The Karas Family Foundation
The Karas Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. In 2024, it made 16 grants totaling $19,798 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in areas such as hunger, education, child welfare, and the environment.
The Karas Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Karas Family Foundation gave $20K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), mostly in Massachusetts. 88% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,798
- -29.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- -20.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,237
- -11.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $50,785
- -25.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 88% first-time grantees (14 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Karas Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2407 Warren Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (978) 744-1760
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Karas Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was World Central Kitchen ($4K). Together the top 10 received $16K.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 111 grants of 111 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts and 5% went to recipients in Washington, according to the filing’s recipient-state breakdown.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Karas Family Foundation open to new grantees?
88%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 16 grantees (88%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 6% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 397% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2024) to $32K (2021). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $20K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| World Central Kitchen Harvard, MA | HUNGER | $3,500 |
| Weld Seattle Harvard, MA | Housingeducation | $2,052 |
| MCF Sound Experience Harvard, MA | Education | $2,035 |
| Friends of the Children Boston Harvard, MA | Child Welfare | $2,000 |
| Northwest Film Forum Seattle, WA | Education | $1,050 |
| UNICEF Harvard, MA | Child Services | $1,046 |
| Greater Hope Harvard, MA | Child Welfare | $1,021 |
| Rave Foundation Harvard, MA | Child Welfare | $1,000 |
| National Marine Life Center Harvard, MA | Environment | $1,000 |
| Karas Family Scholarship Fund (Recpient Kennedy Dylewicz) Harvard, MA | Education | $1,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $50,785 | $5,935 | $23,570 | $19,798 | 16 | $19,798 | $2,163 | $4,985 |
| 2023 | $68,420 | $2,846 | $32,065 | $28,099 | 20 | $28,099 | — | $5,328 |
| 2022 | $97,639 | $3,724 | $28,838 | $25,371 | 19 | $25,371 | — | $6,281 |
| 2021 | $122,753 | $16,879 | $36,058 | $31,871 | 24 | $31,871 | $12,576 | $7,238 |
| 2020 | $141,932 | $16,409 | $30,009 | $28,345 | 32 | — | $14,615 | $7,625 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Karas Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied activities. Friends of the Children–Boston describes its mission as empowering youth facing significant obstacles through long-term professional mentoring. Northwest Film Forum says it encourages public dialogue and creative action through collective cinematic experiences. The National Marine Life Center says it rehabilitates stranded marine wildlife for release and advances scientific knowledge and education in marine wildlife health and conservation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $19,798. Grants ranged from $265 to $3,500, with a median grant of $1,000.
Among its largest reported 2024 grants were $3,500 to World Central Kitchen for hunger; $2,052 to Weld Seattle for housing and education; $2,035 to MCF Sound Experience for education; and $2,000 to Friends of the Children Boston for child welfare. Other grants included $1,050 to Northwest Film Forum for education and $1,000 to the National Marine Life Center for the environment.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lisa M. Frackiewicz and Anthony J. Karas as trustees.
The Karas Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Anthony J. Karas
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Lisa M. Frackiewicz
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Karas Family Foundation
How much does The Karas Family Foundation give each year?
The Karas Family Foundation gave $20K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $28K across 20 grants.
What is The Karas Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Karas Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,237, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Karas Family Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does The Karas Family Foundation give grants?
The Karas Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Washington (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Harvard, MA (14 grants).
Does The Karas Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Karas Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Child Welfare" (3 grants) and "Education" (3 grants).
Who are The Karas Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Karas Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include World Central Kitchen ($3,500), Weld Seattle ($2,052) and MCF Sound Experience ($2,035), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Karas Family Foundation?
The Karas Family Foundation reported $51K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $20K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Karas Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied activities. Friends of the Children–Boston describes its mission as empowering youth facing significant obstacles through long-term professional mentoring. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Karas Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Karas Family Foundation's EIN?
The Karas Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6611238. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Karas Family 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 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Karas Family Foundation funds
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Figures come from The Karas Family 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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