The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation
The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation is a private foundation established in 1982 and located in Los Angeles, California. The foundation was founded by Fran and Ray Stark. Ray Stark was a noted film and theater producer whose work included Academy Award-winning films such as "Funny Girl" and "Goodbye Girl," as well as "The Owl and the Pussycat," "The Way We Were," "The Sunshine Boys," "Murder by Death," "The Cheap Detective," "Annie," and "Steel Magnolias." His stage work included "Funny Girl," "Any Wednesday," and "The World of Suzie Wong." In 1980, Stark received the Irving G. Thalberg Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$29.5M
-1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.7M
+36.8% YoY
Grant Count
51
+2.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$73K
+34.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving focuses primarily on:
- Education
- Health organizations
- Human services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Preservation and promotion of art in the community
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are awarded by invitation only.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $650,000
Average Grant
amount varies by year
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $29,454,783
- Total Revenue: $4,023,663
- Total Expenses: $4,444,676
- Total Giving: $3,722,103
- Giving Rate: 9.1% of assets
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $29.9 million
- Total Giving: $2.7 million
- Annual Expenses: Not specified in available data
The foundation's investments total approximately $26.8 million.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,454,783 | $29,877,466 | $30,524,148 |
| Revenue | $4,023,663 | $2,692,491 | $1,008,061 |
| Expenses | $4,444,676 | $3,329,173 | $3,517,054 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,872,113 | $2,864,153 | $2,989,912 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,144,075 | $1,872,701 | $1,216,967 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,579,094 | $3,159,664 | $3,207,673 |
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
246 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Los Angeles County Museum of Art ($983,337), University of Southern California ($800,000), Academy Foundation ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACADEMY FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF THEATRICAL AND PERFORMING ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY | $500,000 |
| AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE NEW YORK, NY | PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF THEATRICAL AND PERFORMING ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY | $4,000 |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS VALENCIA, CA | PRESERVATION AND PROMOTION OF ART IN THE COMMUNITY | $5,000 |
| CEDARS-SINAI WOMEN'S GUILD LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CENTER THEATRE GROUP LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CHILDREN'S DIABETES FOUNDATION AURORA, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $8,700 |
| CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | MEDICAL PROGRAMS, RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND DISEASE PREVENTION | $15,000 |
| CHILDREN'S INSTITUTE INC LOS ANGELES, CA | TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT | $10,000 |
| CIRCLE OF CHILDREN PRESCHOOL SANTA MONICA, CA | EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS | $10,000 |
| CONNECTICUT COLLEGE NEW LONDON, CT | EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Rochelle A Edwards (listed as contact person)
- Wendy Stark Morris (listed in personnel records)
The foundation operates with minimal staff, with one employee listed in recent filings.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WENDY STARK MORRISSEY | DIRECTOR | 35 | $110,000 |
| ANITA ROSENSTEIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HERBERT ALLEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BONNIE GREY | DIRECTOR | 10 | $40,000 |
| ALLISON GORSUCH | DIRECTOR | 10 | $40,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced scholarship winners for the 2025 Stark Reading and Declamation Contest, indicating ongoing educational support initiatives beyond traditional grantmaking.
Stark Foundation announces scholarship winners of the 2025 Stark ReadingFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving focuses primarily on: • Education • Health organizations • Human services • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Preservation and promotion of art in the community
How do I apply for a grant from The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 52 grants in 2024 • Grant range: $1,000 to $650,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 • Average grant amount varies by year **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA): $983,337 for preservation and promotion of art in the community • Connecticut College: $250,000 for educational institutions and programs • Willows Community School: $235,000 for educational institutions and programs **Application Process:** The foundation doe…
Where does The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation award?
In 2024, The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation awarded 51 grants totaling $3.7M — an average of about $73K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation's EIN?
The Fran & Ray Stark Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3767859. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fran & Ray Stark 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.
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