Silton Family Foundation
The Silton Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Santa Monica, California. Established in 2008 and tax-exempt since May 2009, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization classified under the NTEE category of Philanthropy, Voluntarism and Grantmaking Foundations.
Key facts about Silton Family Foundation
- EIN
- 26-3605273
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $187,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- Average grant
- $5,208
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (12 of 36, 2024)
- Total assets
- $315,498
- Primary geography
- California (68% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Silton Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Silton Family Foundation's 36 itemized 2024 grants were California (68%), New York (17%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (12 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Silton Family Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 36 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 928% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 Silton Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Silton Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Silton Family Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$315K
-0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$188K
-1.3% YoY
Grant Count
36
-20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+23.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Silton Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes unrestricted gifts to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Grant Range
$2,500
Ready to take the next step with Silton Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation reaches 8 states, with significant concentration in California. Recent grantees are located in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Long Beach, and other California cities, as well as New York and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 36 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
FY2024 (most recent filing):
- Total revenue: $189,197
- Total expenses: $191,969
- Net assets: $315,498
- Total assets: $315,498
- Net income: -$2,772
Revenue sources (FY2024):
- Contributions received: $180,469 (95.4%)
- Interest revenue: $8,728 (4.6%)
Expense breakdown (FY2024):
- Charitable disbursements: $189,722 (98.8%)
FY2023 comparison:
- Total revenue: $194,961
- Total expenses: Not specified in sources
- Total grants, contributions: $190,906
The foundation has no liabilities and maintains modest assets relative to annual giving levels.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $315,498 | $318,270 | $318,290 |
| Revenue | $189,197 | $194,961 | $198,965 |
| Expenses | $191,969 | $194,981 | $206,159 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $189,722 | $192,478 | $205,626 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,503 | $1,576 | $1,721 |
| Distributable Amount | $20,448 | $20,759 | $21,519 |
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
191 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Lupus LA ($26,500), Downtown Women's Center ($25,000), UCLA ($19,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LUPUS LA Beverly Hills, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $26,500 |
| DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $25,000 |
| UCLA Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $19,500 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM New York, NY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $17,000 |
| THE TREVOR PROJECT INC West Hollywood, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $10,000 |
| FRIENDS OF ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $9,500 |
| HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN Washington, DC | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $7,500 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION INC New York, NY | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $7,000 |
| LOS ANGELES REGIONAL FOOD BANK Los Angeles, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $5,500 |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS Long Beach, CA | UNRESTRICTED GIFT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Karen Silton – Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
- James Silton – Board Member and Chief Financial Officer
- Debra Cowan – Board Member
All officers and board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Silton | Chairperson/CEO | 2 | — |
| Debra Cowan | Board Member | 1 | — |
| James Silton | Board Member/CFO | 1 | — |
| Susan Silton | Board Member/Secretary | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Silton Family Foundation?
The foundation makes unrestricted gifts to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. **Grant Activity (FY2024):** • Total grants awarded: $188,722 • Number of grants: 36 • Median grant size: $2,500 • Grant range: Under $10,000 to $50,000 **Largest grants in FY2024:** • Lupus LA: $26,500 • Downtown Women's Center: $25,000 • UCLA: $19,500 • American Friends of Magen David Adom: $17,000 • The Trevor Project Inc: $10,000 • Friends of Israel Defense Forces: $9,500 • Human R…
Where does Silton Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation reaches 8 states, with significant concentration in California. Recent grantees are located in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Long Beach, and other California cities, as well as New York and Washington, DC.
What size grants does Silton Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Silton Family Foundation awarded 36 grants totaling $188K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Silton Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Silton Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Silton Family Foundation's EIN?
Silton Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3605273. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Silton Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.