SJS Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in New York, NY, established in 2010. The trust operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with no employees. It is also known as the Sandra Shahinian Leitner Charitable Trust.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.5M
-0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+12.2% YoY
Grant Count
19
-5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$70K
+18.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sjs Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust provides primary funding for general support across multiple sectors. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
The trust made 17 additional grants in 2023 beyond those listed above.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust primarily funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total assets: $18,638,739
- Total revenues: $91,678
- Total expenses: $1,299,612
- Investment income and dividends: $540,432
As of 2024 filing:
- Total assets: $18,535,313
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,535,313 | $18,638,739 | $19,819,297 |
| Revenue | $1,346,796 | $91,678 | $609,868 |
| Expenses | $1,451,295 | $1,299,612 | $1,454,778 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,330,000 | $1,188,750 | $1,315,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,237,981 | $440,163 | $506,090 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,316,194 | $1,172,016 | $1,208,072 |
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
107 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fund for Armenian Relief ($185,000), Columbia University ($130,000), Friends of Holy Etchmiadzin ($130,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| ARMENIA TREE PROJECT WOBURN, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CENTER FOR FAMILY REPRESENTATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CITY HARVEST BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $130,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOODBANK OF NEW JERSEY HILLSIDE, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| CONNECTICUT COLLEGE NEW LONDON, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $110,000 |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| DREAMYARD PROJECT INC BRONX, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| EVA'S VILLAGE PATERSON, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANDRA LEITNER | TRUSTEE | 1.5 | — |
| ARTHUR ALEXANDER | TRUSTEE | 1.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1177 Avenue of The Americas, Floor 18 New York, NY 10036-2714
Phone: 646-213-5100
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sjs Charitable Trust fund?
The trust provides primary funding for general support across multiple sectors. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Sjs Charitable Trust?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 23 grants in 2023 • Total giving: $1,330,000 (based on most recent filing) • Typical award range: $10,000–$250,000 **Recent Grants (2023):** • Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR): $185,000 (General Support) • Connecticut College: $100,000 (General Support) • Diocese of the Armenian Church of America: $100,000 (General Support) The trust made 17 additional grants in 2023 beyond those listed above.
Where does Sjs Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust primarily funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
What size grants does Sjs Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Sjs Charitable Trust awarded 19 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $70K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sjs Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sjs Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sjs Charitable Trust's EIN?
Sjs Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0653520. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sjs Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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