The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation is a private foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing says it made grants in excess of 25% of its assets during the year and plans to distribute all its assets within the next five to six years.
Key facts about The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation
In short: The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation gave $8.1M across 117 grants in 2025 (avg $70K), top state New York. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 92-3830845
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,143,833
- Grants made (2025)
- 117
- Average grant
- $69,605
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (37 of 117, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,013,539
- Primary geography
- New York (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.0M
-64.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.1M
+11.7% YoY
Grant Count
117
+15.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$70K
-3.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $387K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 37 of 117 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $88K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2023–2025). 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. For example, the Chicago Jewish Day School says it promotes excellence in Jewish and general studies and supports students’ Jewish identity. College Bound says it prepares public and public charter school students in the Washington, D.C., area for college and their personal and professional goals. The National Council of Jewish Women describes itself as a nonpartisan grassroots organization working for social justice for women, children, and families. Other supported organizations describe work in philanthropy, First Amendment freedoms and democratic values, Orthodox social justice, LGBTQIA+ student support, and interfaith relationships.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 117 grants totaling $8,143,833. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,350,000, with a median of $20,000. Among its largest grants were $1,350,000 to the Union for Reform Judaism for support for URJ, RAC, RAC Sher Fellowship, and IMPJ; $800,000 to the Rabbinical Assembly for establishing an American public policy advocacy center for the Conservative/Masorti movement and for general support; and $600,000 to Save a Child’s Heart for general support. Other large grants included $500,000 to America Gives Inc for Kibbutz Nahal Oz, $320,000 to the Hendel Center at Jewish Theological Seminary for general support, and $300,000 to the Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel for general support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (45%), Washington, D.C. (20%), Maryland (12%), Virginia (6%), and California (3%). The listed grants also include recipients in Pennsylvania, Washington state, and Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 117 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5.7M (2023) to $8.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 117 grants totaling $8.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Union for Reform Judaism ($1.4M). Together the top 10 received $4.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
320 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 320 (68%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Union for Reform Judaism New York, NY | Support for urj, rac, rac sher fellowship, and impj | $1,350,000 |
| Rabbinical Assembly New York, NY | Support establishment of an American public policy advocacy center for the conservative/masorti movement and general support | $800,000 |
| Save a Child's Heart Potomac, MD | General Support | $600,000 |
| America Gives Inc New York, NY | Kibbutz Nahal Oz | $500,000 |
| Hendel Center Co Jewish Theological Seminary New York, NY | General Support | $320,000 |
| Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel New York, NY | General Support | $300,000 |
| Interfaith Alliance Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $250,000 |
| DC Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Support | $230,000 |
| Operation Understanding Washington, DC | General Support | $200,000 |
| New Israel Fund Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $182,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,013,539 | $3,166,258 | $8,415,620 | $8,143,833 |
| 2024 | $8,555,844 | $5,347,494 | $7,505,760 | $7,289,000 |
| 2023 | $11,472,624 | $17,466,053 | $5,993,429 | $5,748,500 |
In 2025, the foundation reported 117 grants; in 2024, 101; and in 2023, 102.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,013,539 | $8,555,844 | $11,472,624 |
| Revenue | $3,166,258 | $5,347,494 | $17,466,053 |
| Expenses | $8,415,620 | $7,505,760 | $5,993,429 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,235,012 | $7,345,100 | $5,965,995 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,282,809 | $2,012,070 | $2,520,712 |
| Distributable Amount | $387,449 | $689,229 | $246,348 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Marc Feinberg, Esquire, David Saperstein, and Rabbi Jack Moline as directors.
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David Saperstein
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$50K (2023) → $50K (2025)
Marc Feinberg Esquire
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$50K (2023) → $50K (2025)
Rabbi Jack Moline
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$100K (2023) → $50K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $50K, to Marc Feinberg Esquire (Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 4550 Montgomery Avenue 775N, Bethesda, MD 20814-3376
Phone: (301) 951-1500
Frequently asked questions about The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation
How much does The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation give each year?
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation gave $8.1M across 117 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7.3M across 101 grants.
What is The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's typical grant size?
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $69,605, across 117 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation give grants?
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's top state is New York, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (20%) and Maryland (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (31 grants), New York, NY (21 grants), Silver Spring, MD (4 grants) and Richmond, VA (3 grants).
Does The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 91% of The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (106 of 117) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's largest grantees?
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Union for Reform Judaism ($1,350,000), Rabbinical Assembly ($800,000) and Save a Child's Heart ($600,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation?
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $387K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied purposes. For example, the Chicago Jewish Day School says it promotes excellence in Jewish and general studies and supports students’ Jewish identity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin 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 Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's EIN?
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-3830845. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Does The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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