The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Boca Raton, Florida. It supports early-stage medical research, education, and technology, with an emphasis on work addressing neurological diseases.
Key facts about The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust
In short: The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust gave $592K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $59K), top state Massachusetts. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 91-2085191
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $592,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $59,200
- Median grant
- $45,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $20,375,190
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (45% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The Trust accepts unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The website says the next application period will open in February 2027.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.4M
+5.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$592K
-0.8% YoY
Grant Count
10
-47.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$59K
+88.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $920K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $50K; repeat grants $60K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 90% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s stated mission is to advance medical research, education, and technology that leads to an improved future society. Its funding priorities include early-stage research, connecting ideas across research areas, and neurological diseases. The Trust also highlights collaboration, measurable plans, financial responsibility, strong partnerships, visionary ideas, and tangible impact in its selection criteria.
The Trust supports organizations and researchers, including through its Toffler Scholar Program, which partners with universities to support promising young medical researchers, physicians, and scientists at pivotal points in their careers. One 2024 grantee, Northwestern University, describes its own mission as excellent teaching, innovative research, and the personal and intellectual growth of students in a diverse academic community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Trust awarded 10 grants totaling $592,000. Grants ranged from $40,000 to $112,000, with a median grant of $45,000. The largest awards included $112,000 to Johns Hopkins University for the Toffler Scholar Program, SARE Program, and named research support; $110,000 to the University of California, Los Angeles, for named research support and the Toffler Scholar Program; and $65,000 to Harvard University for named research support.
Other 2024 awards included $55,000 to Florida State University for the Toffler Scholar Program/Bridge Program, $50,000 to Northeastern University for the Toffler Scholar Program, and $40,000 each to Boston University, Columbia University, Howard University, Northwestern University, and Temple University for the Toffler Scholar Program.
Review Cycle
The website says the next application period will open in February 2027. Its listed February 2, April 13, early-August, and early-October 2026 dates are past.
How to Apply
The Trust accepts unsolicited requests. Its 2024 filing says applications are received throughout the year, with grant determinations made by the board at its annual meeting in August and/or September. Grant agreements specify the purpose of each award; recipients submit progress reports at six and 12 months, followed by a call or video meeting. The website says the grant cycle is currently closed and directs prospective applicants to check back for submission details and guidelines. The application is submitted through the Trust’s application process, and the Trust requires applicants to be not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations.
Ready to take the next step with The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust says recipients can be based anywhere. Its 2024 grants went to organizations in multiple states; the largest shares of grant dollars went to Massachusetts (45%), California (19%), and Florida (9%), followed by New York and the District of Columbia (7% each).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $330K (2020) to $675K (2022). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $592K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Johns Hopkins University ($112K). Together the top 10 received $592K.
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 80 (88%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MA | Toffler scholar program, sare program, katie irwin and zhe zhang | $112,000 |
| University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Dr. Mayeda, Toffler Scholar Program, Dr. Avidan | $110,000 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Dr. Rachel Bennett and Sudeshna Das | $65,000 |
| Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Toffler Scholar Program/Bridge Program | $55,000 |
| Northeastern University Boston, MA | Toffler Scholar Program | $50,000 |
| Boston University Boston, MA | Toffler Scholar Program | $40,000 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Toffler Scholar Program | $40,000 |
| Howard University Washington, DC | Toffler Scholar Program | $40,000 |
| Northwestern University Evantston, IL | Toffler Scholar Program | $40,000 |
| Temple University Philadelphia, PA | Toffler Scholar Program | $40,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20,375,190 | $1,746,375 | $1,087,766 | $592,000 | 10 |
| 2023 | $19,286,898 | $137,585 | $1,059,128 | $597,000 | 19 |
| 2022 | $17,995,283 | $7,229,637 | $1,181,521 | $674,500 | 21 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,375,190 | $19,286,898 | $17,995,283 |
| Revenue | $1,746,375 | $137,585 | $7,229,637 |
| Expenses | $1,087,766 | $1,059,128 | $1,181,521 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $864,062 | $892,862 | $992,355 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,784,141 | $289,820 | $623,879 |
| Distributable Amount | $919,938 | $904,189 | $880,213 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Rebecca Bartoli as executive director and Peter Katona, Russell Glassman, and Thomas Johnson as trustees.
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust is led by Rebecca Bartoli, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rebecca Bartoli
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$95K (2020) → $125K (2024)
Peter Katona
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Russell Glassman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Thomas Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $8K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $125K, to Rebecca Bartoli (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Rebecca Bartoli Executive Director
Mailing address: 12121 Wilshire Blvd Suite 810, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (310) 405-7546
Website: https://tofflertrust.org
Frequently asked questions about The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust
How much does The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust give each year?
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust gave $592K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $597K across 19 grants.
What is The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's median grant in 2024 was $45,000, and its average grant was $59,200, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust that year got $50K on average.
Where does The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust give grants?
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's top state is Massachusetts, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (19%) and Florida (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Toffler Scholar Program" (6 grants).
Who are The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's largest 2024 grantees include Johns Hopkins University ($112,000), University of California Los Angeles ($110,000) and Harvard University ($65,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust?
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust reported $20.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $864K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $920K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust fund?
The Trust’s stated mission is to advance medical research, education, and technology that leads to an improved future society. Its funding priorities include early-stage research, connecting ideas across research areas, and neurological diseases. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust?
The Trust accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2085191. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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.
Here's the math on researching The Karen Toffler Charitable Trust by hand.
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