The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation is a private foundation based in West Hollywood, California. In 2024, it reported giving $117,500 in grants to 12 organizations.
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation at a glance
In short: The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation gave $118K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), top state California. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $117,500
- +25.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- -81.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,792
- +589.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $555,291
- +38.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (3 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (32% 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 Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8900 Melrose Ave 201, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: (310) 360-9900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Austrian-American Council West ($25K). Together the top 10 received $110K.
Grant Size Distribution
702 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 702 grants of 702 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in California (32%), Washington, DC (17%), New York (13%), Kansas (13%), and Georgia (9%), among other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 12 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 47% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $64K (2020) to $118K (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $118K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Austrian-American Council West Los Angeles, CA | Public Support of Organization Mission | $25,000 |
| Operation Smile Topeka, KS | Public Support of Organization Mission | $15,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders Hagerstown, DC | Public Support of Organization Mission | $15,000 |
| Shriners Hospital for Children Atlanta, GA | Public Support of Organization Mission | $10,000 |
| Tunnels to Towers Stanten Island, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $10,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Public Support of Organization Mission | $10,000 |
| Mercy Ships Garden Valley, TX | Public Support of Organization Mission | $10,000 |
| Farm Sanctuary Washington, DC | Public Support of Organization Mission | $5,000 |
| Lustgarten Foundation Woodbury, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $5,000 |
| United in Harmony Los Angeles, CA | Public Support of Organization Mission | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Phyllis & Donald Epstein 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 | $555,291 | $302,497 | $147,570 | $117,500 | 12 | $122,182 | $288,443 | $121,845 |
| 2023 | $400,364 | $78,788 | $112,407 | $93,700 | 66 | $104,387 | $70,768 | $98,560 |
| 2022 | $436,348 | $8,048 | $122,197 | $107,900 | 189 | $113,063 | $12,908 | — |
| 2021 | $550,497 | $110,023 | $87,898 | $80,015 | 248 | $81,645 | $106,270 | — |
| 2020 | $528,372 | $107,222 | $73,220 | $64,030 | 187 | — | $107,202 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation reported a distributable amount of $122K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Austrian-American Council West says it promotes knowledge of Austria’s contributions to art and science and educational, cultural, and scientific exchanges between California and Austria. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital describes its mission as advancing cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. United in Harmony says it helps underprivileged children stay in school, avoid drugs and gangs, and escape the cycle of poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $117,500. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest grants included $25,000 to Austrian-American Council West; $15,000 each to Operation Smile and Doctors Without Borders; and $10,000 each to Shriners Hospital for Children, Tunnels to Towers, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Mercy Ships. Other 2024 recipients included Farm Sanctuary, Lustgarten Foundation, United in Harmony, Wags and Walks Adoption Center, and Lange Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Edward Stafford as president and Joe Clapper as secretary/treasury.
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation is led by Edward Stafford, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Edward Stafford
President
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Clapper
Secretary & Treasury
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Donald Epstein (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Phyllis Epstein (2020–2022) — Secretary & Treasury
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 Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation
How much does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation give each year?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation gave $118K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $94K across 66 grants.
What is The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's typical grant size?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $9,792, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation give grants?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's top state is California, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (17%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (4 grants).
Does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Support of Organization Mission" (12 grants).
Who are The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's largest grantees?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Austrian-American Council West ($25,000), Operation Smile ($15,000) and Doctors Without Borders ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation reported $555K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $122K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $122K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's EIN?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4771371. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein 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 September 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 Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-phyllis-and-donald-epstein-foundation-morg_164cbc06bfef4776ac841af196fae738
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954771371_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Phyllis \& Donald Epstein Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-phyllis-and-donald-epstein-foundation-morg_164cbc06bfef4776ac841af196fae738},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Phyllis & Donald Epstein 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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