The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc is a private family foundation based in Montclair, New Jersey, established in December 2012. The foundation operates as an independent grantmaking organization with a proactive approach to philanthropy, identifying and selecting organizations for support rather than accepting unsolicited applications.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$6.1M
+5.3% YoY
Grant Count
48
-2.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$128K
+7.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a published mission statement. Based on grant distribution patterns, the foundation supports organizations in the following areas:
- Arts and culture
- Jewish heritage organizations
- Media and journalism
- Education
- Medical research
- Social justice causes
- Theater and performing arts
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Grants are made through trustee discretion to preselected organizations only. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.
Grant Range
$3,000 to $1,010,000
Average Grant
$118,704
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations nationally, with notable concentration in New York, Massachusetts, California, and New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $91,342,188
- Total giving: $6,171,964
- Total revenue: $7,678,444
- Total expenses: $6,517,000
- Giving rate: 6.7-6.8% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
236 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Roundabout Theatre Company ($1,000,000), Yiddish Book Center ($1,000,000), Pen America ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 350ORG BROOKLYN, NY | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ABUNDANT WATERS INC NEW YORK, NY | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $175,000 |
| AMBER WAVES FARM AMAGANSETT, NY | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION NEW YORK, NY | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| AMHERST EARLY MUSIC INC WEST NEWTOWN, MA | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART WASHINGTON, DC | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT IN HONOR OF MARTHA FLEISCHMAN | $15,000 |
| BERGEN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ENGLEWOOD, NJ | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| BERKELEY CARROLL SCHOOL BROOKLYN, NY | FOR THE ANNUAL FUND | $10,000 |
| CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS NEW YORK, NY | FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Veronica Kaplen – Trustee (1 hour per week)
- Lawrence Kaplen – Trustee and Chief Financial Officer (1 hour per week)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VERONICA KAPLEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LAWRENCE KAPLEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc fund?
The foundation does not maintain a published mission statement. Based on grant distribution patterns, the foundation supports organizations in the following areas: • Arts and culture • Jewish heritage organizations • Media and journalism • Education • Medical research • Social justice causes • Theater and performing arts
How do I apply for a grant from The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $6,124,000 • Number of grants: 47-48 • Average grant: $118,704 • Median grant: $50,000 • Grant range: $3,000 to $1,010,000 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • National Yiddish Book Center: $1,000,000 • Roundabout Theatre Company: $1,000,000 • StoryCorps: $500,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Grants are made through trustee discretion to preselected organizations only. The foundation operates on…
Where does The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc make grants?
The foundation supports organizations nationally, with notable concentration in New York, Massachusetts, California, and New Jersey.
What size grants does The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc award?
In 2024, The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc awarded 48 grants totaling $6.1M — an average of about $128K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc's EIN?
The Kaplen Brothers Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4694896. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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