Spunk Fund Inc

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-3116094

Spunk Fund Inc is a private foundation incorporated in New York in 1981 and granted tax-exempt status in June 1982. Based in New York City at 780 3rd Avenue, 28th Floor, the foundation operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking to support children, adolescents, and disadvantaged communities.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$12.8M

-5.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$665K

-13.7% YoY

Grant Count

-17.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$48K

+4.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Spunk Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports initiatives that contribute to the enrichment and well-being of children and adolescents, including:

Medical and psychological research
Education (elementary and secondary education, child educational development)
Cultural programs and arts
Prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect
International programs that enhance quality of life and create opportunities for less-advantaged children
Public safety and disaster management
Human services, including family services and child welfare

The foundation prioritizes support for economically disadvantaged and low-income individuals across these areas.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$35,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds programs across multiple U.S. locations including New York, Miami, Washington D.C., Tennessee, and Maryland, as well as international programs in Brussels and Vietnam.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $1.5M (50%)

Minnesota $645K (22%)

California $289K (10%)

Maryland $160K (5%)

Massachusetts $135K (5%)

District of Columbia $124K (4%)

Florida $50K (2%)

New Jersey $50K (2%)

+2 more states

States

California District of Columbia Florida Hawaii Massachusetts Maryland Minnesota New Jersey New York Tennessee

Cities

BaltimoreBeverly HillsBrooklynHonoluluJersey CityLowellMiamiMinneapolisNew YorkSebastopolSewaneeSt PaulWashingtonWatertown

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets: $12.8–$24 million (figures vary by reporting year; most recent 2023 data shows $13.5 million)

Annual Activity:

Total giving: $665,357–$1.6 million annually
Revenue (2023): $684,893
Expenses (2023): $1,794,266
Number of employees: 5

Contact: 212-980-8880

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$12,780,977	$13,493,318	$14,602,483
Revenue	$892,044	$684,893	$657,926
Expenses	$1,622,998	$1,794,266	$1,744,212
Qualifying Distributions	$1,392,786	$1,556,457	$1,533,928
Net Investment Income	$675,883	$461,126	$461,684
Distributable Amount	$1,257,524	$1,142,157	$1,161,356

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

71 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Safe Space Pictures Foundation ($200,000), Minors Inc ($109,000), Tisch Ms Research Center of New York Inc ($75,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
BALLET TECH FOUNDATION INC NEW YORK, NY	PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR DANCE INSTRUCTOR SALARIES AT THE NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR DANCE FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR.	$35,000
COUNCIL ON FOUNDATIONS WASHINGTON, DC	MEMBERSHIP.	$4,000
HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY NEW YORK, NY	TO DEFINE THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF SLE'S EXTREME FEMALE PREDOMINANCE, A CRITICAL CHALLENGE CENTRAL TO UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLE.	$50,000
MINORS INC ST PAUL, MN	TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE RELOCATION OF "MINORS" WORKSPACE, TO CONTINUE THE BOOK AND PHOTO EXHIBIT PROJECTS BEYOND THE CURRENT PROJECT, AND TO CONTINUE CONDUCTING ONGOING VIETNAM PROGRAM OPERATIONS. TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OR MUCH-NEEDED BASIC HUMAN NECESSITIES SO CHILDREN CAN REMAIN IN SCHOOLS IN HA GIANG AND DIEN BIEN.	$109,000
PEACE PLAYERS INTERNATIONAL WASHINGTON, DC	THE ENRIQUE MOSCOL SCHOLARSHIP - TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR YEAR 2 FOR THE THREE ENRIQUE MOSCOL SCHOLARS AS THEY CONTINUE PURSUING THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES AND TO CONTINUE NURTURING AND SUPPORTING VETERAN PARTICIPANTS AS THEY TRANSITION INTO THEIR OWN ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS.	$34,000
PHILANTHROPY NEW YORK NEW YORK, NY	MEMBERSHIP.	$2,000
SAFE SPACE PICTURES FOUNDATION BEVERLY HILLS, CA	A CINEMATIC INITIATIVE FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS FROM SOUTHWEST ASIA & NORTH AFRICA. TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS OF CLOSE-UP, AN INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHICH AIMS TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST, THE CAUCASUS & NORTH AFRICA.	$200,000
SCHOOL OF AMERICAN BALLET INC NEW YORK, NY	TO SUPPORT SUMMER AND WINTER COURSES DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS THAT COVERED OR REDUCED TRAINING COSTS FOR THE SCHOOL OF AMERICAN BALLET'S SUMMER AND WINTER TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR DANCERS OF COLOR.	$25,000
THE EPIDAVROS PROJECT INC NEW YORK, NY	TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPORT TO COVER THE FOLLOWING WORK FOR "LIBERAL, KANSAS" IN 2025: EDITOR AND ASSISTANT SOUND EDITOR, GRAPHICS, COMPOSER, TRAVELING, PROMOTION, AND FUNDRAISING.	$60,000
THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY	BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH	$6,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Marianne Gerschel – Director/President (full-time, no compensation)
Leonard J. Lamm – Grant Officer (part-time, $105,000 compensation)
Stephanie De Vos – Director
Sherry Ellenzweig – Director
Lloyd De Vos – Assistant Secretary
Uta Seibicke – Officer (full-time, $80,000 compensation)
Segundo Moscal – Officer (full-time, $58,000 compensation)
Yvonne Yu – Officer (full-time, $52,000 compensation)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MARIANNE GERSCHEL	DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT	40	—
LEONARD J LAMM	GRANT OFFICER	20	$110,250
STEPHANIE DE VOS	DIRECTOR	1	—
SHERRY ELLENZWEIG	DIRECTOR	1	—
LLOYD DE VOS	ASSISTANT SECRETARY	1	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Spunk Fund Inc fund?

The foundation supports initiatives that contribute to the enrichment and well-being of children and adolescents, including: • Medical and psychological research • Education (elementary and secondary education, child educational development) • Cultural programs and arts • Prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect • International programs that enhance quality of life and create opportunities for less-advantaged children • Public safety and disaster management • Human services, includin…

How do I apply for a grant from Spunk Fund Inc?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000–$200,000 • Median grant size: $35,000 • Maximum grant observed: $118,000 • Recent grant activity: 14–17 grants annually **Recent Grants (2023):** • The Epidavros Project: $117,950 (film production support) • Hospital for Special Surgery: $110,000 (lupus nephritis research) • Minors in Need of Resettlement: $93,000 (education support for ethnic minority students in Vietnam)

Where does Spunk Fund Inc make grants?

The foundation funds programs across multiple U.S. locations including New York, Miami, Washington D.C., Tennessee, and Maryland, as well as international programs in Brussels and Vietnam.

What size grants does Spunk Fund Inc award?

In 2024, Spunk Fund Inc awarded 14 grants totaling $665K — an average of about $48K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Spunk Fund Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Spunk Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.