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Sonya Staff Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Lake Success, NY EIN: 13-3230154 Website

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Lake Success, New York. Its 2024 filing reports grants for education and research, health-related education and research, documentaries, prison education, civil rights, legal services, and youth programs.

Key facts about Sonya Staff Foundation Inc

In short: Sonya Staff Foundation Inc gave $216K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), top state New York. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
13-3230154
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$216,000
Grants made (2024)
13
Average grant
$16,615
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024)
Total assets
$22,075
Primary geography
New York (49% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

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.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$22K

-87.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$216K

-38.3% YoY

Grant Count

13

-13.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$17K

-28.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sonya Staff Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Sonya Staff Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

31%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $16K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 272% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations and projects working in areas including health, education, research, prison education, legal services, civil rights, documentaries, and youth programs.

Among its grantees, Health Global Access Project describes its mission as accelerating the end of the AIDS pandemic by removing barriers to affordable, lifesaving HIV treatment worldwide. NC Survivors Union describes its work as harm reduction, public health, drug policy transformation, and justice reform in North Carolina and the American South. Irondale Productions describes its purpose as researching theatrical forms, creating new theatre works, and exploring intuitive learning processes.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $216,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median of $10,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2024 filing reports that grant dollars went to recipients in New York (49%), Georgia (37%), Florida (5%), California (5%), and North Carolina (5%).

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.

Cities

BrooklynNew YorkLake WorthSan FranciscoIthacaMaconAtlantaBerkeleyCalabasasEast HamptonJackson HeightsBuffaloEnglewoodGreensboro

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K5 grants2020 7 grants2021 14 grants2022 15 grants2023 13 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2020) to $350K (2023). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $216K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

California Council for Veterans Affairs - Constructing Whiteness: $50KCalifornia Council forVeterans Affairs…$50KHealth Global Access Project: $50KHealth Global Access Project$50KOphelia Media Films Inc: $30KOphelia Media Films Inc$30KCorrectional Association of NY: $15KCorrectional Association of NY$15KCenter for Transformative ActionPrisoner Express: $10KCenter for TransformativeActionPrisoner Express$10KHuman Rights Defense Center: $10KHuman Rights Defense Center$10KRedwood Justice Fund - Prison Radio Project: $10KRedwood Justice Fund - PrisonRadio Project$10KWomen & Justice Project Tides Center: $10KWomen & Justice Project TidesCenter$10KArtist Alliance Inc: $10KArtist Alliance Inc$10KNC Survivors Union Inc: $10KNC Survivors Union Inc$10K

The largest 2024 recipient was California Council for Veterans Affairs - Constructing Whiteness ($50K). Together the top 10 received $205K.

Grant Size Distribution

54 grants across all recorded years

50<$50K4$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 54 (93%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
California Council for Veterans Affairs - Constructing Whiteness Atlanta, GAFunding for education and research.$50,000
Health Global Access Project Brooklyn, NYFunding for health related education and research.$50,000
Ophelia Media Films Inc Macon, GAFunding for documentaries and education.$30,000
Correctional Association of NY Brooklyn, NYFunding for education and research.$15,000
Center for Transformative ActionPrisoner Express Ithaca, NYFunding for prison education programs.$10,000
Human Rights Defense Center Lake Worth, FLFunding for education and legal research.$10,000
Redwood Justice Fund - Prison Radio Project San Francisco, CAFunding for education and civil rights.$10,000
Women & Justice Project Tides Center Jackson Heights, NYFunding for legal services for victims of domestic violence.$10,000
Artist Alliance Inc New York, NYFunding for education - creation of websites$10,000
NC Survivors Union Inc Greensboro, NCFunding for legal education.$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $22,075 $81,035 $227,708 $216,000 (13 grants)
2023 $169,278 $143,232 $375,806 $350,000 (15 grants)
2022 $401,986 $604,289 $253,176 $228,000 (14 grants)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K$800K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$22,075$169,278$401,986
Revenue$81,035$143,232$604,289
Expenses$227,708$375,806$253,176
Qualifying Distributions$216,442$352,000$233,000
Net Investment Income$3,223$20,832$3,878
Distributable Amount$4,350$19,501$4,894

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Eve Rosahn as President and Director; Daniel Schaffer as Director and Secretary/Treas; and Debra Schaffer and Jesse Schaffer as Directors.

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc is led by Eve Rosahn, President & Director on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Eve Rosahn

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $1K (2020) → $1K (2024)

  • Daniel Schaffer

    Director, Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $1K (2020) → $1K (2024)

  • Debra Schaffer

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $1K (2020) → $1K (2024)

  • Jesse Schaffer

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    $1K (2020) → $1K (2024)

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Eve Rosahn — President & Director: $1KEve RosahnPresident & Director$1KDaniel Schaffer — Director & Secretary/Treas: $1KDaniel SchafferDirector & Secretary/Treas$1KDebra Schaffer — Director: $1KDebra SchafferDirector$1KJesse Schaffer — Director: $1KJesse SchafferDirector$1K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $1K, to Eve Rosahn (President & Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 3000 Marcus Avenue 1E5, Lake Success, NY 11042
Phone: (570) 296-8463
Website: http://sonya-staff-foundation.org

Frequently asked questions about Sonya Staff Foundation Inc

How much does Sonya Staff Foundation Inc give each year?

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc gave $216K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $350K across 15 grants.

What is Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,615, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sonya Staff Foundation Inc that year got $18K on average.

Where does Sonya Staff Foundation Inc give grants?

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Georgia (37%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brooklyn, NY (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).

Does Sonya Staff Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include California Council for Veterans Affairs - Constructing Whiteness ($50,000), Health Global Access Project ($50,000) and Ophelia Media Films Inc ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Sonya Staff Foundation Inc?

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc reported $22K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $216K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Sonya Staff Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations and projects working in areas including health, education, research, prison education, legal services, civil rights, documentaries, and youth programs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Sonya Staff Foundation Inc?

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 Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's EIN?

Sonya Staff Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3230154. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Sonya Staff Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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