Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation
The Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including opera and theatre organizations, with the largest shares of grant dollars going to recipients in California and New York.
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation at a glance
In short: Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation gave $53K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in California. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $52,835
- +47.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- -9.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,822
- +62.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,270,876
- +18.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2121 Avenue Of The Stars 15Th Floo, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Phone: (310) 478-4148
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was La Opera Foundation ($7K). Together the top 10 received $38K.
Grant Size Distribution
168 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 168 grants of 168 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, recipients in California received 55% of grant dollars and recipients in New York received 33%. Smaller shares went to Colorado (4%), the District of Columbia (3%), and North Carolina (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 27 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 47% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 87% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $28K (2019) to $100K (2022). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $53K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| La Opera Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $7,000 |
| Overtone Industries Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $7,000 |
| Opera America New York, NY | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
| Beth Morrisison Projects Brooklyn, NY | General Operating Support | $4,500 |
| Center Theatre Group Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $3,500 |
| The Glimmerglass Opera Cooperstown, NY | General Operating Support | $2,500 |
| Actor Fund Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $2,000 |
| Central City Opera Central City, CO | General Operating Support | $2,000 |
| The Trevor Project West Hollywood, CA | General Operating Support | $2,000 |
| Theatre Communications Group New York, NY | General Operating Support | $2,000 |
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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 | $1,270,876 | $311,191 | $111,633 | $52,835 | 29 | $72,234 | $274,792 | $82,977 |
| 2024 | $1,071,318 | $164,672 | $75,942 | $35,828 | 32 | $49,286 | $138,016 | $73,573 |
| 2023 | $982,588 | $94,240 | $117,553 | $75,870 | 42 | $86,175 | $73,082 | $63,525 |
| 2022 | $987,196 | $565,100 | $136,865 | $99,500 | 25 | $99,500 | $550,131 | $74,557 |
| 2021 | $558,961 | $90,667 | $110,099 | $66,096 | 40 | — | $68,070 | $88,697 |
| 2020 | $578,393 | $-9,505 | $128,515 | $85,585 | 38 | — | $11,701 | $68,696 |
| 2019 | $716,413 | $218,090 | $64,746 | $27,500 | 11 | — | $197,255 | $64,205 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation reported a distributable amount of $83K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for performing-arts organizations. For example, Overtone Industries describes its work as developing and presenting new multidisciplinary operas and music theatre. Opera America says it promotes growth of the operatic art form and supports the education and development of opera professionals. Theatre Communications Group describes its mission as leading for a just and thriving theatre ecology.
Other supported organizations describe a range of work: Right To Be says it works to build a world free of harassment; Central City Opera describes enriching communities through performance and preserving historic properties; and Washington National Opera says it seeks to inspire and connect its community through opera.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $52,835. Individual grants ranged from $50 to $7,000, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest listed awards were $7,000 each to LA Opera Foundation and Overtone Industries; $5,000 to Opera America; $4,500 to Beth Morrison Projects; and $3,500 to Center Theatre Group. The listed grants were for general operating support.
Other 2025 grants included $2,000 each to Central City Opera, Actor Fund, The Trevor Project, and Theatre Communications Group; and $1,500 each to Lange Foundation and Washington National Opera.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Samantha S. Widzer and Sara E. Widzer as trustees.
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Samantha S. Widzer
Trustee
Trustee As Needed → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Sara E. Widzer
Trustee
Trustee As Needed → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Martin Widzer (2019–2020) — Trustee As Needed
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 Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation
How much does Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation give each year?
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation gave $53K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $36K across 32 grants.
What is Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's typical grant size?
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,822, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation give grants?
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation gives mostly in California: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (7 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Brooklyn, NY (2 grants) and Manhattan, NY (2 grants).
Does Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's largest grantees?
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include La Opera Foundation ($7,000), Overtone Industries ($7,000) and Opera America ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation?
Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $72K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $83K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for performing-arts organizations. For example, Overtone Industries describes its work as developing and presenting new multidisciplinary operas and music theatre. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Does Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 20, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/seniel-and-dorothy-ostrow-foundation-morg_aaa5cffb4cc7440cad6d739cc24a5d6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_956029169_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Seniel \& Dorothy Ostrow Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/seniel-and-dorothy-ostrow-foundation-morg_aaa5cffb4cc7440cad6d739cc24a5d6c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Seniel & Dorothy Ostrow 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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