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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Skadden Foundation reported a distributable amount of $500K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc ($505,860), Lawyers Comm for Civil Rights Under Law ($119,468), Legal Aid Chicago ($110,001).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A BETTER BALANCE NEW YORK, NY | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $44,732 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC New York, NY | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $505,860 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF ALASKA FOUNDATION ANCHORAGE, AK | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $47,710 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF KS OVERLAND PARK, KS | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $38,895 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $28,324 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES, CA | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $44,080 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $43,547 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF NEW JERSEY FOUNDATION Newark, NJ | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $51,350 |
| ADVANCEMENT PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $84,957 |
| ADVOCATES FOR TRANS EQUALITY EDUCATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC | PAYMENT FOR FELLOWS | $22,314 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Skadden Foundation fund?
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 encourag…
How do I apply for a grant from The Skadden Foundation?
The foundation has funded over 1,000 fellowships since its inception. Recent grant activity shows: • **Grant Range**: $126 to $506,000 • **Median Grant Size**: $40,000 • **Recent Grants** (2024): Included payments to New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation ($213,868), Legal Aid Chicago ($110,001), and Greater Boston Legal Services ($101,457) • **Total Grants Made**: 106 grants in the most recent filing period Approximately 90 percent of former Fellows remain in public service, with almost all…
Where does The Skadden Foundation make 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.
What size grants does The Skadden Foundation award?
In 2024, The Skadden Foundation awarded 106 grants totaling $5.1M — an average of about $48K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Skadden Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Skadden Foundation reported a distributable amount of $500K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Skadden Foundation's EIN?
The Skadden Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3455231. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Skadden Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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