Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation
The Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. In 2025, it reported 111 grants totaling $1,142,354 to organizations working in areas including health, education, the arts, and community services.
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation at a glance
In short: Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation gave $1.1M across 111 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in New York. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,142,354
- -11.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 111
- +13.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,291
- -21.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $10,989,194
- +5.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (31 of 111, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (68% 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 Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated on its 2023 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Citrin Cooperman Advisors Llc, New York, NY 10020
Phone: (212) 288-0776
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Montifiore Einstein ($200K). Together the top 10 received $814K.
Grant Size Distribution
490 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 459 grants of 490 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, New York recipients received 68% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Tennessee (11%), New Jersey (10%), Illinois (4%), and Washington, DC (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 111 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 31 of 111 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 $608K (2020) to $1.5M (2023). In 2025 it made 111 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montifiore Einstein Tarrytown, NY | General Support | $200,000 |
| Mount Sinai Hospital New York, NY | General Support | $200,000 |
| Rescue Squad of Cannon County Woodbury, TN | General Support | $100,000 |
| The Seeing Eye Inc Morristown, NJ | General Support | $100,000 |
| Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation New York, NY | General Support | $82,625 |
| Ronald McDonald House Oak Brook, IL | General Support | $50,000 |
| Abcmerricats New York, NY | General Support | $25,000 |
| Harlem Academy New York, NY | General Support | $20,000 |
| St Jude's Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN | General Support | $20,000 |
| Hopes and Heros New York, NY | General Support | $16,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation?
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 | $10,989,194 | $782,401 | $1,246,231 | $1,142,354 | 111 | $1,223,384 | $764,554 | $1,373,083 |
| 2024 | $10,416,604 | $203,814 | $1,417,330 | $1,283,703 | 98 | $1,396,630 | $679,269 | $1,267,509 |
| 2023 | $12,542,073 | $759,538 | $1,632,423 | $1,478,669 | 108 | $1,540,235 | $695,947 | $1,273,397 |
| 2022 | $13,383,931 | $2,033,039 | $1,287,138 | $1,136,023 | 89 | $1,225,714 | $1,979,169 | $1,540,365 |
| 2021 | $12,650,360 | $1,055,247 | $948,139 | $820,398 | 84 | — | $1,027,273 | $1,219,593 |
| 2020 | $12,535,464 | $588,100 | $1,183,432 | $607,878 | 78 | — | $168,003 | $903,236 |
| 2019 | $13,128,740 | $620,605 | $794,908 | $677,950 | 81 | — | $626,657 | $725,067 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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 grantees include organizations whose own missions span a range of activities. Harlem Academy says it works to advance opportunity for promising children and help them thrive academically. Manhattan Theatre Club describes its work as producing and developing theatre, nurturing artists, and providing education programs. World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 111 grants totaling $1,142,354. Grants ranged from $100 to $200,000, with a median award of $2,500. Among its largest grants were $200,000 each to Montifiore Einstein and Mount Sinai Hospital, both for general support; $100,000 each to Rescue Squad of Cannon County and The Seeing Eye, also for general support; and $82,625 to Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation for general support. Other reported 2025 grants included $20,000 to Harlem Academy and $12,500 to Manhattan Theatre Club.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Renee Berger and Sandye Berger as trustees.
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Renee Berger
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$30K (2019) → $30K (2025)
Sandye Berger
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $30K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sandye Aidner (2019) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $30K, to Renee Berger (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation
How much does Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation give each year?
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation gave $1.1M across 111 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 98 grants.
What is Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's typical grant size?
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $10,291, across 111 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation give grants?
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation gives mostly in New York: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (11%) and New Jersey (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (46 grants), Bronx, NY (5 grants), Woodbury, TN (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (111 of 111) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's largest grantees?
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Montifiore Einstein ($200,000), Mount Sinai Hospital ($200,000) and Rescue Squad of Cannon County ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation?
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation reported $11.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (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 Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations whose own missions span a range of activities. Harlem Academy says it works to advance opportunity for promising children and help them thrive academically. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation?
The foundation stated on its 2023 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's EIN?
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6118516. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Sol & Margaret Berger 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sol-and-margaret-berger-foundation-morg_16e10fcd6545467bb0ff62310f3f2571
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136118516_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sol \& Margaret Berger Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sol-and-margaret-berger-foundation-morg_16e10fcd6545467bb0ff62310f3f2571},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Sol & Margaret Berger 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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