The Horowitz Foundation
The Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 1997 by Irving Louis Horowitz and Mary Curtis Horowitz. Headquartered in Rocky Hill, New Jersey, the foundation supports research and scholarship in the social sciences through a targeted grantmaking program.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.4M
-7.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$211K
+4.2% YoY
Grant Count
38
-19.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+28.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Horowitz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $171K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's general purpose is to support the advancement of research and understanding in the major fields of the social sciences. Its specific purpose is to provide small grants to aspiring PhD students at the dissertation level to support the research they are undertaking for their projects.
The foundation was created in response to Irving Louis Horowitz's experience working with doctoral students who faced financial barriers to completing their research. Dr. Horowitz initially provided personal assistance to these scholars and later supported them through Transaction Publishers' Grants-in-Publication Program. When that program ended, the foundation was formally established to continue this mission. The first grants were issued in 1999.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides small grants to PhD students conducting dissertation research in the social sciences. Recent grant announcements indicate the foundation awards grants to multiple scholars annually—one announcement referenced grants to 20 scholars for social policy research.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds scholars across multiple states, with recent grant recipients from institutions including the University of Chicago, MIT, George Mason University, and the University of Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $2.37 million (March 2025)
- Total investments: $1.9 million
- Annual revenue: $6.1 million (reported in company data)
- Revenue (FY 2025): $160,462
- Expenses (FY 2025): $332,599
- Total giving: $210,500
Organization Details:
- EIN: 31-1612153
- Tax-exempt status: December 1998
- Employees: 2
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,369,925 | $2,548,631 | $3,463,927 |
| Revenue | $160,462 | $91,312 | $171,566 |
| Expenses | $332,599 | $326,437 | $340,041 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $311,203 | $304,798 | $321,292 |
| Net Investment Income | $132,401 | $98,198 | $154,010 |
| Distributable Amount | $170,871 | $163,218 | $179,049 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
208 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Horowitz Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Helena Pedrotti ($12,500), Jonathan Lamb ($10,500), Alexander Mikulas ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALEXANDER BORSA ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $7,500 |
| ALEXANDER MIKULAS ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $10,000 |
| BETHANY KOTLAR ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $7,500 |
| CAITLIN CASSADY ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $10,000 |
| CALLIE FREITAG ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $2,500 |
| CATRIA GADWAH-MEADEN ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $7,500 |
| CHIKA OKAFOR ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $2,500 |
| DEEPON BHAUMIK ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $2,500 |
| GENIVIEVE SMITH ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $7,500 |
| HELENA PEDROTTI ROCKY HILL, NJ | GRANT FOR WORK IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING ANTHROPOLOGY, AREA STUDIES, ECONOMIC | $12,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees:
- Mary Curtis Horowitz, Chairman (President of Transaction Publishers, 1997-2017)
- Ray C. Rist, Vice Chairman (The World Bank)
- Ayse Akincigil (Rutgers University)
- David J. Armor, Emeritus (George Mason University)
- Hans-Martin Boehmer (Duke University)
- Jonathan D. Breul (Georgetown University)
- Richard L. Edwards (Rutgers University)
- Pearl Eliadis (McGill University)
- Michal Grinstein-Weiss (Washington University in St. Louis)
- Melissa Jonson-Reid (Washington University in St. Louis)
- Mary M. McKay (Washington University in St. Louis)
- Nandini Ramanujam (McGill University)
- William M. Rodgers III (Rutgers University)
- Maggie Schneiderman
- Jos Vaessen (The World Bank)
Irving L. Horowitz (1929–2012) served as Founding Chairman.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AYSE AKINCIGIL | CHAIRPERSON | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN D BREUL | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JOS VAESSEN | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| DICK EDWARDS | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| MARY CURTIS HOROWITZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARY M MCKAY | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| ALLISON ZIPPAY | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| MICHAL GRINSTEIN-WEISS | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| NANDINI RAMANUJAM | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| BILL ROGERS | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| MAGGIE SCHNEIDERMAN | VICE CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| BILL STRONG | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| RAY RIST | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| RYAN WATKKINS | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| HANS-MARTIN BOEHMER | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
| PETER MOSKOS | TRUSTEE | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grant recipients include:
PhD student Zikai Li (University of Chicago)
PhD Student Zikai Li receives Horowitz Foundation GrantPhD student Ayelet Carmeli (MIT)
PhD student Ayelet Carmeli selected by The Horowitz Foundation for SocialA public finance fellow at the International Center for Public Policy
Public Finance Fellow Wins Horowitz Foundation Award - International Center20 scholars for social policy research (University of Kentucky announcement)
Horowitz foundation awards grants to 20 scholars for social policy ...The foundation maintains an active social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter).
PhD student Ayelet Carmeli selected by The Horowitz Foundation for SocialSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Horowitz Foundation fund?
The foundation's general purpose is to support the advancement of research and understanding in the major fields of the social sciences. Its specific purpose is to provide small grants to aspiring PhD students at the dissertation level to support the research they are undertaking for their projects. The foundation was created in response to Irving Louis Horowitz's experience working with doctoral students who faced financial barriers to completing their research. Dr. Horowitz initially provided…
How do I apply for a grant from The Horowitz Foundation?
The foundation provides small grants to PhD students conducting dissertation research in the social sciences. Recent grant announcements indicate the foundation awards grants to multiple scholars annually—one announcement referenced grants to 20 scholars for social policy research. **Financial Activity:** • Total assets: $2.37 million (as of March 2025) • Total giving: $210,500 • Revenue (fiscal year ending March 2025): $160,462 • Expenses (fiscal year ending March 2025): $332,599
Where does The Horowitz Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds scholars across multiple states, with recent grant recipients from institutions including the University of Chicago, MIT, George Mason University, and the University of Kentucky.
What size grants does The Horowitz Foundation award?
In 2025, The Horowitz Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $211K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Horowitz Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Horowitz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $171K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Horowitz Foundation's EIN?
The Horowitz Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1612153. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Horowitz 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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