The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation
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.
The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation at a glance
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.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $67,336
- +163.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +31.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,322
- +100.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $871,603
- -2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (14 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 597 Westport Avenue B239, Norwalk, CT 06851
Phone: (203) 858-2310
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
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
The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 106 (100%).
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
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2021) to $67K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $67K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Make-a-Wish Foundation of CT Trumbull, CT | Unrestricted General Support | $10,500 |
| New York Road Runners Inc New York, NY | Unrestricted General Support | $8,000 |
| Lehigh University Hillel Bethlehem, PA | Unrestricted General Support | $5,400 |
| Nice Jewish Runners Inc Brooklyn, NY | Unrestricted General Support | $5,400 |
| Laddie Lawrence Schlorship Fund Westport, CT | Unrestricted General Support | $5,000 |
| Stay Focused Inc New York, NY | Unrestricted General Support | $5,000 |
| Mib Agents Barnard, VT | Unrestricted General Support | $4,000 |
| Circle of Care Wilton, CT | Unrestricted General Support | $3,200 |
| Temple Israel Foundation Westport, CT | Unrestricted General Support | $3,196 |
| Camp Kesem Torrington, CT | Unrestricted General Support | $3,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $871,603 | $53,464 | $74,819 | $67,336 | 29 | $70,382 | $69,882 | $69,914 |
| 2024 | $892,958 | $153,472 | $73,161 | $25,519 | 22 | $62,764 | $38,014 | $60,884 |
| 2023 | $812,647 | $149,580 | $58,545 | $8,897 | 14 | $46,955 | $8,736 | $51,662 |
| 2022 | $721,612 | $29,210 | $58,787 | $12,242 | 22 | $47,322 | $59,192 | $46,793 |
| 2021 | $751,189 | $142,426 | $52,504 | $7,941 | 19 | — | $56,040 | $44,508 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-joyce-and-bernard-zimmerman-foundation-morg_4394b776c17141e78988f1c18cf88142
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061599625_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Joyce \& Bernard Zimmerman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-joyce-and-bernard-zimmerman-foundation-morg_4394b776c17141e78988f1c18cf88142},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Joyce & Bernard Zimmerman Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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