Spunk Fund Inc
Spunk Fund Inc is a private foundation based in New York, NY. It supports initiatives that contribute to the enrichment and well-being of children.
Spunk Fund Inc at a glance
In short: Spunk Fund Inc gave $665K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $48K), top state New York. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $665,357
- -13.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -17.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $47,526
- +4.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $34,500
- Total assets
- $12,780,977
- -5.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (2 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (40% 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 Spunk Fund Inc
- How to Apply
-
Letters of inquiry are accepted year-round. Contact the foundation president. The filing lists these materials: purpose of grant, amount of funding requested, annual report, IRS determination letter, and other supporters. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The deadline for submitting the actual proposal is April 1.
- Deadline
- The deadline for submitting the actual proposal is April 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Spunk Fund Inc The President
Mailing address: 780 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 980-8880
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Spunk Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Safe Space Pictures Foundation ($200K). Together the top 10 received $641K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 71 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in New York (40%), California (30%), Minnesota (16%), Washington, DC (12%), and Tennessee (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Spunk Fund Inc open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 14 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $26K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 86% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 111% of 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 $552K (2020) to $771K (2023). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $665K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Tisch Ms Research Center of New York Inc New York, NY | To support developing immunocompetent cerebral and spinal cord organoids for the study of the immune aspect of multiple sclerosis. | $75,000 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Apopo US Inc Washington, DC | Mine victims assistance in rural cambodia - to provide assistance for up to 144 victims to access care while allowing its team to continue mapping our victims assistance (VA) needs for up to 300 victims in siem reap province. | $39,657 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| University of the South - Sewanee Sewanee, TN | To support a second offering of journeys, the undergraduate course that will examine the metaphor of an individual journey and how that metaphor is understood culturally, historically, psychologically, and aesthetically in visual and narrative arts in our increasingly fast-paced, often transactional world. | $13,200 |
Ready to take the next step with Spunk Fund 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 | $12,780,977 | $892,044 | $1,622,998 | $665,357 | 14 | $1,392,786 | $675,883 | $1,257,524 |
| 2023 | $13,493,318 | $684,893 | $1,794,266 | $770,850 | 17 | $1,556,457 | $461,126 | $1,142,157 |
| 2022 | $14,602,483 | $657,926 | $1,744,212 | $631,900 | 14 | $1,533,928 | $461,684 | $1,161,356 |
| 2021 | $15,560,019 | $517,387 | $1,967,834 | $698,150 | 14 | $1,642,397 | $205,992 | $1,251,148 |
| 2020 | $17,049,567 | $702,222 | $1,745,946 | $552,400 | 12 | — | $299,375 | $1,132,004 |
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 September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it supports initiatives contributing to the enrichment and well-being of children. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in varied fields. For example, Safe Space Pictures Foundation says it facilitates educational media on matters including justice, culture, and civil liberties; Ballet Tech Foundation says it introduces New York City public school children to dance; and the School of American Ballet says its mission is to train students for professional careers in classical ballet.
Other 2024 awards supported multiple sclerosis and lupus research, humanitarian assistance for mine victims in Cambodia, scholarships, and publishing. These are the purposes stated for the grants or, where noted, the recipients’ own descriptions—not additional mission statements from the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $665,357. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $200,000, with a median of $34,500.
The largest award was $200,000 to Safe Space Pictures Foundation for a cinematic initiative supporting documentary filmmakers from Southwest Asia and North Africa. Other notable grants included $109,000 to Minors Inc for workspace relocation, ongoing projects, Vietnam program operations, and humanitarian assistance; $75,000 to Tisch MS Research Center of New York for research on multiple sclerosis; $60,000 to The Epidavros Project for work on the documentary “Liberal, Kansas”; and $50,000 to Hospital for Special Surgery for research on the female predominance of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marianne Gerschel as director/president, Leonard J. Lamm as grant officer, Stephanie De Vos and Sherry Ellenzweig as directors, and Lloyd De Vos as assistant secretary.
Spunk Fund Inc is led by Marianne Gerschel, Director & President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marianne Gerschel
Director & President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Ellenzweig
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie De Vos
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leonard J. Lamm
Grant Officer
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$101K (2020) → $110K (2024)
Lloyd De Vos
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $110K, to Leonard J Lamm (Grant Officer).
Frequently asked questions about Spunk Fund Inc
How much does Spunk Fund Inc give each year?
Spunk Fund Inc gave $665K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $771K across 17 grants.
What is Spunk Fund Inc's typical grant size?
Spunk Fund Inc's median grant in 2024 was $34,500, and its average grant was $47,526, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Spunk Fund Inc that year got $26K on average.
Where does Spunk Fund Inc give grants?
Spunk Fund Inc's top state is New York, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (30%) and Minnesota (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Spunk Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Spunk Fund Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Spunk Fund Inc's largest grantees?
Spunk Fund Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Safe Space Pictures Foundation ($200,000), Minors Inc ($109,000) and Tisch Ms Research Center of New York Inc ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Spunk Fund Inc?
Spunk Fund Inc reported $12.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Spunk Fund Inc fund?
The foundation states that it supports initiatives contributing to the enrichment and well-being of children. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in varied fields. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Spunk Fund Inc?
Letters of inquiry are accepted year-round. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Spunk Fund Inc's EIN?
Spunk Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3116094. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Spunk Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
The Rockefeller Foundation
New York, NY
The Rockefeller Foundation funds initiatives in energy access, sustainable food systems, health, climate, economic opportunity, and finance in the United States and around the world. In 2024, it made 381 grants, with a median grant of about $171,000, though awards ranged widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$6.4B
Grants
381
Total Given
$233.2M
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The foundation funds arts and culture, nature and conservation, and health and well-being, including work supporting performing artists, climate resilience, medical research, and vulnerable children and families. In 2024, its grants had a median of $100,000, though awards ranged widely; it funds work across the United States and beyond. It accepts unsolicited Letters of Inquiry from U.S. nonprofits, but says very few lead to grants.
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
289
Total Given
$90.3M
The Hyde and Watson Foundation
Warren Township, NJ
The Hyde and Watson Foundation funds capital projects in human services, education, health, arts and culture, and the environment. Most awards are $5,000–$20,000, with a 2024 median of $10,000, for eligible nonprofits in New York City and Essex, Morris, and Union counties in New Jersey. It accepts applications through an online portal during its stated application periods; the profile does not say whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$88.2M
Grants
611
Total Given
$6.1M
Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc
New York, NY
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund supports work on democracy, sustainable development and climate, and peacebuilding, as well as place-based efforts in China, Central America, and the Western Balkans and arts and culture in New York City. Its 2024 grants had a median of $60,000, though awards varied widely. It accepts unsolicited requests, but rarely funds them—fewer than 1 percent result in funding.
Assets
$1.4B
Grants
646
Total Given
$60.4M
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
The Ford Foundation funds organizations and initiatives working to reduce inequality and advance social justice, including work on civic engagement, civil rights, climate justice, disability rights, and technology and society. In 2024, its grants ranged from $45 to $15 million, with a median of $100,000, supporting work in the U.S. and internationally. It says most grants are identified by the foundation and it does not accept unsolicited proposals by mail, email, or phone; limited opportunities may be offered separately.
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Spunk Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/spunk-fund-inc-morg_769d7cfbcc7d477fb1fcd54440ce0ae7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133116094_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Spunk Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/spunk-fund-inc-morg_769d7cfbcc7d477fb1fcd54440ce0ae7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Spunk Fund 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.
Spunk Fund Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?