Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation
The Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1961, the foundation operates as an independent grantmaking organization with tax-exempt status dating to June 1963.
Key facts about Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation
- EIN
- 95-6029169
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $35,828
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- Average grant
- $1,120
- Median grant
- $875
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 32, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,071,318
- Primary geography
- California (69% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's 32 itemized 2024 grants were California (69%) and New York (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (10 grants), New York, NY (7 grants) and Washington, DC (4 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 32 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 46% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 67% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation
- How to evaluate Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
+9.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$36K
-52.8% YoY
Grant Count
32
-23.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1K
-38.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $74K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Ready to take the next step with Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 32 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,071,318 |
| Total Giving (FY 2024) | $35,828 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,071,318 | $982,588 | $987,196 |
| Revenue | $164,672 | $94,240 | $565,100 |
| Expenses | $75,942 | $117,553 | $136,865 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $49,286 | $86,175 | $99,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $138,016 | $73,082 | $550,131 |
| Distributable Amount | $73,573 | $63,525 | $74,557 |
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
177 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Aclu Foundation ($7,500), Planned Parenthood ($4,000), Beth Morrisison Projects ($2,078).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU FOUNDATION Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| BETH MORRISISON PROJECTS Brooklyn, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,078 |
| CENTER THEATRE GROUP Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| KIF1A FOUNDATION STRIPE New York, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,000 |
| UCLA FOUNDATION - OPERA Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| LEAGUE TO SAVE LAKE TAHOE South Lake Tahoe, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| OPERA SANTA BARBARA Santa Barbara, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| OUR HOUSE GRIEF SUPPORT Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| SABAN FREE CLINIC Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samantha S Widzer | Trustee | — | — |
| Sara E Widzer | Trustee | 0.3 | — |
Contact Information
Telephone: 310-478-4148
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation?
The foundation's grant-making focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services. **Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $250 to $22,500. **Recent Activity:** Based on the most recent fiscal year ending July 2024, the foundation distributed $35,828 in total giving. **Geographic Focus:** The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation award?
In 2024, Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation awarded 32 grants totaling $36K — an average of about $1K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $74K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's EIN?
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6029169. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.