The Derfner Foundation
The Derfner Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. In 2024, it reported 60 grants totaling $7,143,000 to charitable organizations, including hospitals, research and cultural institutions, and organizations providing human services.
The Derfner Foundation at a glance
In short: The Derfner Foundation gave $7.1M across 60 grants in 2024 (avg $119K), mostly in New York. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,143,000
- -2.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 60
- -3.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $119,050
- +0.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $217,981,344
- +8.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (5 of 60, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (73% 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 Derfner 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: 530 East 76Th Street 28Eg, New York, NY 10021
Phone: (212) 744-2727
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Derfner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mount Sinai Dept of Surgery ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $5.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
353 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 194 grants of 353 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 73% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 17% to California, 4% to New Jersey, 2% to Connecticut, and 2% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 60 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Derfner Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 60 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $129K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 69% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $6.6M (2022) to $8.2M (2021). In 2024 it made 60 grants totaling $7.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Sinai Dept of Surgery New York, NY | Unrestricted Use | $1,500,000 |
| Hebrew Home for the Aged Riverdale, NY | Unrestricted Use | $1,000,000 |
| Hospital for Special Surgery New York, NY | Unrestricted Use | $1,000,000 |
| Southampton Hospital Foundation Southampton, NY | Unretricted Use | $550,000 |
| Green 4 Kids North Hollywood, CA | Unrestricted Use | $500,000 |
| BABY2BABY Los Angeles, CA | Unrestricted Use | $250,000 |
| Kessler Foundation East Hanover, NJ | Unrestricted Use | $250,000 |
| Red Autismo Foundation San Diego, CA | Unrestricted Use | $150,000 |
| American Museum of Natural History New York, NY | Unrestricted Use | $100,000 |
| Basser Research Center for BRCA Philadelphia, PA | Unrestricted Use | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Derfner Foundation?
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 | $217,981,344 | $13,485,451 | $9,674,288 | $7,143,000 | 60 | $7,143,000 | $9,449,740 | $10,312,695 |
| 2023 | $200,614,469 | $65,072,910 | $9,848,147 | $7,313,500 | 62 | $7,313,500 | $4,857,621 | $7,432,466 |
| 2022 | $131,868,578 | $5,672,884 | $8,610,518 | $6,555,000 | 58 | $6,555,000 | $4,030,808 | $6,777,522 |
| 2021 | $158,472,968 | $13,106,656 | $9,732,354 | $8,152,500 | 72 | $8,152,500 | $11,524,682 | $7,461,306 |
| 2020 | $150,177,160 | $2,647,673 | $9,453,434 | $7,956,810 | 101 | — | $2,122,194 | $6,813,364 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Derfner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.3M 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 is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Kessler Foundation describes its work as medical rehabilitation research and programs to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities; Baby2Baby says it provides children in need with diapers, formula, clothing, and other necessities. The American Museum of Natural History describes its mission as using scientific research and education to share knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 60 grants totaling $7,143,000. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $1,500,000, with a median of $30,000. Among the largest were $1,500,000 to Mount Sinai Department of Surgery; $1,000,000 each to Hebrew Home for the Aged and Hospital for Special Surgery; $550,000 to Southampton Hospital Foundation; and $500,000 to Green 4 Kids. Other grants included $250,000 each to Baby2Baby and Kessler Foundation, and $100,000 each to the American Museum of Natural History, Basser Research Center for BRCA, Foundation for Gender Specific Medicine, and Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jay Lieberman and Andrea Lieberman as trustees.
The Derfner Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jay Lieberman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$500K (2020) → $600K (2024)
Andrea Lieberman
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Peter Derfner (2020–2023) — Trustee
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 $600K, to Jay Lieberman (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Derfner Foundation
How much does The Derfner Foundation give each year?
The Derfner Foundation gave $7.1M across 60 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.3M across 62 grants.
What is The Derfner Foundation's typical grant size?
The Derfner Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $119,050, across 60 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Derfner Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Derfner Foundation give grants?
The Derfner Foundation gives mostly in New York: 73% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (23 grants), Los Angeles, CA (6 grants), Southampton, NY (3 grants) and Riverdale, NY (2 grants).
Does The Derfner Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of The Derfner Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (59 of 60) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Derfner Foundation's largest grantees?
The Derfner Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Mount Sinai Dept of Surgery ($1,500,000), Hebrew Home for the Aged ($1,000,000) and Hospital for Special Surgery ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Derfner Foundation?
The Derfner Foundation reported $218.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $10.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Derfner Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Derfner 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 Derfner Foundation's EIN?
The Derfner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3661341. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Derfner 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
(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 Derfner Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-derfner-foundation-morg_77162d2c913249cb9f4d4643eceeec25
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133661341_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Derfner Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-derfner-foundation-morg_77162d2c913249cb9f4d4643eceeec25},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Derfner 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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