The Schaffner Family Foundation
The Schaffner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations working in areas including environmental protection and conservation, education, human rights, medical care, global education, and music.
The Schaffner Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Schaffner Family Foundation gave $615K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), top state New York. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $615,136
- +42.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- -17.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,376
- +72.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $1,464,234
- -3.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (40% 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 Schaffner Family Foundation
- 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: 252 7Th Avenue, New York, NY 10001-7351
Phone: (212) 929-6063
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Schaffner Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Natural Resources Defense Counsel ($100K). Together the top 10 received $521K.
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 87 grants of 110 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (40%), Washington, DC (19%), Arizona (19%), Massachusetts (12%), and Utah (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Schaffner Family Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 19 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). 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 $431K (2023) to $615K (2024). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $615K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Resources Defense Counsel New York, NY | Habitat Restoration Education | $100,000 |
| University of Arizona Foundation Tucson, AZ | Education Foundation | $100,000 |
| Union of Concerned Scientists Cambridge, MA | Environmental | $75,000 |
| Gifts Under 10000 New York, NY | Research | $71,136 |
| Oxfam America Washington, DC | Global Education | $60,000 |
| Wildlands Network Salt Lake City, UT | Animal Protection | $35,000 |
| Nuclear Threat Initiative Washington, DC | Protect the Environment | $25,000 |
| Human Rights Watch New York, NY | Human Rights | $20,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Medical Care | $20,000 |
| Sky Island Alliance Tucson, AZ | Land Conservation | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Schaffner Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,464,234 | $659,600 | $713,735 | $615,136 | 19 |
| 2023 | $1,518,369 | $408,627 | $535,892 | $431,288 | 23 |
| 2022 | $1,645,634 | $309,277 | $704,629 | $583,082 | 26 |
| 2021 | $2,040,986 | $646,968 | $735,825 | $610,007 | 22 |
| 2020 | $2,129,843 | $743,503 | $650,135 | $551,999 | 20 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose work spans environmental and habitat protection, wildlife conservation, education, human rights, medical care, and contemporary classical music.
Among its grantees, the Union of Concerned Scientists says it puts independent science into action to develop solutions and advocate for a healthy, safe, and just future. Human Rights Watch says it investigates abuses and works to defend rights worldwide. Sky Island Alliance says it connects people, wildlife, and lands across the U.S.-Mexico border through science, advocacy, education, community engagement, and conservation. Alarm Will Sound describes its work as presenting contemporary classical music and educating musicians and the public. The University of Arizona Foundation says it supports the university through the development and management of private support.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $615,136. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $100,000, with a median of $15,000. Notable grants included $100,000 each to the Natural Resources Defense Council for habitat restoration education and the University of Arizona Foundation for education; $75,000 to the Union of Concerned Scientists for environmental work; $60,000 to Oxfam America for global education; and $35,000 to Wildlands Network for animal protection. Other grants included $25,000 to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, $20,000 to Human Rights Watch, and $20,000 to Doctors Without Borders.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Valentine Schaffner, Elizabeth Schaffner, and Timothy Schaffner as trustees.
The Schaffner Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Elizabeth Schaffner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Schaffner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Valentine Schaffner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 Schaffner Family Foundation
How much does The Schaffner Family Foundation give each year?
The Schaffner Family Foundation gave $615K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $431K across 23 grants.
What is The Schaffner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Schaffner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $32,376, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Schaffner Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Schaffner Family Foundation give grants?
The Schaffner Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (19%) and Arizona (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (6 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants), Tucson, AZ (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does The Schaffner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on The Schaffner Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Schaffner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Schaffner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Natural Resources Defense Counsel ($100,000), University of Arizona Foundation ($100,000) and Union of Concerned Scientists ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Schaffner Family Foundation?
The Schaffner Family Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $660K.
What does The Schaffner Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations whose work spans environmental and habitat protection, wildlife conservation, education, human rights, medical care, and contemporary classical music. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Schaffner Family 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 Schaffner Family Foundation's EIN?
The Schaffner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3652881. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Schaffner Family 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Schaffner Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Schaffner Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-schaffner-family-foundation-morg_cb5c84616bf34db1877bf23c002c811d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383652881_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Schaffner Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-schaffner-family-foundation-morg_cb5c84616bf34db1877bf23c002c811d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Schaffner Family 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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