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.
Key facts about Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation
- EIN
- 47-1005952
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,487,319
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- Average grant
- $431,242
- Median grant
- $150,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (8 of 22, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation's 22 itemized 2024 grants were California (52%), Maryland (20%) and North Carolina (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (7 grants), Baltimore, MD (3 grants) and Berkeley, CA (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 22 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $516K; repeat grants $383K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $292K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). 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 Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation
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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
Share of all 22 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
159 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Stanford University ($3,980,000), Johns Hopkins University ($1,034,000), The James B Hunt Jr Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy Foundat ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY Stanford, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,980,000 |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY Baltimore, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,034,000 |
| THE JAMES B HUNT JR INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY FOUNDAT Durham, NC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| ARTS FOR LEARNING MARYLAND Baltimore, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $652,986 |
| BERKELEY FILM FOUNDATION Berkeley, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| TMW CENTER FOR EARLY LEARNING PUBLIC HEALTH Chicago, IL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $465,000 |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE IMPACT FUND Cambridge, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $350,000 |
| GLIDE FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $333,333 |
| AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| GREATER BALTIMORE CULTURAL ALLIANCE Baltimore, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
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 IRS 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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation fund?
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.
How do I apply for a grant from Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation?
The foundation made 30 grants in 2023. Recent notable grants include: • Stanford University: $3,280,000 (General Support) • Start Early: $1,000,000 (General Support) • Arts for Learning Maryland: $568,372 (General Support) • Harvard University Graduate School of Education Early Childhood Initiative Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $5,825,000.
Where does Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, California, and Maryland.
What size grants does Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $9.5M — an average of about $431K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1005952. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.