The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc
THE HARVEY & RUTH GELFENBEIN CHARITABLE is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky. Its 2023 filing reports 15 grants totaling $1,724,210. The foundation’s filing says it distributed all its assets by November 30, 2023, after making final distributions to three other charitable foundations; it therefore appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 15 grants in 2023 (avg $115K), mostly in Vermont. 47% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $1,724,210
- +1458.3% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 15
- -76.9% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $114,947
- +6652.4% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $1,766
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (7 of 15, 2023; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (58% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3606 Apex Gardens Drive, Louisville, KY 40241
Phone: (502) 693-2784
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was The Gelfenbein-Kaplan Charitable Foundation Inc ($705K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
218 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 215 grants of 218 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2023, 58% of grant dollars went to recipients in Vermont and 41% to recipients in Kentucky. The filing also reports shares of 0% for California, New York, and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 7 of 15 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $245K; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 53% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving grew 3675% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $46K (2020) to $1.7M (2023). In 2023 it made 15 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Gelfenbein-Kaplan Charitable Foundation Inc Louisville, KY | General Operating Funds | $704,982 |
| The Meckler Gelfenbein Family Charitable Foundation Inc South Burlington, VT | General Operating Funds | $704,982 |
| The Gelfenbein Family Charitable Foundation Inc South Burlington, VT | General Operating Funds | $300,000 |
| Bard Prison Initiative Red Hook, NY | Genereal Operating Fund | $1,766 |
| Ocean Conservancy Washington, DC | General Operating Fund | $1,766 |
| Sierra Club Foundation Oakland, CA | General Operating Funds | $1,766 |
| Carbon Removal Washington, DC | General Operating Fund | $1,766 |
| Coalition for Rainforest Nations New York, NY | General Operating Fund | $1,766 |
| Students Rising Above San Francisco, CA | General Operating Fund | $1,766 |
| JCC Maccabi Palo Alto, CA | General Operating Funds | $1,400 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $-31,640 | $1,768,956 | $1,724,210 | 15 | $1,752,439 | $542 | $95,241 |
| 2022 | $1,806,188 | $-182,788 | $148,390 | $110,650 | 65 | $122,109 | — | $100,708 |
| 2021 | $2,137,366 | $600,894 | $99,478 | $79,700 | 70 | — | $581,613 | $110,447 |
| 2020 | $1,635,950 | $73,112 | $64,334 | $45,670 | 68 | — | $60,054 | $89,749 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $95K for 2023 — 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 2023 grants included general operating support for other charitable foundations and smaller grants to organizations working on environmental, ocean-conservation, rainforest, and health-related issues. For example, Ocean Conservancy describes its mission as uniting science, people, and policy to protect the ocean. The Coalition for Rainforest Nations says it works to strengthen forest stewardship, biodiversity conservation, and climate stability. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network says it advances research, builds community, shares knowledge, and advocates for people affected by pancreatic cancer.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $1,724,210. Individual grants ranged from $100 to $704,982, with a median of $1,766. The largest grants were $704,982 each to The Gelfenbein-Kaplan Charitable Foundation Inc. and The Meckler Gelfenbein Family Charitable Foundation Inc., and $300,000 to The Gelfenbein Family Charitable Foundation Inc. Each was designated for general operating funds. Other listed awards included $1,766 each to Bard Prison Initiative, Ocean Conservancy, Sierra Club Foundation, Carbon Removal, Coalition for Rainforest Nations, and Students Rising Above.
The filing says the foundation made normal qualified distributions through May 22, 2023, then made final distributions to three charitable foundations by November 30, 2023.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Drew Gelfenbein as president, Joy Kaplan as vice-president, and Ranan Wichler as secretary.
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc is led by Drew Gelfenbein, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
Drew Gelfenbein
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joy Kaplan
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ranan Wichler
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "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 Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc
How much does The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc give each year?
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 15 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $111K across 65 grants.
What is The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's median grant in 2023 was $1,766, and its average grant was $114,947, across 15 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc that year got $245K on average.
Where does The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc give grants?
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc gives mostly in Vermont: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kentucky (41%). The most frequent recipient cities were South Burlington, VT (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's largest 2023 grantees include The Gelfenbein-Kaplan Charitable Foundation Inc ($704,982), The Meckler Gelfenbein Family Charitable Foundation Inc ($704,982) and The Gelfenbein Family Charitable Foundation Inc ($300,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants included general operating support for other charitable foundations and smaller grants to organizations working on environmental, ocean-conservation, rainforest, and health-related issues. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $95K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3056514. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc 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 2020–2023
Live grants for the work The Harvey & Ruth Gelfenbein Charitable Foundation Inc funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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