including archaeology, immigration, college and technical scholarships, support for widows and orphans, and wildlife preservation. Additionally, the foundation provides disaster relief when crises or natural disasters affect communities globally.
Current strategic priorities include:
- Jewish Day School Education: Promoting the sustainability, vitality, and growth of Seattle Jewish day school education
- Youth Enrichment: Increasing accessibility and participation in high-quality experiential Jewish education for Jewish youth in Washington State
- Day School Affordability: Making K-12 tuition for eligible Seattle-area Jewish day schools more affordable for families
Grantmaking
The foundation's 2023 total giving was $8,000,921. The foundation has invested $5.6 million in special initiatives including support for professional development, collaboration, special needs, and Israel trips.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in Washington State, with particular emphasis on the Seattle area for day school and youth programs. The foundation also maintains significant grantmaking focus in Israel across six program areas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $108,273,318
- Total Revenue: $15.1 million
- Total Expenses: $14.1 million
- Total Liabilities: $5.22 million
- Total Giving: $8,000,921
The foundation has maintained tax-exempt status since June 1995 (EIN: 91-1641746).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $109,313,366 | $108,273,318 | $102,867,210 |
| Revenue | $16,645,587 | $15,078,963 | $14,031,785 |
| Expenses | $14,542,674 | $14,084,969 | $13,618,383 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,772,130 | $9,505,109 | $8,461,175 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,469,841 | $11,035,819 | $10,307,820 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,469,150 | $9,573,866 | $8,507,927 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Northwest Yeshiva High School ($1,636,448), Seattle Hebrew Academy ($1,501,814), Jewish Day School ($1,049,769).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF NEFESH B'NEFESH PARAMUS, NJ | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $50,000 |
| AMIT CHILDREN NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $50,000 |
| CHABAD OF BALLARD SEATTLE, WA | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $1,800 |
| ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE SEATTLE, WA | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $12,500 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET ISRAEL TEANECK, NJ | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $180 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF NATAL NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SAMI SHAMOON COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING SECAUCUS, NJ | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $35,000 |
| AMERICAN YEDIDIM INC MIAMI BEACH, FL | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $20,000 |
| B'NAI BRITH YOUTH ORGANIZATION WASHINGTON, DC | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $18,000 |
| CHABAD OF NORTH SEATTLE SEATTLE, WA | EDUCATIONAL & HUMANITARIAN | $1,800 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers:
David Ellenhorn - Chair of the Board. Partner at Ogden Murphy Wallace specializing in corporate and real estate law. Former board member of the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle and the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.
Judy Neuman - Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Israel Sub-committee. Former CEO of the Stroum Jewish Community Center (seven years). Wexner Fellow from the first Seattle cohort in 1997.
Greg Roer - Board Treasurer and Chair of the Finance/Audit Committee. Principal at Sweeney Conrad providing tax services. Director of Seattle Campus of Golden Gate University Graduate School of Taxation. Great-nephew of Sam Israel.
Louis Treiger - Secretary of the Board and Chair of the Grants Committee. Seattle-based attorney with over 35 years of practice experience. Yeshiva University and Harvard Law School graduate.
Professional Staff:
- Connie Kanter - Chief Executive Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONSTANCE KANTER | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 20 | $184,753 |
| DAVID ELLENHORN | CHAIR (FROM 03/24) | 1 | $3,751 |
| RABBI BENJAMIN HASSAN | RABBI | 1 | $3,963 |
| ELI GENAUER | CHAIR (THRU 02/24), MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| LOUIS TREIGER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| GREG ROER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| VICTOR ALHADEFF | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| ELI ALMO | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| JACK ALMO | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| DAVE AZOSE | MEMBER AT LARGE (THRU 12/24) | 1 | — |
| DANA BEHAR | MEMBER AT LARGE (THRU 03/24) | 1 | — |
| JERRY COHEN | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| HART COLE | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| MARIA ERLITZ | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| BARRY ERNSTOFF | MEMBER AT LARGE (THRU 12/24) | 1 | — |
| AL MAIMON | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| BEA NAHON | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| JUDY NEUMAN | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| ELANA ZANA | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| DEVA HASSON | MEMBER AT LARGE (FROM 03/24) | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Day School Enrollment Growth**: Following the launch of the Day School Affordability Initiative, Seattle Jewish day schools experienced a 25% increase in enrollment since 2022, with 90% retention rates.
Game-Changing Tuition Support Announced for Seattle-area Jewish Day Schools**2026-2027 Academic Year Program**: The Day School Affordability Initiative continues with updated eligibility parameters, capping tuition at $18,000 per year per child or 15% of adjusted gross income for families earning under $350,000.
Game-Changing Tuition Support Announced for Seattle-area Jewish Day Schools**Youth Program Support**: The foundation actively supports student-led Jewish youth programs across Washington State, including BBYO chapters and other teen-powered Jewish communities focused on leadership development and Jewish identity formation.
More than $1 Million in Grants Announced for Jewish Youth Enrichment andSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Samis Foundation fund?
The Samis Foundation was created to support Jewish education in Washington state and initiatives in Israel, preserving the legacy and vision of Sam Israel. The foundation maintains six program areas in Israel including archaeology, immigration, college and technical scholarships, support for widows and orphans, and wildlife preservation. Additionally, the foundation provides disaster relief when crises or natural disasters affect communities globally. Current strategic priorities include: • **J…
How do I apply for a grant from Samis Foundation?
The foundation's 2023 total giving was $8,000,921. The foundation has invested $5.6 million in special initiatives including support for professional development, collaboration, special needs, and Israel trips. **Day School Affordability Initiative**: Established in 2022, this program ensures that for families earning less than $350,000, tuition will not exceed $18,000 per year per child or 15% of their Adjusted Gross Income (whichever is lower) for the 2026-27 school year. The initiative has r…
Where does Samis Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds in Washington State, with particular emphasis on the Seattle area for day school and youth programs. The foundation also maintains significant grantmaking focus in Israel across six program areas.
What size grants does Samis Foundation award?
In 2024, Samis Foundation awarded 73 grants totaling $8.3M — an average of about $114K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Samis Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Samis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Samis Foundation's EIN?
Samis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1641746. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Samis Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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