Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports 19 grants totaling $21,773, supporting charitable organizations including scholarship, community, arts, food assistance, and child welfare organizations.
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc gave $22K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Connecticut. 56% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $21,773
- +28.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- -20.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,146
- +61.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $349,643
- +4.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (10 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (85% 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 Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 100 Danbury Road 104, Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone: (203) 431-0143
Website: https://taylorzemofoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was A Better Chance in Ridgefield ($10K). Together the top 10 received $20K.
Grant Size Distribution
89 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 89 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 85% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 11% to Florida, 2% to Massachusetts, and 1% to New York. The largest listed grant was to a Ridgefield, Connecticut, organization.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 18 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $471; repeat grants $883. How we count
Medians: $252 first-time, $750 repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 223% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 129% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7K (2022) to $23K (2020). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $22K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A Better Chance in Ridgefield Ridgefield, CT | Ruth Leibowitz Scholarship | $10,000 |
| Kids in Distress Wilton Manors, FL | Ongoing Operations | $2,500 |
| Ridgefield Scholarship Group Inc Ridgefield, CT | Susan Cocco Scholarship Fund | $1,100 |
| Friends of Ridgefield Community Programs Inc Ridgefield, CT | Ongoing Operations | $1,053 |
| Ridgefield Emergency Fund Ridgefield, CT | Donation for Food Assistance | $1,000 |
| The Ridgefield Library Ridgefield, CT | Guardian Society | $1,000 |
| The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum Ridgefield, CT | Kennedy Center Project | $1,000 |
| Association of Religious Communities Danbury Danbury, CT | Ongoing Operations | $1,000 |
| Soup Kitchen in Provincetown Provincetown, MA | Ongoing Operations | $500 |
| Full Court Peace Norwalk, CT | Ongoing Operations | $500 |
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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 | $349,643 | $44,489 | $29,782 | $21,773 | 19 | $26,232 | $40,939 | $20,283 |
| 2024 | $334,936 | $28,157 | $19,729 | $17,000 | 24 | $17,000 | $25,428 | $19,497 |
| 2023 | $326,508 | $9,765 | $14,645 | $13,550 | 26 | $13,550 | $8,765 | $17,035 |
| 2022 | $331,388 | $7,134 | $7,839 | $6,740 | 13 | $6,740 | $6,198 | $16,600 |
| 2021 | $332,093 | $9,821 | $9,790 | $8,664 | 7 | $8,664 | $8,780 | $17,173 |
| 2020 | $332,062 | $4,703 | $24,238 | $23,320 | 13 | — | $3,830 | $16,885 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $20K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include scholarship support and contributions for ongoing operations, food assistance, and a library’s Guardian Society and an art museum’s Kennedy Center Project.
Among its grantees, A Better Chance in Ridgefield describes its mission as increasing the number of well-educated young people of color capable of leadership. Kids in Distress says it works to prevent child abuse, preserve families, and treat children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Friends of Ridgefield Community Programs says it supports civic activities in Ridgefield, and The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum describes its work as supporting artists and engaging and inspiring audiences. Soup Kitchen in Provincetown says it serves approximately 900 meals per week during its winter-season lunch service. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions and activities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $21,773. Grants ranged from $100 to $10,000, with a median of $500.
Notable 2025 grants included $10,000 to A Better Chance in Ridgefield for the Ruth Leibowitz Scholarship; $2,500 to Kids in Distress for ongoing operations; $1,100 to Ridgefield Scholarship Group for the Susan Cocco Scholarship Fund; and $1,053 to Friends of Ridgefield Community Programs for ongoing operations. Other grants included $1,000 each to Ridgefield Emergency Fund for food assistance, The Ridgefield Library for its Guardian Society, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum for the Kennedy Center Project, and Association of Religious Communities Danbury for ongoing operations.
Additional 2025 grantees included Soup Kitchen in Provincetown ($500), Full Court Peace ($500), Americares ($260), and Ann’s Place ($257), each with the grant purpose listed as ongoing operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Stephen J Zemo as president and director, Michael J Taylor as vice president and director, and Sara Ruth Leibowitz as director.
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc is led by Stephen J. Zemo, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Stephen J. Zemo
President & Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael J. Taylor
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Ruth Leibowitz
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc
How much does Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc give each year?
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc gave $22K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $17K across 24 grants.
What is Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,146, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc that year got $471 on average.
Where does Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc give grants?
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc gives mostly in Connecticut: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Ridgefield, CT (12 grants) and Danbury, CT (2 grants).
Does Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Ongoing Operations" (13 grants).
Who are Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include A Better Chance in Ridgefield ($10,000), Kids in Distress ($2,500) and Ridgefield Scholarship Group Inc ($1,100), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc?
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc reported $350K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $26K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include scholarship support and contributions for ongoing operations, food assistance, and a library’s Guardian Society and an art museum’s Kennedy Center Project. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's EIN?
Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-2491024. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Taylor-Zemo 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Taylor-Zemo Foundation Inc funds
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