Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation
The Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation is a private independent foundation headquartered in Glenview, Illinois. Established in 2015, the foundation builds on the legacy of Saul Zaentz's career as an independent media entrepreneur. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity and employs approximately 5 staff members.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$9.5M
+4.2% YoY
Grant Count
22
+4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$431K
-0.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is dedicated to improving outcomes for poor and vulnerable minority children in the United States. The foundation supports programs that:
- Assist the homeless
- Advance early childhood education
- Improve K-12 graduation rates
- Provide college scholarships
Primary funding focus areas include education, philanthropy and grantmaking, and human services.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 30 grants in 2023. Recent notable grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, California, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $100,365,092
- Total Revenues: $37,805,900
- Total Expenses: $18,920,025
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Investment Income and Dividends: $7,321,883
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
155 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Alan H. Hammerman (Trustee)
- Elliot G. Steinberg (Trustee)
- Marvin J. Garbis (Trustee)
- Samantha Goldhagen (Community Engagement Partner)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELLIOT G STEINBERG | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 20 | $350,000 |
| MARVIN J GARBIS | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 8 | $175,000 |
| DANIEL A FORTMAN | CHAIRMAN & DIRECTOR | 10 | $250,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media at Johns Hopkins University announced 2023-24 grantees beginning their filmmaking journey. The foundation also supports the Berkeley Film Foundation, which awards the annual Saul Zaentz Award of $25,000 to honor Saul's legacy. Since its inception, the Berkeley Film Foundation has awarded over $2,000,000 to film projects in production, post-production, and distribution stages.
THE SAUL ZAENTZ INNOVATION FUND IN FILM AND MEDIA AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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