The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. In 2024, it reported 71 grants totaling $698,135 to charitable organizations, including museums, schools, a synagogue, and medical and arts organizations.
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation gave $698K across 71 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in New York. 41% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $698,135
- -4.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 71
- +6.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,833
- -10.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $14,231,126
- +11.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (29 of 71, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (93% 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 Lawrence and Carol Saper 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: Co Anchin 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 840-3456
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was To Jewish Communal Fund ($250K). Together the top 10 received $448K.
Grant Size Distribution
334 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 329 grants of 334 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 4% to California, and 1% each to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 71 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 29 of 71 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 83% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $698K (2024) to $754K (2022). In 2024 it made 71 grants totaling $698K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| To Jewish Communal Fund New York, NY | General Fund | $250,000 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY | General Fund | $30,000 |
| Museum of Modern Art - in Honor of Sarah Suzuki New York, NY | General Fund | $25,000 |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art San Francisco, CA | General Fund | $25,000 |
| World Monuments Fund New York, NY | General Fund | $25,000 |
| Solomon R Guggenheim Museum - to Support Megan Fontanella's Projects New York, NY | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Whitney Museum of American Art New York, NY | General Fund | $20,000 |
| The Windward School White Plains, NY | General Fund | $20,000 |
| Park Avenue Synogogue New York, NY | General Fund | $17,585 |
| Hospital for Special Surgery - in Honor of Karen Onel MD to Support Pediat New York, NY | General Fund | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation?
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 | $14,231,126 | $2,308,411 | $846,210 | $698,135 | 71 | $710,697 | $2,210,690 | $853,575 |
| 2023 | $12,770,361 | $820,586 | $830,787 | $734,000 | 67 | $744,500 | $733,725 | $709,646 |
| 2022 | $12,782,988 | $272,755 | $852,814 | $754,000 | 68 | $759,250 | $241,827 | $732,701 |
| 2021 | $13,328,574 | $1,002,300 | $847,433 | $734,050 | 63 | $747,925 | $871,278 | $769,655 |
| 2020 | $13,138,989 | $332,630 | $811,728 | $718,406 | 65 | — | $247,626 | $732,919 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation reported a distributable amount of $854K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for arts and cultural organizations, education, religious organizations, and health-related institutions. The Metropolitan Museum of Art says it collects, studies, conserves, and presents significant works of art to connect people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas. The Whitney Museum of American Art says it presents and collects art of the United States and champions living artists. Grace Church School says it teaches intellectual excellence and ethical virtue.
Other 2024 recipients describe a range of work. The LaLELA Project says it provides educational arts for youth from under-resourced communities. The Perlman Music Program says it supports talented young musicians with instruction and mentoring. Hands Offering Hope Foundation says it provides young people with education and mentorship in a culinary community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 71 grants totaling $698,135. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $250,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest grants were $250,000 to Jewish Communal Fund; $30,000 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art; $25,000 each to the Museum of Modern Art in honor of Sarah Suzuki, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and World Monuments Fund; and $20,000 each to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Windward School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lawrence Saper as president, Carol Saper as vice-president and treasurer, and Martin Nussbaum as secretary.
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation is led by Lawrence Saper, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lawrence Saper
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carol Saper
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martin Nussbaum
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
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 Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation
How much does The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation give each year?
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation gave $698K across 71 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $734K across 67 grants.
What is The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,833, across 71 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation give grants?
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation gives mostly in New York: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (52 grants), Sag Harbor, NY (2 grants) and East Hampton, NY (2 grants).
Does The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (71 of 71) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include To Jewish Communal Fund ($250,000), The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($30,000) and Museum of Modern Art - in Honor of Sarah Suzuki ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation?
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation reported $14.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $711K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $854K (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 Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for arts and cultural organizations, education, religious organizations, and health-related institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lawrence and Carol Saper 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 Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's EIN?
The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3946616. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lawrence and Carol Saper 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lawrence-and-carol-saper-foundation-morg_e0725d9a321c461090f08040ad7888da
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133946616_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lawrence and Carol Saper Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lawrence-and-carol-saper-foundation-morg_e0725d9a321c461090f08040ad7888da},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Lawrence and Carol Saper 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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