SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION
The Samuel and Helene Soref Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1983 in Florida and currently based in Studio City, California. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on supporting Jewish agencies and educational initiatives.
Key facts about SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION
- EIN
- 59-2246963
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $818,200
- Grants made (2024)
- 47
- Average grant
- $17,409
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (16 of 47, 2024)
- Total assets
- $12,241,916
- Primary geography
- California (57% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION's 47 itemized 2024 grants were California (57%), New York (25%) and District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (14 grants), New York, NY (11 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Encino, CA (2 grants). None of its 47 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program" (43 grants).
Is SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 47 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION
- How to evaluate SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.2M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$818K
-6.5% YoY
Grant Count
47
-11.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
+5.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION reported a distributable amount of $864K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- Jewish agencies and organizations
- Education
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
The foundation directs grants primarily to organizations in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $135,000
Ready to take the next step with SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- California
- New York
- District of Columbia
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 47 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total assets: $12,241,916 (2024)
- Total giving: $818,200 (2024)
- EIN: 59-2246963
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,241,916 | $12,468,103 | $12,625,427 |
| Revenue | $728,818 | $854,758 | $1,215,838 |
| Expenses | $955,947 | $1,012,080 | $1,211,392 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $871,489 | $921,747 | $1,136,293 |
| Net Investment Income | $653,065 | $745,453 | $1,137,439 |
| Distributable Amount | $863,954 | $816,099 | $845,000 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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
227 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Jewish Federation of Greater LA ($135,000), Washington Inst for Near E Policy ($105,000), Jewish Community Foundation ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER LA Los Angeles, CA | PROGRAM | $135,000 |
| WASHINGTON INST FOR NEAR E POLICY Washington, DC | PROGRAM | $105,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Los Angleles, CA | DONOR ADVISED FUND | $100,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNAL FUND New York, NY | DONOR ADVISED FUND | $60,000 |
| ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES West Point, NY | PROGRAM | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DIST New York, NY | PROGRAM | $35,000 |
| JEWISH WORLD WATCH Encino, CA | PROGRAM | $35,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH UNIVERSITY Bel Air, CA | PROGRAM | $26,800 |
| LOS ANGELES FAMILY HOUSING North Hollywood, CA | OPERATIONS | $25,000 |
| TZEDEK AMERICA Los Angeles, CA | PROGRAM | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board members and trustees include:
- Benjamin Breslauer (Trustee)
- Irma Golter Breslauer (Trustee)
- Richard Demak (Trustee)
- Jeffrey I. Abrams (Trustee)
- Alan Breslauer (Trustee)
Contact Information:
- Address: 11530 Dona Dorotea Dr, Studio City, CA 91604-4249
- Telephone: 323-654-9725
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin F Breslauer | Trustee | 10 | — |
| Irma G Breslauer | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Alan D Breslauer | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Jeffrey I Abrams | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Richard Demak | Trustee | 2 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION fund?
The foundation's primary giving focuses on: • Jewish agencies and organizations • Education • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Human services The foundation directs grants primarily to organizations in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
How do I apply for a grant from SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION?
**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: $818,200 (2024) • Number of grants awarded: 46 (2024) • Grant range: $1,000 to $135,000 • Median grant size: $6,000 • Giving rate: 6.7% of assets **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Where does SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in: • California • New York • District of Columbia
What size grants does SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION award?
In 2024, SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION awarded 47 grants totaling $818K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION reported a distributable amount of $864K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION's EIN?
SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-2246963. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does SAMUEL and HELENE SOREF FOUNDATION accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.