The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Norwalk, CT EIN: 06-1599625

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation is a private foundation based in Norwalk, Connecticut. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing reports 29 grants totaling $67,336.

Key facts about The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation

In short: The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation gave $67K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Connecticut. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
06-1599625
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$67,336
Grants made (2025)
29
Average grant
$2,322
Median grant
$1,000
New grantees (estimate)
48% first-time grantees (14 of 29, 2025)
Total assets
$871,603
Primary geography
Connecticut (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$872K

-2.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$67K

+163.9% YoY

Grant Count

29

+31.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

+100.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $70K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation open to new grantees?

48%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 14 of 29 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 45% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 450% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in a range of areas. For example, New York Road Runners describes its mission as improving community health and well-being through inclusive and accessible running experiences. MIB Agents says it supports the pediatric osteosarcoma community through programs, education, and research, while Homes With Hope describes its work as preventing and ending homelessness and food insecurity in Fairfield County. Other 2025 recipients include a scholarship fund, a cancer institute, a camp, and a Hillel organization.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $67,336. Grants ranged from $200 to $10,500, with a median award of $1,000. The largest awards included $10,500 to Make-A-Wish Foundation of CT, $8,000 to New York Road Runners, $5,400 each to Lehigh University Hillel and Nice Jewish Runners, and $5,000 each to the Laddie Lawrence Scholarship Fund and Stay Focused. The listed largest grants were for unrestricted general support.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, Connecticut organizations received 53% of grant dollars, followed by New York (28%), Pennsylvania (8%), Vermont (6%), and Massachusetts (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.

Cities

WestportNorwalkBridgeportNew YorkWestonBarnardBrooklynWiltonTorringtonMemphisPhoenixBethlehemBostonBronxFairfieldMinneapolisMinneapolixStaten IslandTrumbullBethel

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K19 grants2021 22 grants2022 14 grants2023 22 grants2024 29 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2021) to $67K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $67K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Make-a-Wish Foundation of CT: $11KMake-a-Wish Foundation of CT$11KNew York Road Runners Inc: $8KNew York Road Runners Inc$8KLehigh University Hillel: $5KLehigh University Hillel$5KNice Jewish Runners Inc: $5KNice Jewish Runners Inc$5KLaddie Lawrence Schlorship Fund: $5KLaddie Lawrence SchlorshipFund$5KStay Focused Inc: $5KStay Focused Inc$5KMib Agents: $4KMib Agents$4KCircle of Care: $3KCircle of Care$3KTemple Israel Foundation: $3KTemple Israel Foundation$3KCamp Kesem: $3KCamp Kesem$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was Make-a-Wish Foundation of CT ($11K). Together the top 10 received $53K.

Grant Size Distribution

106 grants across all recorded years

106<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 106 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Make-a-Wish Foundation of CT Trumbull, CTUnrestricted General Support$10,500
New York Road Runners Inc New York, NYUnrestricted General Support$8,000
Lehigh University Hillel Bethlehem, PAUnrestricted General Support$5,400
Nice Jewish Runners Inc Brooklyn, NYUnrestricted General Support$5,400
Laddie Lawrence Schlorship Fund Westport, CTUnrestricted General Support$5,000
Stay Focused Inc New York, NYUnrestricted General Support$5,000
Mib Agents Barnard, VTUnrestricted General Support$4,000
Circle of Care Wilton, CTUnrestricted General Support$3,200
Temple Israel Foundation Westport, CTUnrestricted General Support$3,196
Camp Kesem Torrington, CTUnrestricted General Support$3,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $871,603 $53,464 $74,819 $67,336
2024 $892,958 $153,472 $73,161 $25,519
2023 $812,647 $149,580 $58,545 $8,897
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K$200K2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$871,603$892,958$812,647
Revenue$53,464$153,472$149,580
Expenses$74,819$73,161$58,545
Qualifying Distributions$70,382$62,764$46,955
Net Investment Income$69,882$38,014$8,736
Distributable Amount$69,914$60,884$51,662

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Joyce Zimmerman as president and Ellen Spear as director.

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation is led by Joyce Zimmerman, President - As Required on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Joyce Zimmerman

    President - As Required

    On filings since 2021

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ellen Spear

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Bernard Zimmerman (2021–2024) — Vice President

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 597 Westport Avenue B239, Norwalk, CT 06851
Phone: (203) 858-2310

Frequently asked questions about The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation

How much does The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation give each year?

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation gave $67K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $26K across 22 grants.

What is The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's typical grant size?

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,322, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation that year got $3K on average.

Where does The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation give grants?

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (28%) and Pennsylvania (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Westport, CT (6 grants), Norwalk, CT (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).

Does The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's largest grantees?

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Make-a-Wish Foundation of CT ($10,500), New York Road Runners Inc ($8,000) and Lehigh University Hillel ($5,400), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation?

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation reported $872K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $70K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $70K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in a range of areas. For example, New York Road Runners describes its mission as improving community health and well-being through inclusive and accessible running experiences. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman 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 Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's EIN?

The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1599625. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman 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.

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