The Specter Foundation
The Specter Foundation is a private foundation based in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations; its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations including food, education, Jewish community, and squash-related organizations.
The Specter Foundation at a glance
In short: The Specter Foundation gave $5.5M across 62 grants in 2024 (avg $89K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,493,616
- +18.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 62
- -31.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $88,607
- +72.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $44,191,769
- +26.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (14 of 60, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (76% 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 Specter Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 718 Merion Square Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035
Phone: (610) 547-7345
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Specter Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Sharefood ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $5.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
372 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 339 grants of 372 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 76% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 18% to California, 4% to New York, 2% to Massachusetts, and less than 1% to New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Specter Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 60 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $116K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 136% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 349% 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 $2.3M (2021) to $5.7M (2022). In 2024 it made 62 grants totaling $5.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sharefood Philadelphia, PA | 2024 Donation | $3,483,333 |
| Uc Law San Francisco La Jolla, CA | 2024 Donation | $1,000,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Moishe House Philadelphia | $201,000 |
| Cambridge in America New York, NY | 2024 Donation | $126,850 |
| Drexel University Fund Philadelphia, PA | Drexel Squash John D White | $100,000 |
| Delaware Valley Friends School Paoli, PA | 2024 Donation | $83,333 |
| Our Generation Speaks Waltham, MA | 2024 Donation | $82,000 |
| Tribe 12 Philadelphia, PA | 2024 Donation | $53,500 |
| HAR Zion Temple Penn Valley, PA | 2024 Donation | $27,500 |
| Holy Redeemer Health Systems Dev Dept Huntingdon Valley, PA | 2024 Donation | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Specter 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 | $44,191,769 | $19,527,537 | $5,525,923 | $5,493,616 | 62 | $5,495,945 | $6,168,205 | $1,574,681 |
| 2023 | $35,037,983 | $9,464,487 | $4,665,218 | $4,630,929 | 90 | $4,636,561 | $976,913 | $1,231,812 |
| 2022 | $29,900,639 | $5,769,659 | $5,696,229 | $5,680,175 | 88 | $5,680,175 | $2,746,675 | $1,189,782 |
| 2021 | $30,544,235 | $9,460,622 | $2,482,674 | $2,331,313 | 78 | $2,334,798 | $1,057,359 | $1,517,472 |
| 2020 | $26,010,674 | $15,646,332 | $5,744,359 | $5,644,034 | 54 | — | $6,809,562 | $1,038,235 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Specter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M 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 available filing information does not state a foundation mission. Its 2024 filing describes its program as “excess of FMV over donor’s cost basis of securities contributed.”
Its grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Cambridge in America says it promotes interest in and support for the University of Cambridge and its constituent colleges among alumni and friends in the United an individual recipient says it aims to create an entrepreneurial community of leaders working toward a more peaceful Israeli-Palestinian future built on trust. Tribe 12 says it connects people in their 20s and 30s to Jewish life and community in Philadelphia. Squash and Education Alliance says it works to grow squash and education programs and improve program quality among its members.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 62 grants totaling $5,493,616. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $3,483,333, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest were $3,483,333 to Sharefood, $1,000,000 to UC Law San Francisco, $201,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia for Moishe House Philadelphia, and $126,850 to Cambridge in America. Other notable grants included $100,000 to the Drexel University Fund for “Drexel Squash John D White,” $83,333 to Delaware Valley Friends School, and $82,000 to an individual recipient
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Shanin Specter and Tracey Specter as trustees.
The Specter Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Shanin Specter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Tracey Specter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
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 Specter Foundation
How much does The Specter Foundation give each year?
The Specter Foundation gave $5.5M across 62 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.6M across 90 grants.
What is The Specter Foundation's typical grant size?
The Specter Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $88,607, across 62 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Specter Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does The Specter Foundation give grants?
The Specter Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (28 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Gladwyne, PA (3 grants) and La Jolla, CA (2 grants).
Does The Specter Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of The Specter Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 62) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "2024 Donation" (34 grants) and "2024 Gift" (3 grants).
Who are The Specter Foundation's largest grantees?
The Specter Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Sharefood ($3,483,333), Uc Law San Francisco ($1,002,000 across 2 grants) and Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia ($201,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Specter Foundation?
The Specter Foundation reported $44.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Specter Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a foundation mission. Its 2024 filing describes its program as “excess of FMV over donor’s cost basis of securities contributed.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Specter Foundation?
The foundation 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 Specter Foundation's EIN?
The Specter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-7076393. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Specter 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 3, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Specter Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Pennsylvania
The Philadelphia Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
The Philadelphia Foundation supports economic mobility and other community needs through grants to nonprofits, including workforce development, direct services, and initiatives addressing urgent regional challenges. In 2024, its median grant was $25,500, and its primary service area is Greater Philadelphia; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$704.6M
Grants
715
Total Given
$39.1M
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia funds basic needs and self-sufficiency, older adults and Holocaust survivors, Jewish life and learning, and community resilience in Greater Philadelphia, Israel, and globally. Its 2025 median grant was $25,000, though awards ranged widely; first-time applicants whose work strongly aligns with its priorities are invited to inquire, but the profile does not state whether unsolicited applications are accepted.
Assets
$506.4M
Grants
286
Total Given
$33.0M
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Pittsburgh, PA
The Pittsburgh Foundation funds nonprofits working in basic needs, equity and social justice, environmental action, arts and culture, and economic mobility, with most opportunities for organizations in Allegheny County or primarily serving its residents. Its 2024 grants had a median amount of about $18,600, though awards varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
1,132
Total Given
$64.0M
The William Penn Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
The William Penn Foundation funds arts and culture, children and families, civic participation, the environment and public spaces, and workforce training, primarily in the Philadelphia region. Its 2024 median grant was $50,000, though awards varied widely. It accepts unsolicited requests through limited open applications and invites letters of inquiry from public charities.
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
1,027
Total Given
$148.8M
Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation
Coraopolis, PA
DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation primarily funds youth sports participation in under-resourced communities, including equipment, registration costs and facilities, and also supports outdoor access and education. Its 2025 grants ranged from $626 to $2.5 million, with a median of $5,000, and Sports Matter funding has reached all 50 states. Sports Matter opportunities are by invitation only; the foundation says 501(c)(3) grant requests should be submitted in writing.
Assets
$34.5M
Grants
964
Total Given
$18.0M
Hillman Family Foundations
Pittsburgh, PA
The 18 independently operated foundations support projects in areas such as arts and culture, health, education, economic development, and community improvement, with a preference for Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania; each foundation has its own geographic focus. In 2024, grants ranged from $75 to $5 million, with a median of $20,000. The 2024 filing says unsolicited requests are accepted, beginning with a brief letter of intent through the online portal.
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
814
Total Given
$88.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Pennsylvania
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Specter Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-specter-foundation-morg_4a6a6a0f41a649c2b1a48e6f183ccfb1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_387076393_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Specter Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-specter-foundation-morg_4a6a6a0f41a649c2b1a48e6f183ccfb1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Specter 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.
The Specter Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?