The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation
The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2001 by Barry Sternlicht, Chairman & CEO of Starwood Capital Group. The foundation received tax-exempt status in October 2002 and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization based in Wilmington, Delaware.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$170.3M
-0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.6M
+63.7% YoY
Grant Count
73
+40.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$105K
+16.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for education, health, youth and social services, and Jewish organizations. Key funding priorities include:
- Poverty relief
- Jewish causes
- Education
- Health, particularly diabetes research
- Arts and culture
- Environment
The foundation's philanthropic approach was significantly shaped by Sternlicht's son's juvenile diabetes diagnosis, leading to targeted support for medical research with maximum impact potential. His father, a Holocaust survivor, instilled in him the value of giving back.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 to $150,000
Average Grant
Approximately $25,000
Invitation Only
** Invitation only. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or provide public contact information for grant applications.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary focus on New York City, with national grantmaking. Secondary geographic areas include Massachusetts and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $170.3 million (2024)
Annual Giving: $7.7 million (2024)
2023 Financial Summary:
- Total Assets: $171 million
- Total Revenue: $56.9 million
- Total Expenses: $5.02 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Giving Rate: 3.3%
The foundation demonstrates strong commitment to active grantmaking, with annual charitable disbursements representing approximately 90% of annual expenses.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $170,302,497 | $170,953,572 | $119,068,319 |
| Revenue | $7,911,791 | $56,909,462 | $66,297,693 |
| Expenses | $8,562,866 | $5,024,209 | $6,015,222 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $7,743,625 | $4,769,442 | $5,628,052 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,924,694 | $6,606,161 | $16,621,323 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,324,684 | $7,753,293 | $4,732,054 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Jewish Committee ($2,500,000), Eagles Wings International Inc ($500,000), National Philanthropic Trust ($430,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVE MIAMI INC MIAMI, FL | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| ALZHEIMERS DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | Charitable Event | $25,000 |
| AMERICA ISRAEL DEMOCRACY COALITION WYNNEWOOD, PA | "The Nova Music Festival Exhibition, The MomenT MUSIC STOOD STLL" TOURING EXHIBITION LOS ANGELES VENUE | $100,000 |
| AMERICA ISRAEL DEMOCRACY COALITION WYNNEWOOD, PA | "The Nova Music FESTIVAL EXHIBITION, THE MOMENT MUSIC STOOD STILL" TOURING EXHIBITION MIAMI FLORIDA VENUE | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RE WASHINGTON, DC | For AEI's National Council Co-Chair level | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF BEIT RUTH INC JERICHO, NY | BEIT RUTH GALA, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Guastavino's NYC | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF RABIN MEDICAL CENTER INC NEW YORK, NY | Charitable Event | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | Charitable Event | $109,200 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | FACTS FOR PEACE (STERNLICHT Israel project) | $2,500,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | Charitable Event | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Barry Sternlicht – President, Director, Secretary
- David A Stein – Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| David A Stein | Dir | 1 | — |
| Barry Sternlicht | Pres, Dir, Sec | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for education, health, youth and social services, and Jewish organizations. Key funding priorities include: • Poverty relief • Jewish causes • Education • Health, particularly diabetes research • Arts and culture • Environment The foundation's philanthropic approach was significantly shaped by Sternlicht's son's juvenile diabetes diagnosis, leading to targeted support for medical research with maximum impact potential. His father, a Holocaust survivor, instilled i…
How do I apply for a grant from The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation?
**Application Process:** Invitation only. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or provide public contact information for grant applications. **Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 to $150,000 • Average grant size: Approximately $25,000 • Median grant: $36,858 • Number of grants (2023): 52 to 117 awards • Grantmaking approach: Trustee-directed rather than formal grant programs **Recent Grant Recipients (2022):** • Robin Hood Foundation: $1.5M • National Philanthropic Tr…
Where does The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation make grants?
Primary focus on New York City, with national grantmaking. Secondary geographic areas include Massachusetts and Florida.
What size grants does The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation award?
In 2024, The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation awarded 73 grants totaling $7.6M — an average of about $105K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation's EIN?
The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0039094. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.