Surdna Foundation Inc
Surdna Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York, founded in 1917 by John Emory Andrus. It supports nonprofit organizations working to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States, with racial justice central to its grantmaking.
Surdna Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Surdna Foundation Inc gave $56.5M across 397 grants in 2025 (avg $142K), top state New York. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $56,522,953
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 397
- +1.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $142,375
- -5.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $90,000
- Total assets
- $1,231,171,978
- +5.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (95 of 397, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (33% 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 Surdna Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
Surdna does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website provides eligibility information, guidelines, and frequently asked questions related to applications. The foundation describes its grantmaking as invitation-based, with staff building long-term relationships that may lead to an invitation to apply. Thriving Cultures grants are also by invitation only. That program does not fund individuals, capital campaigns or building construction, projects based or focused outside the United States, tribal lands, or U.S. territories, equipment purchases, awards, scholarships, or endowment funds.
- Contact
Application contact: Surdna Foundation Inc
Mailing address: 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 557-0010
Website: https://surdna.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Surdna Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial ($4.1M). Together the top 10 received $13.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,847 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 661 grants of 1,847 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Surdna’s stated mission is focused on communities in the United States. In filing year 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York (33%), California (22%), and the District of Columbia (11%), followed by Illinois and Massachusetts (4% each).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 397 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Surdna Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 95 of 397 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $49K; repeat grants $172K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $41.3M (2019) to $58.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 397 grants totaling $56.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial Yonkers, NY | General Support | $4,082,500 |
| John E Andrus Memorial Inc Hastingsonhudson, NY | General Support | $4,022,500 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $959,000 |
| NDN Collective Rapid City, SD | General Support | $775,000 |
| Neighborhood Funders Group San Francisco, CA | General Support | $750,000 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs Calabasas, CA | General Support | $750,000 |
| Living Cities New York, NY | General Support | $665,000 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors New York, NY | General Support | $625,000 |
| OTV Open Television Chicago, IL | General Support | $605,000 |
| East Bay Community Foundation Oakland, CA | General Support | $575,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Surdna 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,231,171,978 | $82,509,894 | $51,006,657 | $56,522,953 | 397 | $71,414,894 | $76,646,539 | $58,806,446 |
| 2024 | $1,163,466,026 | $56,966,218 | $77,062,549 | $58,875,114 | 392 | $72,285,450 | $8,694,506 | $55,620,914 |
| 2023 | $1,166,632,706 | $193,448,000 | $105,542,174 | $54,655,193 | 349 | $66,436,107 | $912,283 | $59,823,634 |
| 2022 | $1,222,374,293 | $50,900,057 | $51,216,331 | $45,605,260 | 351 | $58,862,714 | $120,817,275 | $62,152,131 |
| 2021 | $1,320,656,848 | $93,315,682 | $58,414,625 | $46,516,682 | 358 | — | $82,183,406 | $57,653,208 |
| 2020 | $997,976,972 | $71,392,126 | $72,034,981 | $41,555,943 | 374 | — | $30,625,325 | $48,606,242 |
| 2019 | $1,028,564,578 | $50,230,488 | $49,509,403 | $41,343,491 | 396 | — | $32,655,319 | $49,890,510 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Surdna Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $58.8M 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
Surdna’s mission is to foster sustainable communities in the United States guided by social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures.
Its program areas include supporting diverse businesses owned by people of color and equitable economic development; advancing community power over land and infrastructure in low-wealth communities and communities of color; and investing in artists, culture-bearers, designers, and media-makers of color. The foundation also identifies the Andrus Family Fund as one of its four priority areas.
