Semnani Family Foundation
The Semnani Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Established in 1993 by Khosrow and Ghazaleh Semnani, it supports marginalized communities through health, education, and disaster relief, with work in the United States and countries around the world.
Semnani Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Semnani Family Foundation gave $5.6M across 64 grants in 2024 (avg $88K), mostly in Massachusetts. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,626,367
- +6.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 64
- +20.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $87,912
- -11.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,250
- Total assets
- $132,210,881
- +16.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (33 of 64, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (70% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Semnani Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing lists Khosrow Semnani as the contact and says applications should be mailed in the form of a letter. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Khosrow Semnani
Mailing address: PO Box 11623, Salt Lake City, UT 84147
Phone: (801) 321-7725
Website: https://semnanifamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Semnani Family Foundation
Who Semnani Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vanguard Donor Advised Fund ($4.0M). Together the top 10 received $5.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
279 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 235 grants of 279 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it has worked in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Colombia, England, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Romania, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Tonga, Uganda, the United States, and Yemen. It also states a particular commitment to Utah.
In 2024, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 23% to Utah, 5% to Iowa, 2% to the District of Columbia, and less than 1% to Tennessee, as reported in the filing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Semnani Family Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 64 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $145K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 25% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 61% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.5M (2021) to $5.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 64 grants totaling $5.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Donor Advised Fund Boston, MA | General Cont | $3,965,750 |
| Utah Community Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $500,000 |
| Catholic Relief Services Harlan, IA | General Cont | $250,000 |
| Neighborhood House Association Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $125,000 |
| National Multiple Sclerosis Society Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $110,054 |
| Advancing American Freedom Foundation Washington, DC | General Cont | $100,000 |
| Shriners Hospital for Children Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $75,000 |
| Westminster College Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $60,000 |
| US Friends of Amar Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $50,000 |
| Huntsman Mental Health Foundation Salt Lake City, UT | General Cont | $20,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $132,210,881 | $30,898,666 | $7,551,479 | $5,626,367 | 64 | $6,989,911 | $22,934,889 | $6,346,725 |
| 2023 | $113,691,692 | $12,963,472 | $6,020,452 | $5,286,341 | 53 | $5,798,899 | $11,784,048 | $6,278,126 |
| 2022 | $107,919,049 | $8,360,452 | $7,709,424 | $5,822,269 | 49 | $7,025,572 | $4,127,006 | $6,414,691 |
| 2021 | $106,620,966 | $12,620,824 | $4,436,243 | $3,499,689 | 56 | $3,827,399 | $10,641,396 | $6,293,899 |
| 2020 | $97,469,997 | $10,538,916 | $5,431,126 | $4,846,589 | 57 | — | $9,005,434 | $5,063,760 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Semnani Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support marginalized communities worldwide. Its three-part mission includes providing prompt relief to vulnerable communities facing immediate danger, supporting research, education, and civic initiatives that address longer-term threats, and inspiring others to help people in need.
The foundation identifies health, education, disaster relief, and water availability among its areas of work. Its website describes past activity involving vaccination, pharmacogenomics research, leprosy treatment, and food, healthcare, housing, and educational services delivered with religious organizations.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of supported organizations. Neighborhood House Association says its mission is to enrich, empower, and educate children and adults through affordable day care and support services. Utah Aids Foundation says it provides cross-culturally responsive healthcare for LGBTQ+ Utahns and people living with HIV. Huntsman Mental Health Foundation says it supports mental health research and public education about mental health disorders and brain health. Advancing American Freedom Foundation describes its work as educating the public about freedom and related policy issues.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 64 grants totaling $5,626,367. Grants ranged from $500 to $3,965,750, with a median of $5,250. The largest listed grant was $3,965,750 to Vanguard Donor Advised Fund in Boston, for general contribution. Other large grants included $500,000 to Utah Community Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, $250,000 to Catholic Relief Services, and $125,000 to Neighborhood House Association, each for general contribution.
Other listed 2024 grants included $110,054 to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, $100,000 to Advancing American Freedom Foundation, $75,000 to Shriners Hospital for Children, and $60,000 to Westminster College. These grants were also reported for general contribution.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Khosrow Semnani, Shirin Kia, Ghazaleh Semnani, and Taymour Semnani as directors. The foundation’s website says Khosrow and Ghazaleh Semnani established it in 1993.
Semnani Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ghazaleh Semnani
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Khosrow Semnani
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shirin Kia
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Taymour Semnani
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Semnani Family Foundation
How much does Semnani Family Foundation give each year?
Semnani Family Foundation gave $5.6M across 64 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.3M across 53 grants.
What is Semnani Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Semnani Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,250, and its average grant was $87,912, across 64 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Semnani Family Foundation that year got $145K on average.
Where does Semnani Family Foundation give grants?
Semnani Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Utah (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (42 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants), Murray, UT (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Semnani Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Semnani Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (64 of 64) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Semnani Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Semnani Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Vanguard Donor Advised Fund ($3,965,750), Utah Community Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship ($500,000) and Catholic Relief Services ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Semnani Family Foundation?
Semnani Family Foundation reported $132.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $6.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Semnani Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support marginalized communities worldwide. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Semnani Family Foundation?
The 2024 filing lists Khosrow Semnani as the contact and says applications should be mailed in the form of a letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Semnani Family Foundation's EIN?
Semnani Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 74-2639794. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Semnani Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Semnani Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/semnani-family-foundation-morg_7c33b206a4274628ab0ebd1161e82875
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_742639794_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Semnani Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/semnani-family-foundation-morg_7c33b206a4274628ab0ebd1161e82875},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Semnani Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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