Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation
The Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation is a private foundation based in Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2024, it reported 17 grants totaling $915,000 to charitable organizations, including groups working in environmental conservation, health, civic engagement, and community services.
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation at a glance
In short: Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation gave $915K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $54K), top state District of Columbia. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $915,000
- -37.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $53,824
- -37.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $11,527,308
- +2.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (48% 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 Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 4337, Silver Spring, MD 20914-4337
Phone: (301) 622-0900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Green Forests Work ($100K). Together the top 10 received $760K.
Grant Size Distribution
86 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 86 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia (48%), Kentucky (11%), Maryland (10%), California (10%), and Alabama (10%). The listed grants also included recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $60K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% 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 (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 $620K (2020) to $1.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $915K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Green Forests Work Lexington, KY | Environmental Conservation | $100,000 |
| Population Action International Washington, DC | Medical Awarness | $100,000 |
| Frankfurt Zoological Society Washington, DC | Environmental Conservation | $95,000 |
| Population Connection Washington, DC | Medical Awarness | $95,000 |
| Homeless Prenatal Program San Francisco, CA | Operating | $90,000 |
| Southern Poverty Law Center Montgomery, AL | Operating | $90,000 |
| Amazon Conservation Association Washington, DC | Environmental Conservation | $50,000 |
| Chesapeake Bay Foundation Annapolis, MD | Environmental Conservation | $50,000 |
| Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc New York, NY | Support of Voter Cast Initiative | $50,000 |
| DC Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Feeding the Hungry | $40,000 |
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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 | $11,527,308 | $1,267,319 | $1,024,030 | $915,000 | 17 | $915,000 | $1,179,133 | $1,062,711 |
| 2023 | $11,278,449 | $1,256,537 | $1,556,154 | $1,457,000 | 17 | $985,000 | $1,162,175 | $910,078 |
| 2022 | $11,573,356 | $1,255,535 | $827,367 | $720,000 | 16 | $720,000 | $829,198 | $990,131 |
| 2021 | $11,137,682 | $4,197,020 | $875,138 | $775,000 | 19 | $775,000 | $763,253 | $966,040 |
| 2020 | $7,812,733 | $920,998 | $669,639 | $620,000 | 17 | — | $931,871 | $741,011 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including environmental conservation, reproductive health, population education, racial justice, family services, civic engagement, and hunger relief.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate this range: Green Forests Work says it works to re-establish healthy and productive forests on formerly mined lands in Appalachia. Population Action International says it works to advance access to sexual and reproductive health. The Southern Poverty Law Center describes its work as advancing racial justice and human rights, while DC Central Kitchen received a grant designated for feeding the hungry.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $915,000. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $100,000, with a median of $50,000.
Among the largest awards were $100,000 to Green Forests Work for environmental conservation and $100,000 to Population Action International for medical awareness. Other awards included $95,000 each to Frankfurt Zoological Society for environmental conservation and Population Connection for medical awareness; $90,000 each to Homeless Prenatal Program and Southern Poverty Law Center for operating support; and $50,000 each to Amazon Conservation Association and Chesapeake Bay Foundation for environmental conservation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sheldon T. Katz as president; Meryl Katz as secretary and vice president; and Russell Katz as vice president.
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation is led by Sheldon T. Katz, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sheldon T. Katz
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meryl Katz
Secretary & Vice President
Vice President → Secretary & Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Russell Katz
Vice President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Audrey Katz (2020–2021) — Secretary
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 Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation
How much does Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation give each year?
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation gave $915K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 17 grants.
What is Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's typical grant size?
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $53,824, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation that year got $33K on average.
Where does Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation give grants?
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (11%) and Maryland (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (7 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 29% of Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Environmental Conservation" (6 grants).
Who are Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's largest grantees?
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Green Forests Work ($100,000), Population Action International ($100,000) and Frankfurt Zoological Society ($95,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation?
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation reported $11.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $915K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (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 Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including environmental conservation, reproductive health, population education, racial justice, family services, civic engagement, and hunger relief. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's EIN?
Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2006607. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sheldon and Audrey Katz 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sheldon-and-audrey-katz-foundation-morg_d193042b8a014b5e8a75921b3fb691fe
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522006607_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sheldon and Audrey Katz Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sheldon-and-audrey-katz-foundation-morg_d193042b8a014b5e8a75921b3fb691fe},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Sheldon and Audrey Katz 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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