The 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, NDN Collective describes its work as building collective power for Indigenous Peoples, communities, and nations through grantmaking, organizing, narrative amplification, predevelopment support, and low-interest investments. Neighborhood Funders Group describes its mission as organizing philanthropy to support grassroots power building so communities of color and low-income communities can thrive. OTV Open Television describes its work as research and development through artist development, community development, and research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Surdna reported 397 grants totaling $56,522,953. Grants ranged from $500 to $4,082,500, with a median grant of $90,000. The foundation reports that from 2018 to 2024 it made 1,124 grants totaling $297.5 million; 76% were multiyear awards and 64% were unrestricted.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $4,082,500 to Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial and $4,022,500 to John E Andrus Memorial, both for general support. Other notable grants included $959,000 to New Venture Fund, $775,000 to NDN Collective, $750,000 to Neighborhood Funders Group, and $750,000 to Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, all for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Surdna Foundation Inc is led by Donald Chen, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 5 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Donald Chen
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$333K (2019) → $722K (2025)
Caitlin Boger Hawkins
Chairperson
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Connaker
Director & Impact Investing
Director - Impact Investing → Director & Impact Investing, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$62K (2022) → $292K (2025)
Cameron Griffith
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy D. Thorpe
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Shogren
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Davis Benedict
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa D' Arienzo
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Miguel Santana
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ommeed Sathe
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amachie Ackah
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Depass
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Goldberg
Vice President Learning & Impact
Director of Learning & Grant Oper. → Vice President Learning & Impact, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$235K (2019) → $359K (2025)
Marc De Venoge
Vice President Finance & Investing
Vice President Finance & Administration → Vice President Finance & Investing, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$439K (2019) → $584K (2025)
Elizabeth Cahill
Vice President, Communications & Engage.
Director of Communications → Vice President, Communications & Engage., 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$206K (2021) → $343K (2025)
Peter C. Voorhees
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shari T. Wilson
Vice Chairperson
Director → Vice Chairperson, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Caitlin Boger-Hawkins (2019–2024) — Chairperson
- Former: Carra Cote-Ackah (2019–2023) — Chairperson
- Former: Francisco Torres-Campos (2019–2023) — Program Director Thriving Cultures
- Former: Gwen Walden (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Judy Belk (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Kelly D. Nowlin (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Mekaelia Davis (2019–2023) — Program Director - Inclusive Econo. · Filing note: From 11/2018
- Former: Tracy Palandjian (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Manuela Arciniegas (2019–2022) — Program Director
- Former: Helen Chin (2019–2021) — Prgm Director -Sustainable Environ. · Filing note: Thru 3321
- Former: Michael S. Spensley (2019–2021) — Director · Filing note: Thru 11/2020
- Former: Peter B. Benedict II (2019–2021) — Chairperson · Filing note: Thru 11/2020
- Former: Shuaib Siddiqui (2019–2021) — Director of Impact Investing
- Former: Bruce Abernethy (2019–2020) — Director · Filing note: Thru 11/2019
- Former: Jocelyn Downie (2019–2020) — Director · Filing note: Thru 11/2019
- Former: Elizabeth Fader (2019) — Vice President Programs
- Former: Leticia Peguero (2019) — Executive Director · Filing note: Thru 119
- Former: Phillip Henderson (2019) — President · Filing note: Thru 918
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 $722K, to Donald Chen (Pres./CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Surdna Foundation Inc
How much does Surdna Foundation Inc give each year?
Surdna Foundation Inc gave $56.5M across 397 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $58.9M across 392 grants.
What is Surdna Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Surdna Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $90,000, and its average grant was $142,375, across 397 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Surdna Foundation Inc that year got $49K on average.
Where does Surdna Foundation Inc give grants?
Surdna Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (22%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (60 grants), Washington, DC (43 grants), Oakland, CA (32 grants) and San Francisco, CA (19 grants).
Does Surdna Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Surdna Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (397 of 397) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Surdna Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Surdna Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial ($4,082,500), John E Andrus Memorial Inc ($4,022,500) and New Venture Fund ($959,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Surdna Foundation Inc?
Surdna Foundation Inc reported $1.2B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $71.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $58.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Surdna Foundation Inc fund?
Surdna’s mission is to foster sustainable communities in the United States guided by social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, inclusive economies, and thriving cultures. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Surdna Foundation Inc?
Surdna does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Surdna Foundation Inc's EIN?
Surdna Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6108163. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Surdna 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Surdna Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/surdna-foundation-inc-morg_ef5393bcfaf54b2b86b31a49923cd829
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136108163_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Surdna Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/surdna-foundation-inc-morg_ef5393bcfaf54b2b86b31a49923cd829},
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 Surdna 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.
Surdna Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?