The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz

Private foundation · Grantmaker Calabasas, CA EIN: 65-1118908

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz is a private foundation based in Calabasas, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations addressing health, humanitarian needs, Jewish community support, and other human services.

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz at a glance

In short: The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz gave $245K across 43 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in New York. 51% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$245,400
+44.3% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
43
+138.9% vs 2023
Average grant
$5,707
-39.6% vs 2023
Median grant
$2,500
Total assets
$522,195
-4.8% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
51% first-time grantees (22 of 43, 2024)
Primary geography
New York (55% 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 Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz

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: 1933 Cold Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302-2305
Phone: (818) 222-8862

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

The ALS Association: $62KThe ALS Association$62KIsraaid: $28KIsraaid$28KHadassah: $25KHadassah$25KJewish Federation of S PB Cty: $15KJewish Federation of S PB Cty$15KFriends of the Israel Defence Force: $10KFriends of the Israel DefenceForce$10KRonald McDonald House: $8KRonald McDonald House$8KAmerican Friends of Magen David Ado: $5KAmerican Friends of MagenDavid Ado$5KChla Comprehensive Epilepsy Center: $5KChla Comprehensive EpilepsyCenter$5KHias: $5KHias$5KLev Lalev: $5KLev Lalev$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was The ALS Association ($62K). Together the top 10 received $168K.

Grant Size Distribution

151 grants across all recorded years

146<$50K4$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 146 grants of 151 (97%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, New York recipients received 55% of grant dollars, California recipients 21%, and Florida recipients 12%. Maryland accounted for 5%, and the District of Columbia for 3%.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkLos AngelesBoca RatonPlainviewMemphisNorth HollywoodPlantationSanta MonicaSunriseValley VillageJericoLandoverWashingtonCoral GablesWantaghWashingonDallasDoralPalm Beach GardenTaunton

Is The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz open to new grantees?

51%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 22 of 43 grantees (51%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 28% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 46% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 133% 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

$0$100K$200K$300K31 grants2020 29 grants2021 30 grants2022 18 grants2023 43 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $168K (2021) to $245K (2024). In 2024 it made 43 grants totaling $245K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The ALS Association New York, NYAccomplish Mission$62,000
Israaid Beverly Hills, CAAccomplish Mission$27,500
Hadassah New York, NYAccomplish Mission$25,000
Jewish Federation of S PB Cty Boca Raton, FLAccomplish Mission$15,300
Friends of the Israel Defence Force New York, NYAccomplish Mission$10,000
Ronald McDonald House New York, NYAccomplish Mission$8,000
American Friends of Magen David Ado Palm Beach Garden, FLAccomplish Mission$5,000
Chla Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Los Aneles, CAAccomplish Mission$5,000
Hias Silver Springs, MDAccomplish Mission$5,000
Lev Lalev Monsey, NYAccomplish Mission$5,000
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$522,195$229,898$256,291$245,40043$246,400$226,073$185,701
2023$548,588$224,082$180,303$170,05018$171,000$220,590$202,647
2022$504,809$205,855$203,105$196,00030$196,950$202,249$186,376
2021$502,059$192,033$176,517$167,70029$168,600$183,369$191,120
2020$491,543$175,291$233,758$223,00031—$171,291$181,833

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz reported a distributable amount of $186K 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

The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in several fields. For example, HIAS describes its mission as welcoming and supporting forcibly displaced people, while World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Lev Lalev says it serves the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of disadvantaged and orphaned Jewish children and their families. The National Abortion Federation describes its mission as supporting abortion providers in delivering patient-centered, evidence-based care.

Other 2024 grantees include the National Kidney Foundation, which says it works to prevent kidney disease and address inequities in kidney care; The Brigid Alliance, which assists people who must travel for family planning services; and L.A. Family Housing, which says it helps homeless and low-income people and families in the greater Los Angeles area transition out of poverty.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the foundation made 43 grants totaling $245,400. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $62,000, with a median of $2,500.

The largest reported grants were $62,000 to The ALS Association, $27,500 to IsraAID, $25,000 to Hadassah, $15,300 to Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, and $10,000 to Friends of the Israel Defence Force. Each was listed with the purpose “accomplish mission.”

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Howard Safenowitz as secretary and treasurer, Ellen Silverman as president, and Susan Levine as vice president and assistant.

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz is led by Ellen Silverman, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Ellen Silverman

    President

    Vice President → President, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Howard Safenowitz

    Secretary & Treasurer

    Secretary An → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan Levine

    Vice President & Assistant

    Vice President → Vice President & Assistant, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Marilyn Safenowitz (2020–2021) — President

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 Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz

How much does The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz give each year?

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz gave $245K across 43 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $170K across 18 grants.

What is The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's typical grant size?

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $5,707, across 43 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz that year got $4K on average.

Where does The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz give grants?

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz gives mostly in New York: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (21%) and Florida (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (12 grants), Los Angeles, CA (6 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and North Hollywood, CA (2 grants).

Does The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 43 grants with a stated purpose on The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Accomplish Mission" (42 grants).

Who are The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's largest grantees?

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's largest 2024 grantees include The ALS Association ($62,000), Israaid ($27,500) and Hadassah ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz?

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz reported $522K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $246K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $186K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz fund?

The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in several fields. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz?

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 Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's EIN?

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1118908. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz 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

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc

Princeton, NJ

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.

Assets

$83.3M

Grants

144

Total Given

$67.7M

The Yelp Foundation

San Francisco, CA

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$6.2M

Grants

644

Total Given

$886K

FJC

New York, NY

FJC supports nonprofits and fiscally sponsored charitable projects across areas including arts, education, social services, health, religion, and the environment, with grantmaking concentrated in New York and also reaching other U.S. states. In 2025, grants had a median of $17,200 and ranged from $5,040 to $2.8 million. The profile does not state whether FJC accepts unsolicited grant requests.

Crime & Legal Related

Assets

$462.3M

Grants

747

Total Given

$41.7M

Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma

San Francisco, CA

The Federation funds Jewish life and identity, antisemitism response, crisis relief, human services, and justice and inclusion, with work in the Bay Area, Israel, and beyond. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,050 to $2,405,915, with a median of $22,750. It frequently issues requests for proposals and welcomes inquiries about new Bay Area programs; no current organization grant opportunities were listed.

Assets

$2.0B

Grants

1,032

Total Given

$94.5M

Select Equity Group Foundation

New York, NY

The foundation supports charitable organizations in advocacy and civil rights, arts and culture, education and youth development, the environment, health, human services, and international development, locally, nationally, and internationally. In 2025, grants ranged from $30 to $500,000, with a median of $1,500. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$44.7M

Grants

854

Total Given

$7.3M

California Community Foundation

Los Angeles, CA

The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.

Assets

$2.3B

Grants

2,174

Total Given

$326.6M

More similar funders

More Funders in California

Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-milton-and-marilyn-safenowitz-morg_973340717ccd4eb4b1fd843cba2c0b62

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_651118908_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-milton-and-marilyn-safenowitz-morg_973340717ccd4eb4b1fd843cba2c0b62},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz'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.

The Milton and Marilyn Safenowitz down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?