The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust
The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1995 and based in New York City. It operates as an independent foundation with a focus on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors including arts and culture, education, environment, health, and human services.
Key facts about The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust
- EIN
- 13-7048279
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $917,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- Average grant
- $38,208
- Median grant
- $22,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 83% first-time grantees (20 of 24, 2024)
- Total assets
- $10,125,744
- Primary geography
- New York (59% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust's 24 itemized 2024 grants were New York (59%), District of Columbia (20%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (14 grants) and Washington, DC (4 grants). None of its 24 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (21 grants).
Is The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
83%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 24 grantees (83%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 13% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 111% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 169% 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.
Next steps with The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust
- How to evaluate The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.1M
-0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$917K
+409.4% YoY
Grant Count
24
+300.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$38K
+27.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $654K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust funds diverse initiatives across the following areas:
- Arts and culture
- Education and higher education
- Environment, biodiversity, and plant biodiversity
- Botanical gardens
- Health and diseases/conditions
- Human services
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
Grant Range
approximately $134 (based on 2023 data)
Average Grant
approximately $134 (based on 2023 data)
Ready to take the next step with The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust supports projects across multiple U.S. locations including:
Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 24 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total assets: $10,219,140
- Total revenues: $406,745
- Total expenses: $400,790
- Investment income and dividends: $211,720
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $179,174
- Number of employees: 0
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total assets: $10,125,744
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,125,744 | $10,219,140 | $10,254,700 |
| Revenue | $1,112,856 | $406,745 | $686,921 |
| Expenses | $1,235,586 | $400,790 | $747,111 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,101,664 | $286,045 | $578,533 |
| Net Investment Income | $967,760 | $284,507 | $549,682 |
| Distributable Amount | $653,648 | $576,994 | $600,282 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
73 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Center for Jewish History ($200,000), The Voter Participation Center ($100,000), Wnet ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE CENTER FOR JEWISH HISTORY New York, NY | RELIGIOUS | $200,000 |
| THE VOTER PARTICIPATION CENTER Washington, DC | CHARITABLE | $100,000 |
| WNET New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $100,000 |
| GIFFORDS LAW CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE San Francisco, CA | CHARITABLE | $100,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $50,000 |
| DRAKE UNIVERSITY - AGRICULTURAL LAW CENTER Des Moines, IA | CHARITABLE | $50,000 |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Washington, DC | CHARITABLE | $50,000 |
| TEMPLE EMANU-EL New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $40,000 |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
| THE JEWISH MUSEUM New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The trust is managed by a board of trustees that includes:
- Amy Goldman Fowler
- Donald A. Goldsmith, Esq.
- Sara Goldman Arno
- Robin Kemper
- Stephanie Goldman
All board members serve without compensation.
The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy Goldman Fowler
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald A. Goldsmith Esq.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Kemper
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Goldman Arno
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Goldman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Cornish
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Carroll Stevens (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Morgan C. Fowler (2020–2022) — Trustee
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.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The trust has made significant grants to cultural and educational institutions, including a $1.5 million grant to the Center for Jewish History to establish a reference services division bearing the Lillian Goldman name, and a $750,000 grant to Kane Street Synagogue for façade restoration.
Center for Jewish History Announces $1.5 Million Grant from The Lillian GoldmanContact Information
Address: Holland Knight 787 7th Avenue, 31st Floor New York City, NY 10019
Telephone: 212-513-3200
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust fund?
The trust funds diverse initiatives across the following areas: • Arts and culture • Education and higher education • Environment, biodiversity, and plant biodiversity • Botanical gardens • Health and diseases/conditions • Human services • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 13 grants in 2023 • Total giving in 2024: $917,000 • Typical award range: $5,000–$200,000 • Average grant size: approximately $134 (based on 2023 data) **Recent Grants (2023):** • WNET: $100,000 • World Central Kitchen: $20,000 • Bowdoin College: $20,000 **Notable Grants:** • Center for Jewish History: $1.5 million to establish The Lillian Goldman Reference Services Division • Kane Street Synagogue: $750,000 for façade restoration
Where does The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust supports projects across multiple U.S. locations including: Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
What size grants does The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust awarded 24 grants totaling $917K — an average of about $38K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $654K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7048279. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
Community Foundation of New Jersey
Morristown, NJ
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,321
Total Given
$93.8M
The Ojc Fund
Brooklyn, NY
Assets
$58.5M
Grants
3,714
Total Given
$448.3M
The Simons Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,727
Total Given
$272.0M
American Express Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$48.9M
Grants
1,495
Total Given
$23.2M
Equitable Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$112.4M
Grants
1,453
Total Given
$5.5M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$891.5M
Grants
1,153
Total Given
$275.0M
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
New York, NY
Assets
$1.6B
Grants
1,119
Total Given
$102.8M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
More Funders in New York
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.