The Kaplen Foundation is a private foundation based in Tenafly, New Jersey. Established around 1963, it operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors including education, health, and cultural organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.9M
+9.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.6M
-29.8% YoY
Grant Count
95
+4.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$59K
-32.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kaplen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Education (including higher education)
- Health (in-patient medical care, hospital care, diseases and conditions)
- Religion (specifically Judaism)
- Human services
- Cultural organizations (including performing arts)
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are made on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$1,000
Average Grant
$386
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across numerous U.S. cities and states, with particular focus on:
- New Jersey
- New York
- District of Columbia
- Additional states: AL, AK, CA, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, KY, MA, MN, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, VT
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (Most Recent Filing):
- Total assets: $56.5–$72 million (varies by filing date)
- Total annual giving: $8.0–$8.3 million
- Annual expenses: $8,464,826
- Revenue: $2,399,080
- Investment income and dividends: $1,845,963
- Giving rate: approximately 14.1% of assets
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,859,792 | $56,478,634 | $62,226,199 |
| Revenue | $14,541,985 | $2,399,080 | $3,145,497 |
| Expenses | $6,342,284 | $8,464,826 | $8,574,476 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,173,354 | $8,301,519 | $8,405,134 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,374,055 | $2,235,773 | $2,980,555 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,334,688 | $3,572,236 | $3,675,753 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Dominican University ($1,100,000), Kaplen Jcc on the Palisades ($826,000), Adler Aphasia Center ($501,800).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADLER APHASIA CENTER MAYWOOD, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $501,800 |
| ALZHEIMER'S NEW JERSEY INC ROSELAND, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,100 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $251,000 |
| AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION NEWARK, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| BERGEN FAMILY SERVICES- HIPPY ENGLEWOOD, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BERGEN VOLUNTEER CENTER PARAMUS, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| BERGEN VOLUNTEER MEDICAL INITIATIVE HACKENSACK, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $375,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Margaret Kaplen – President (40 hours/week, $58,000 compensation)
- Nancy Sutherland – Secretary (40 hours/week, $113,000 compensation)
- Peter G. Tate – Trustee
- James Tate – Trustee
- Andrew V. Schnurr Jr. – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARGARET KAPLEN | PRESIDENT | 40 | $58,300 |
| NANCY SUTHERLAND | SECRETARY | 40 | $199,486 |
| PETER G TATE | TRUSTEE | 1 | $2,000 |
| JAMES TATE | TRUSTEE | 1 | $2,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 792, Tenafly, NJ 07670
- Telephone: 201-227-0722
- EIN: 22-6048152
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kaplen Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • **Education** (including higher education) • **Health** (in-patient medical care, hospital care, diseases and conditions) • **Religion** (specifically Judaism) • **Human services** • **Cultural organizations** (including performing arts)
How do I apply for a grant from The Kaplen Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: approximately $8.0–$8.3 million • Number of grants: 80–98 grants annually • Median grant size: $1,000 • Grant range: $1,000–$2.1 million • Average grant size: $386 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Englewood Health Foundation: $2,070,600 • Anti-Defamation League (ADL): $1,250,000 • Roundabout Theatre Company: $1,075,000 **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grants are made on an invite-only basis.
Where does The Kaplen Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports projects across numerous U.S. cities and states, with particular focus on: • New Jersey • New York • District of Columbia • Additional states: AL, AK, CA, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, KY, MA, MN, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, VT
What size grants does The Kaplen Foundation award?
In 2025, The Kaplen Foundation awarded 95 grants totaling $5.6M — an average of about $59K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Kaplen Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Kaplen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Kaplen Foundation's EIN?
The Kaplen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-6048152. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kaplen 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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