Sanders Foundation is a private non-operating foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. Established in 2001, the foundation operates as a trust and focuses on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple issue areas.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.4M
+30.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$419K
+19.4% YoY
Grant Count
71
-7.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+29.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sanders Foundation reported a distributable amount of $512K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
Individual grants have ranged from approximately $4,000 to $23,000
Average Grant
amount: $5,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus in:
- Maryland
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- Michigan
- New York
Maryland, District of Columbia, and New York account for approximately 50% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income:
- Total assets: $5,376,364 (most recent filing)
- Annual income: $3.1 million
- Asset growth: Increased from $1.7 million in 2010 to $4.1 million in 2023
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,376,364 | $4,118,588 | $4,239,671 |
| Revenue | $2,443,258 | $858,870 | $1,808,783 |
| Expenses | $485,567 | $436,880 | $394,765 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $419,442 | $351,424 | $351,512 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,698,093 | $248,378 | $1,297,114 |
| Distributable Amount | $512,454 | $435,066 | $313,047 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Manna Food Center ($26,000), Jewish Society Service Agency ($17,881), Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society - Hias ($11,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A WIDER CIRCLE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE SILVER SPRING, MD | PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER TO NEEDY FAMILIES AND PROVIDE JOB TRAINING TO ADULTS | $10,000 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | TO PROTECT AND ADVANCE CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS BY USING THE TOOLS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, POLITICAL ADVOCACY, ORGANIZING, AND LITIGATION | $3,000 |
| ADL ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | ADL IS THE WORLDS LEADING EXPERT ON ANTISEMITISM AND IS ON THE FRONT LINES, SHINING A LIGHT ON ALL FORMS OF ANTISEMITISM AND EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WITH TOOLS TO ADDRESS THIS AGE-OLD HATE | $10,000 |
| AMFRIENDS OF NIR-OZ ISRAEL ROCKVILLE, MD | PROGRAM AIMS TO PROVIDE TANGIBLE SUPPORT TO THE KIBBUTZ, WHICH WAS DEVASTATED BY THE ATTACKS | $10,000 |
| ATLAS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER WASHINGTON, DC | PROVIDES SPACES FOR ARTISTS TO CREATE MUSIC, THEATRE AND DANCE TO ENTERTAIN AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN EXPLORING THE IDEAS AND ISSUES OF OUR TIME | $1,000 |
| BCCHS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION CHEVY CHASE, MD | IS TO FUND HIGH-NEED, HIGH-IMPACT ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THAT DRIVE STUDENT SUCCESS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL | $8,000 |
| BETHESDA CARES BETHESDA, MD | SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO HELP THE POOR AND HOMELESS IN THE BETHESDA AREA | $8,000 |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA | SUPPORT EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| BRANDYWINE VALLEY SPCA WASHINGTON, DC | EXISTS TO END ANIMAL SUFFERING AND TO INVOLVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN THE WELFARE AND WELL-BEING OF ANIMALS | $2,000 |
| BRIDGES TO INDEPENDENCE ARLINGTON, VA | SUPPORTS HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AND LEADS THEM TO STABLE AND INDEPENDENT FUTURES. | $4,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Filip S Sanders
The foundation is governed by 7 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FILIP S SANDERS | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| JOSEPHINE E SANDERS - LEVIE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELKAN D SANDERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HANS G SANDERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PAULA D KALES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARA E SANDERS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ANNELIESKE J SANDERS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4990 Sentinel Dr Apt 306, Bethesda, MD 20816-3584
Phone: (301) 656-0795
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sanders Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Sanders Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $419,442 (most recent filing year) • Historical grantmaking: 346 grants totaling $1.6 million across available records • Grant range: Individual grants have ranged from approximately $4,000 to $23,000 • Average grant amount: $5,000 • Median grant amount: $4,000 • Annual giving has grown from $266,000 in 2021 to $351,000 in 2024 • Highest grantmaking activity occurred in 2023 with $703,000 distributed across 144 grants • The foundation has supported 101 unique…
Where does Sanders Foundation make grants?
The foundation distributes funding across multiple states, with primary focus in: • Maryland • District of Columbia • Virginia • Michigan • New York Maryland, District of Columbia, and New York account for approximately 50% of all grants.
What size grants does Sanders Foundation award?
In 2025, Sanders Foundation awarded 71 grants totaling $419K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sanders Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Sanders Foundation reported a distributable amount of $512K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sanders Foundation's EIN?
Sanders Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6653312. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sanders 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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