The Skadden Foundation
The Skadden Foundation (also known as the Skadden Fellowship Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation established in 1988 to commemorate Skadden's 40th anniversary. Based in White Plains, New York, the foundation operates as a non-partisan organization dedicated to supporting public interest law and legal services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.2M
-2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.1M
+15.1% YoY
Grant Count
106
+6.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
+8.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation awards two-year fellowships to recent law graduates and outgoing judicial clerks who create projects at public interest organizations designed to provide legal services to the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and those deprived of their civil rights or human rights. The foundation also provides grants to former Skadden Fellows who want to undertake new initiatives on behalf of their clients.
The foundation's guiding principle is to improve legal services for the poor and encourage economic independence. Primary focus areas include:
- Legal services for low-income and economically disadvantaged individuals
- Services for older adults and people with disabilities
- Civil rights and human rights advocacy
- Antidiscrimination efforts
- Law education and graduate professional education
- Public affairs and leadership development
- International human rights
Grantmaking
The foundation has funded over 1,000 fellowships since its inception. Recent grant activity shows:
Grant Range
**: $126 to $506,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds initiatives across the United States, including major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., as well as in numerous states including California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, and others.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11.2 million
- Total Revenue: $5.2 million
- Total Expenses: $5.7 million
- Number of Employees: 2
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $11.5 million
- Total Revenue: $4.8 million
- Total Expenses: $5.0 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,242,596 | $11,539,897 | $10,756,355 |
| Revenue | $5,166,870 | $4,829,722 | $439,936 |
| Expenses | $5,653,825 | $5,010,106 | $4,771,774 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,551,032 | $4,915,969 | $4,634,322 |
| Net Investment Income | $669,654 | $342,201 | $329,459 |
| Distributable Amount | $499,768 | $468,627 | $691,047 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Skadden Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kathleen Rubenstein - Executive Director and Secretary ($225,750 compensation, 2024)
- Susan Butler Plum - Senior Advisor ($50,000 compensation, 2024)
- Lauren E. Aguiar - President
- Stephen Petty - Treasurer
- Board Members: Emily M. Lam, Noah Puntus, Paul Lockwood, Sean C. Doyle
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation achieved the milestone of funding over 1,000 fellowships. Recent fellowship recipients have been named from law schools including CUNY Law School and NYU School of Law. The foundation continues to support fellows working on issues including workers' rights, immigrant rights, environmental justice, housing rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ rights through partnerships with organizations such as Make the Road New York, Legal Aid at Work, and New Hampshire Legal Assistance.
Skadden Fellowships awarded to NYU Law alumna and three students | NYU SchoolSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Skadden Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities