The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2026 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including the Metropolitan Opera Association and the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation gave $5.7M across 3 grants in 2026 (avg $1.9M), mostly in New York. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $5,722,381
- -36.2% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 3
- -50.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $1,907,460
- +27.6% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $35,000
- Total assets
- $6,030,957
- +5.5% vs 2025
- Primary geography
- New York (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation
- 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: PO Box 73 Bowling Green Station, New York, NY 10274-0073
Phone: (212) 902-8711
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Metropolitan Opera Association Inc ($35K). Together the top 2 received $36K.
Grant Size Distribution
39 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 39 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for filing year 2026 went to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation gives
- Giving grew 537% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 885% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $233K (2021) to $9.0M (2025). In 2026 it made 3 grants totaling $5.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| See Attached List Various, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $5,686,381 |
| Metropolitan Opera Association Inc New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $35,000 |
| Council on Foreign Relations Inc New York, NY | General Charitable Purposes | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $6,030,957 | $401,509 | $5,723,151 | $5,722,381 | 3 | $5,723,131 | $401,489 | $646,636 |
| 2025 | $5,717,528 | $2,742,621 | $9,027,988 | $8,966,240 | 6 | $8,972,402 | $1,706,090 | $984,123 |
| 2024 | $4,227,163 | $2,761,047 | $667,750 | $659,000 | 6 | $659,750 | $2,014,322 | $723,889 |
| 2023 | $2,867,789 | $1,091,437 | $900,570 | $898,800 | 13 | $899,550 | $409,270 | $696,334 |
| 2022 | $3,346,267 | $1,304,385 | $575,364 | $552,300 | 11 | $553,050 | $1,304,071 | $800,061 |
| 2021 | $2,617,246 | $1,540,250 | $240,120 | $232,600 | 1 | — | $684,745 | $548,492 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $647K for 2026 — 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 2026 grants include support for cultural and policy organizations. The Council on Foreign Relations describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher serving audiences including government officials, business executives, journalists, and educators.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 3 grants totaling $5,722,381. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,686,381, with a median of $35,000. The largest listed grant was $5,686,381 to “SEE ATTACHED LIST (VARIOUS, NY)” for general charitable purposes. Other listed grants were $35,000 to the Metropolitan Opera Association Inc and $1,000 to the Council on Foreign Relations Inc, both for general charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Abby J. Cohen, David M. Cohen, Ellen M. Gertsen, and Lauren G. Cohen as trustees.
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation's 2026 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Abby J. Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David M. Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen M. Gertsen
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren G. Cohen
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "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 The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation
How much does The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation give each year?
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation gave $5.7M across 3 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $9.0M across 6 grants.
What is The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $35,000, and its average grant was $1,907,460, across 3 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation give grants?
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation?
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $647K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2026 grants include support for cultural and policy organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation?
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 The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation's EIN?
The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4090442. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation 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 2026 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Abby & David Cohen Family Foundation funds
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