The Joelson Foundation
The Joelson Foundation is a private foundation based in Princeton, New Jersey. Its 2026 filing reports one grant totaling $708,100, recorded as general operating support for “VARIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS - SEE ATTACHED” in Princeton.
The Joelson Foundation at a glance
In short: The Joelson Foundation gave $708K across 1 grant in 2026 (avg $708K), mostly in New Jersey. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $708,100
- +9.8% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $708,100
- +9.8% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $708,100
- Total assets
- $17,474,072
- +8.4% vs 2025
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Joelson Foundation
- 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: C/O Wsb 506 Carnegie Center 400, Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 520-1188
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Joelson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Various Contributions - See Attached ($708K).
Grant Size Distribution
6 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 4 grants of 6 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2026 went to a recipient listed in New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2026 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How The Joelson Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+15%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $348K (2021) to $796K (2019). In 2026 it made 1 grant totaling $708K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Various Contributions - See Attached Princeton, NJ | General Operating Support | $708,100 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $17,474,072 | $2,564,486 | $1,160,092 | $708,100 | 1 | $960,100 | $2,367,257 | $977,481 |
| 2025 | $16,118,470 | $631,348 | $1,160,805 | $645,000 | 1 | $951,436 | $440,427 | $954,757 |
| 2024 | $16,638,703 | $-748,728 | $1,119,671 | $482,235 | 1 | $947,765 | $269,122 | $873,927 |
| 2023 | $18,511,125 | $664,964 | $1,330,278 | $617,500 | 1 | $1,083,685 | $497,442 | $860,811 |
| 2022 | $19,179,281 | $5,785,586 | $1,186,043 | $530,000 | 2 | $997,271 | $5,584,605 | $973,077 |
| 2021 | $14,583,135 | $547,252 | $929,635 | $348,100 | 88 | — | $372,749 | $904,105 |
| 2019 | $15,177,103 | $1,072,390 | $1,366,192 | $796,323 | 128 | — | $893,904 | $842,673 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joelson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $977K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported one grant totaling $708,100. The listed grant was to “VARIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS - SEE ATTACHED” for general operating support. The filing does not identify individual recipients or provide a typical award size.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Evelyn Lipton as president, Howard Fife as secretary/treasurer, and Richard Fife as director.
The Joelson Foundation is led by Evelyn Lipton, President since 2025 (on filings since 2022); 2 of 3 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Evelyn Lipton
President
President → Director, 2024
Director → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
20 hrs/week
$83K (2022) → $91K (2026)
Richard Fife
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Howard Fife
Secretary & Treasurer
Treasurer & Secretary → Director, 2024
Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2022
20 hrs/week
$50K (2025) → $75K (2026)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Barbara J. Fife (2019–2025) — Past President
- Former: Stephen Fife (2019–2025) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $91K, to Evelyn Lipton (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Joelson Foundation
How much does The Joelson Foundation give each year?
The Joelson Foundation gave $708K across 1 grant in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $645K across 1 grant.
How large is The Joelson Foundation?
The Joelson Foundation reported $17.5M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $960K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $977K (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.
How do I apply for a grant from The Joelson Foundation?
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 ↑
Where does The Joelson Foundation make grants?
All grant dollars reported for 2026 went to a recipient listed in New Jersey.
What is The Joelson Foundation's EIN?
The Joelson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6220799. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2026.
Does The Joelson 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 23, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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