The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in areas including the arts, education, food access, and community services.
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation at a glance
In short: The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation gave $1.2M across 61 grants in 2024 (avg $20K), mostly in California. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,219,766
- -8.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 61
- -17.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $19,996
- +10.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $45,014,351
- +9.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (17 of 57, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (59% 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 Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 48558, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone: (323) 932-0655
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was (The) Huntington ($120K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $594K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
315 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 284 grants of 315 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 59% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 13% to New York, 9% to Pennsylvania, and 1% to Maryland. A further 19% is assigned to an unidentified state category in the filing. The listed grants also include organizations with locations in California, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 57 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 77% 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 $1.2M (2024) to $2.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 61 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| (The) Huntington San Marino, CA | Acqisitions and Exhibitions | $100,000 |
| Hola (Heart of Los Angeles) Los Angeles, CA | Visual Art Dept. Endowment | $100,000 |
| Salt Spring ISL Comm Servicescomm Garden | Harvest Fod Program Payments #3 of 4 | $92,053 |
| Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | Luag Conservation Endowment | $50,000 |
| Newground (Via Community Partners) Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $45,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $50,000 |
| Transition Salt Spring Society | General Operating Support | $37,699 |
| Salt Spring Solutions Society | General Operating Support | $37,566 |
| Irac (Via Fimjp) Beverly Hills, CA | General Operating Support | $36,000 |
| Liberty Hill Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $30,000 |
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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 | $45,014,351 | $1,994,952 | $1,579,797 | $1,219,766 | 61 | $1,648,843 | $1,688,411 | $2,153,698 |
| 2023 | $41,252,081 | $362,003 | $2,103,225 | $1,335,656 | 74 | $1,808,061 | $569,295 | $1,936,330 |
| 2022 | $38,919,625 | $1,020,784 | $3,328,834 | $2,454,008 | 65 | $2,790,759 | $499,057 | $2,007,416 |
| 2021 | $48,040,996 | $2,585,999 | $1,940,235 | $1,309,787 | 48 | $1,612,414 | $2,245,058 | $2,265,402 |
| 2020 | $44,356,309 | $2,656,085 | $1,523,254 | $1,257,214 | 67 | — | $3,941,643 | $1,908,400 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M 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 grants include support for arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, and organizations working on food access and community services.
The grantees describe their own work in varied ways. Arts for Healing and Justice Network says it coordinates community-based arts education organizations serving system-impacted youth in Los Angeles County. Food Forward says it rescues surplus produce to address hunger and food waste. Art Division describes its work as training and supporting underserved youth committed to studying visual arts. Lehigh University says it aims to advance learning through teaching, research, and service.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 61 grants totaling $1,219,766. Awards ranged from $1,200 to $100,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Among its largest grants were $100,000 each to the Huntington for acquisitions and exhibitions and to Heart of Los Angeles for its visual art department endowment; $92,053 to Salt Spring Island Community Services for harvest food program payments; and $50,000 to Lehigh University for its LUAG conservation endowment.
Other 2024 grants included $45,000 to NewGround for general operating support, $40,000 to Hadassah Academic College – Jerusalem through an individual recipient for a teaching clinic renovation, and $30,000 each to Liberty Hill and Nefesh for general operating support. The foundation also gave $25,000 to Food Forward and $25,000 to Arts for Healing and Justice Network.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Nancy M Berman as president, Rebecca Bloch as secretary, Alan J Bloch as vice president and treasurer, and Max Kiss as a board member.
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation is led by Nancy M. Berman, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nancy M. Berman
President
President & Executive Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $150K (2024)
Alan J. Bloch
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$50K (2020) → $25K (2024)
Rebecca Bloch
Secretary
Secretary & Program Manager → Secretary & Deputy Director, 2022
Secretary & Deputy Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$47K (2020) → $100K (2024)
Max Kiss
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (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 $150K, to Nancy M Berman (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
How much does The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation give each year?
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation gave $1.2M across 61 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 74 grants.
What is The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's typical grant size?
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $19,996, across 61 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation that year got $23K on average.
Where does The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation give grants?
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation gives mostly in California: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (13%) and Pennsylvania (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (26 grants), New York, NY (8 grants), San Marino, CA (2 grants) and Beverly Hills, CA (2 grants).
Does The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 62% of The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 61) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's largest grantees?
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include (The) Huntington ($119,500 across 2 grants), Hola (Heart of Los Angeles) ($110,000 across 2 grants) and Salt Spring ISL Comm Servicescomm Garden ($92,053), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($50,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation?
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation reported $45.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (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 Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for arts and cultural organizations, educational institutions, and organizations working on food access and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's EIN?
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6270983. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Philip and Muriel Berman 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 Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-philip-and-muriel-berman-foundation-morg_ae1760e139b64352ac6a01d58e5a54a7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_236270983_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-philip-and-muriel-berman-foundation-morg_ae1760e139b64352ac6a01d58e5a54a7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Philip and Muriel Berman 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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