The Russell Berrie Foundation
The Russell Berrie Foundation is a private foundation based in Teaneck, New Jersey. It provides financial and strategic support to leaders and institutions working in areas that reflect its founder’s passions, including diabetes care and research, Israel’s cultural and economic vitality, interfaith bridge-building, the profession of sales, and community in New Jersey.
The Russell Berrie Foundation at a glance
In short: The Russell Berrie Foundation gave $16.0M across 174 grants in 2024 (avg $92K), top state New York. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $16,036,357
- +0.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 174
- +104.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $92,163
- -51.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $157,539,333
- -4.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (26 of 97, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (37% 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 Russell Berrie Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 300 Frank W Burr Blvd E 48, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: (201) 928-1880
Website: https://russellberriefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Russell Berrie Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Sheba Fund for Health Services and Research ($1.9M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $10.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
585 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 322 grants of 585 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation identifies New Jersey, Metropolitan New York, and Israel as its primary geographic focus for grantmaking. In 2024, its reported grant dollars went principally to recipients in New York (37%) and New Jersey (19%); the filing data also lists an unlabelled recipient-state category at 37%, followed by Washington, D.C. (2%) and California (1%).
Its New Jersey work includes support for health and social services, community organizations, and Jewish communal institutions. In Israel, the Foundation says its strategies include developing leaders and institutions in the northern region, promoting Haredi integration through education and employment, building municipal and regional capacity, and advancing a resilient Jewish and democratic Israel.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 174 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Russell Berrie Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 26 of 97 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $95K; repeat grants $191K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $45K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 30% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 274% 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 $14.1M (2022) to $22.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 174 grants totaling $16.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Keren Shituf Tormim (Keshet) | General Operating Expenses | $1,275,000 |
| The Sheba Fund for Health Services and Research | General Operating Expenses | $750,000 |
| Bar Ilan University (Ra) | General Operating Expenses | $690,116 |
| Bar Ilan University (Ra) | General Operating Expenses | $690,116 |
| The Sheba Fund for Health Services and Research | General Operating Expenses | $600,000 |
| The Sheba Fund for Health Services and Research | General Operating Expenses | $600,000 |
| Chronicle of a People Foundation Inc New York, NY | General Operating Expenses | $500,000 |
| NLI USA Inc New York, NY | General Operating Expenses | $500,000 |
| Maoz-Seal | General Operating Expenses | $450,000 |
| Greater Bergen Community Action Inc Hackensack, NJ | General Operating Expenses | $400,000 |
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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 | $157,539,333 | $20,558,913 | $15,615,059 | $16,036,357 | 174 | $21,416,058 | $18,238,085 | $7,810,091 |
| 2023 | $165,031,078 | $4,126,324 | $24,858,836 | $16,007,520 | 85 | $19,734,698 | $1,134,493 | $7,959,030 |
| 2022 | $171,342,100 | $17,470,740 | $13,515,888 | $14,093,512 | 88 | $18,147,111 | $15,450,323 | $8,877,969 |
| 2021 | $217,934,322 | $25,440,291 | $39,002,457 | $22,780,280 | 111 | $26,993,595 | $23,834,265 | $9,477,727 |
| 2020 | $195,456,691 | $8,752,587 | $25,294,167 | $22,332,176 | 127 | — | $7,572,922 | $8,732,611 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Russell Berrie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.8M 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 Foundation says it was created to express Russell Berrie’s values and passions through social investments in innovative ideas. Its listed funding areas are diabetes care and research, Israel, New Jersey, Making a Difference Awards, interfaith bridge-building, and the profession of sales.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its grantmaking. Chronicle of a People Foundation says its mission is to provide knowledge of Jewish culture around the world through photographs, lectures, and museum exhibitions. NLI USA says it builds U.S. support for the National Library of Israel and expands the impact of the Library’s collections, cultural programs, and educational resources. Greater Bergen Community Action says it supports low-income families and individuals seeking opportunities to move toward self-sufficiency. Breakthrough T1D says it works to accelerate breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 174 grants totaling $16,036,357. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,275,000, with a median grant of $30,000.
Among its largest reported 2024 grants were $1,275,000 to Keren Shituf Tormim (Keshet), $750,000 to the Sheba Fund for Health Services and Research, and $690,116 to Bar Ilan University. Other large grants included $500,000 each to Chronicle of a People Foundation and NLI USA, $400,000 to Greater Bergen Community Action, and $375,000 to Breakthrough T1D. The listed purposes for these grants were general operating expenses.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Idana Goldberg as CEO; Angelica Berrie as president; Scott Berrie as vice president; Adam Hirsch as COO and CFO; David Rosenblatt as secretary; Stephen Seiden as treasurer; and Ilan Kaufthal as trustee. It also lists Myron Rosner as a trustee who left in June 2024.
The Russell Berrie Foundation is led by Idana Goldberg, CEO on every filing since 2022; 2 of 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Idana Goldberg
CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$420K (2022) → $460K (2024)
Angelica Berrie
President
President & Trustee → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ilan Kaufthal
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Myron Rosner Left June
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Hirsch
COO & CFO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$351K (2020) → $408K (2024)
David Rosenblatt
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Berrie
Vice President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Seiden
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Myron Rosner (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Ruth Salzman (2020–2021) — CEO
- Former: Yossi Bachar (2020) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $460K, to Idana Goldberg (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Russell Berrie Foundation
How much does The Russell Berrie Foundation give each year?
The Russell Berrie Foundation gave $16.0M across 174 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $16.0M across 85 grants.
What is The Russell Berrie Foundation's typical grant size?
The Russell Berrie Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $92,163, across 174 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Russell Berrie Foundation that year got $95K on average.
Where does The Russell Berrie Foundation give grants?
The Russell Berrie Foundation's top state is New York, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was New Jersey (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (75 grants), Paramus, NJ (6 grants), Hackensack, NJ (5 grants) and Washington, DC (5 grants).
Does The Russell Berrie Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Russell Berrie Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (174 of 174) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Russell Berrie Foundation's largest grantees?
The Russell Berrie Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Sheba Fund for Health Services and Research ($1,950,000 across 3 grants), Bar Ilan University (Ra) ($1,380,232 across 2 grants) and Keren Shituf Tormim (Keshet) ($1,380,000 across 11 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Russell Berrie Foundation?
The Russell Berrie Foundation reported $157.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $21.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Russell Berrie Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it was created to express Russell Berrie’s values and passions through social investments in innovative ideas. Its listed funding areas are diabetes care and research, Israel, New Jersey, Making a Difference Awards, interfaith bridge-building, and the profession of sales. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Russell Berrie Foundation?
The Foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Russell Berrie Foundation's EIN?
The Russell Berrie Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2620908. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Russell Berrie 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 Russell Berrie Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-russell-berrie-foundation-morg_d8fcbb26f5d64de486a8113652737bb9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_222620908_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Russell Berrie Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-russell-berrie-foundation-morg_d8fcbb26f5d64de486a8113652737bb9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Russell Berrie 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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