The Bernard Stern Foundation
The Bernard Stern Foundation is a private foundation based in Boca Raton, Florida. Its 2024 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in areas such as Jewish community and education, health, and support for veterans.
The Bernard Stern Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bernard Stern Foundation gave $94K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), top state Florida. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $93,600
- +31.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +54.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,506
- -14.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,408,576
- -10.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (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 The Bernard Stern Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: Ellen Stern
Mailing address: 10631 Stonebridge Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33498
Phone: (561) 477-9411
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Bernard Stern Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hillel of Broward & Palm Beach ($15K). Together the top 10 received $75K.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 75 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in several states. Florida accounted for 40%, New York 26%, Illinois 11%, Maryland 5%, and Tennessee 5% of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Bernard Stern Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 59% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 58% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 122% 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 $59K (2021) to $94K (2024). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $94K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hillel of Broward & Palm Beach Davie, FL | Charitable | $15,000 |
| FAU Foundation Boca Raton, FL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Palm Beach West Palm Beach, FL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Alzheimers Association Chicago, IL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Anti-Defamation League New York, NY | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Bethesda, MD | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Friends of the IDF New York, NY | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | Charitable | $5,000 |
| St Jude Childrens Hospital Memphis, TN | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Hadassah New Yourk, NY | Charitable | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,408,576 | $48,782 | $202,266 | $93,600 | 17 | $128,680 | — | $105,074 |
| 2023 | $1,566,399 | $22,770 | $189,709 | $71,000 | 11 | $109,048 | — | $103,969 |
| 2022 | $1,723,203 | $42,635 | $187,305 | $63,000 | 16 | $105,455 | — | $109,665 |
| 2021 | $1,918,954 | $298,834 | $199,301 | $59,180 | 14 | $96,324 | — | $120,701 |
| 2020 | $1,819,421 | $189,924 | $203,205 | $68,665 | 17 | — | $511 | $108,992 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bernard Stern Foundation reported a distributable amount of $105K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees describe a range of activities: the Anti-Defamation League says it works to combat antisemitism and other forms of hate; the Simon Wiesenthal Center says it confronts antisemitism and hate, stands with Israel, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust; and Birthright Israel Foundation says it raises funds to support educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults. The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network describes work in public awareness, research, education, and support services, while Play for Pink says it supports research related to breast cancer causes, cures, and prevention.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $93,600. Grants ranged from $600 to $15,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Notable awards included $15,000 to Hillel of Broward & Palm Beach; $10,000 each to FAU Foundation, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach, and the Alzheimer’s Association; and $5,000 each to the Anti-Defamation League, Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, Friends of the IDF, Birthright Israel Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Hadassah, and Simon Wiesenthal Center. Wounded Warrior Project received $4,000. Play for Pink received $2,000.
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. How to apply: The filing names Ellen Stern as the contact and says no particular form or application is necessary; applicants should submit a letter giving essential details of the project. The foundation does not award grants to individuals or scholarships, fellowships, loans, prizes, or similar benefits. Deadline: The filing states there are no submission deadlines.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ellen Stern and Elissa Pagan as directors.
The Bernard Stern Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elissa Pagan
Director
On filings since 2020
$24K (2020) → $24K (2024)
Ellen Stern
Director
On filings since 2020
$50K (2020) → $50K (2024)
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 $50K, to Ellen Stern (Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Bernard Stern Foundation
How much does The Bernard Stern Foundation give each year?
The Bernard Stern Foundation gave $94K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $71K across 11 grants.
What is The Bernard Stern Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bernard Stern Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,506, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bernard Stern Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Bernard Stern Foundation give grants?
The Bernard Stern Foundation's top state is Florida, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (26%) and Illinois (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants) and Boca Raton, FL (2 grants).
Does The Bernard Stern Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on The Bernard Stern Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (17 grants).
Who are The Bernard Stern Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bernard Stern Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hillel of Broward & Palm Beach ($15,000), FAU Foundation ($10,000) and Jewish Federation of Palm Beach ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Bernard Stern Foundation?
The Bernard Stern Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $129K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $105K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Bernard Stern Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bernard Stern Foundation?
The Bernard Stern Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Bernard Stern Foundation's EIN?
The Bernard Stern Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 71-0899950. 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Bernard Stern Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bernard-stern-foundation-morg_c24f95eb2c4a405dba5752ea3542db60
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_710899950_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Bernard Stern Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bernard-stern-foundation-morg_c24f95eb2c4a405dba5752ea3542db60},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Bernard Stern Foundation'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.
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