Sonya Staff Foundation Inc
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.
Sonya Staff Foundation Inc at a glance
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.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $216,000
- -38.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- -13.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,615
- -28.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $22,075
- -87.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (49% 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 Sonya Staff Foundation Inc
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3000 Marcus Avenue 1E5, Lake Success, NY 11042
Phone: (570) 296-8463
Website: http://sonya-staff-foundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sonya Staff Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
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
The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 54 (93%).
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
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
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. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $17K (2020) to $350K (2023). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $216K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Council for Veterans Affairs - Constructing Whiteness Atlanta, GA | Funding for education and research. | $50,000 |
| Health Global Access Project Brooklyn, NY | Funding for health related education and research. | $50,000 |
| Ophelia Media Films Inc Macon, GA | Funding for documentaries and education. | $30,000 |
| Correctional Association of NY Brooklyn, NY | Funding for education and research. | $15,000 |
| Center for Transformative ActionPrisoner Express Ithaca, NY | Funding for prison education programs. | $10,000 |
| Human Rights Defense Center Lake Worth, FL | Funding for education and legal research. | $10,000 |
| Redwood Justice Fund - Prison Radio Project San Francisco, CA | Funding for education and civil rights. | $10,000 |
| Women & Justice Project Tides Center Jackson Heights, NY | Funding for legal services for victims of domestic violence. | $10,000 |
| Artist Alliance Inc New York, NY | Funding for education - creation of websites | $10,000 |
| NC Survivors Union Inc Greensboro, NC | Funding for legal education. | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sonya Staff Foundation Inc?
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 | $22,075 | $81,035 | $227,708 | $216,000 | 13 | $216,442 | $3,223 | $4,350 |
| 2023 | $169,278 | $143,232 | $375,806 | $350,000 | 15 | $352,000 | $20,832 | $19,501 |
| 2022 | $401,986 | $604,289 | $253,176 | $228,000 | 14 | $233,000 | $3,878 | $4,894 |
| 2021 | $50,873 | $108,407 | $66,494 | $58,000 | 7 | $58,000 | $1 | $912 |
| 2020 | $8,960 | $20,002 | $22,943 | $16,500 | 5 | — | $2 | $24 |
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.
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.
Notable 2024 grants included $50,000 to California Council for Veterans Affairs - Constructing Whiteness for education and research; $50,000 to Health Global Access Project for health-related education and research; $30,000 to Ophelia Media Films Inc for documentaries and education; and $15,000 to Correctional Association of NY for education and research. Other listed grants included $10,000 to Center for Transformative ActionPrisoner Express for prison education programs, $10,000 to Human Rights Defense Center for education and legal research, and $10,000 to Women & Justice Project Tides Center for legal services for victims of domestic violence.
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $1K, to Eve Rosahn (President & Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
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 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). Sonya Staff Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sonya-staff-foundation-inc-morg_5848088e475f42b9a7569ba526c4a92b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133230154_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sonya Staff Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sonya-staff-foundation-inc-morg_5848088e475f42b9a7569ba526c4a92b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Sonya Staff Foundation Inc'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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