Sarnat Family Foundation
Sarnat Family Foundation is a private foundation, based in Carlsbad, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $10.6M. Net investment income was $1.5M.
Sarnat Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Sarnat Family Foundation gave $10.6M across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $2.1M), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,603,200
- +1378.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,120,640
- +1378.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $228,200
- Total assets
- $3,718,656
- -71.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (79% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Sarnat Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Protect Democracy Project ($8.3M). Together the top 5 received $10.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
26 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 11 grants of 26 (42%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Sarnat Family Foundation gives
- Giving grew 751% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $407K (2019) to $10.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $10.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Protect Democracy Project Washington, DC | To prevent democratic decline into authoritarianism. | $8,325,000 |
| Jewish Community Federation San Francisco, CA | To support Jewish education & continuity | $1,900,000 |
| New Israel Fund New York, NY | Supports Israeli social change | $228,200 |
| Open Medicine Foundation Agoura Hills, CA | To support collaborative research to treat chronic complex diseases. | $100,000 |
| Style Her Empowered Inc Boise, ID | Supports education and employment for girls in Africa | $50,000 |
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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 | $3,718,656 | $1,577,797 | $10,731,839 | $10,603,200 | 5 | $10,633,151 | $1,479,109 | $306,731 |
| 2024 | $12,884,028 | $3,596,631 | $947,129 | $717,000 | 5 | $754,314 | $115,739 | $580,834 |
| 2023 | $10,218,604 | $3,079,651 | $1,936,704 | $1,730,500 | 5 | $1,752,994 | $122,815 | $510,117 |
| 2022 | $9,092,960 | $3,405,830 | $1,355,546 | $1,245,280 | 9 | $1,270,537 | $1,294,926 | $480,508 |
| 2021 | $7,580,567 | $487,424 | $887,688 | $821,744 | 2 | — | $429,009 | $456,897 |
| 2019 | $7,870,855 | $383,657 | $499,313 | $406,614 | 1 | — | $325,143 | $421,581 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sarnat Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $307K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Sarnat Family Foundation is led by Gerhard Sarnat, CEO, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gerhard Sarnat
CEO, President & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lela Sarnat
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Sarnat Family Foundation
How much does Sarnat Family Foundation give each year?
Sarnat Family Foundation gave $10.6M across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $717K across 5 grants.
What is Sarnat Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Sarnat Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $228,200, and its average grant was $2,120,640, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Sarnat Family Foundation give grants?
Sarnat Family Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (19%).
Does Sarnat Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on Sarnat Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Sarnat Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Sarnat Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Protect Democracy Project ($8,325,000), Jewish Community Federation ($1,900,000) and New Israel Fund ($228,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sarnat Family Foundation?
Sarnat Family Foundation reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $10.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $307K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Sarnat Family Foundation's EIN?
Sarnat Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1004478. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Sarnat Family Foundation funds
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