The Specter Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2015, based in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization with a focus on supporting preselected charitable organizations through strategic philanthropic investments.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$5.5M
+18.6% YoY
Grant Count
62
-31.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$89K
+72.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on documented giving patterns, primary funding areas include:
- Squash and Sports Development: Major supporter of squash facilities and programs, including a $27 million commitment to the Arlen Specter US Squash Center at Drexel University
- Education: Universities, law schools, and scholarship programs
- Health and Medical Research: Cancer research and medical centers
- Food Security and Human Services: Including significant commitments to food assistance programs
Grantmaking
The foundation makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees.
Grant Range
$51,000–$64,500
Average Grant
$51,000–$64,500
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains a national focus, with documented giving across multiple states including Pennsylvania, New York, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving (Most Recent Data):
- Total assets: $44.2 million (2024)
- Total assets: $39 million (2023)
- Total assets: $35 million (2023, alternate source)
- Annual distributions: $5.5 million (2024)
- Annual distributions: $4.6 million (2023)
- Total contributions: $13 million (2024)
- Total contributions: $8.4 million (2023)
Financial Efficiency: The foundation operates with minimal overhead, directing approximately 99.5% of expenses toward charitable disbursements.
Growth Trajectory: The foundation has experienced significant growth, with assets increasing 6.6 times from $6.66 million in 2014 to over $44 million by 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Sharefood ($3,483,333), Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia ($201,000), Cambridge in America ($126,850).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LIBI BRIGHTON, MA | WILLIAM FIELD IAFA GYMNASIUM PROJECT | $5,000 |
| BARRACK FAMILY HEBREW ACADEMY MAWE, PA | 2024 COMMITMENT | $3,600 |
| BRIDLEWILD GLADWYNE, PA | 2024 DONATION | $2,500 |
| CAMBRIDGE IN AMERICA NEW YORK, NY | 2024 DONATION | $126,850 |
| CHABAD HAVERFORD PHILADELPHIA, PA | 2024 DONATION | $5,000 |
| CHABAD SERVING DREXEL UNIVERSITY PHILADELPHIA, PA | DREXEL CHABAD | $2,500 |
| CHILDREN CRISIS TREATMENT CENTER PHILADELPHIA, PA | 2024 DONATION | $3,500 |
| CHILDREN FIRST PHILADELPHIA, PA | 2024 DONATION | $7,500 |
| COALITION AGAINST HUNGER PHILADELPHIA, PA | PHILLY BRUNCH OFF EVENT | $2,500 |
| DELAWARE VALLEY FRIENDS SCHOOL PAOLI, PA | 2024 DONATION | $83,333 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by two trustees who serve without compensation:
- Shanin Specter – Trustee (Founding partner of Kline & Specter, P.C., a catastrophic injury law firm; son of the late U.S. Senator Arlen Specter)
- Tracey Specter – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHANIN SPECTER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| TRACEY SPECTER | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 718 Merion Square Road Gladwyne, PA 19035-1506 United States
Telephone: 610-547-7345
EIN: 38-7076393
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Specter Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on documented giving patterns, primary funding areas include: • **Squash and Sports Development**: Major supporter of squash facilities and programs, including a $27 million commitment to the Arlen Specter US Squash Center at Drexel University • **Education**: Universities, law schools, and scholarship programs • **Health and Medical Research**: Cancer research and medical centers • **Food Security and Human Se…
How do I apply for a grant from The Specter Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual distributions: $4–6 million • Number of grants: Approximately 88–90 grants annually • Average grant size: $51,000–$64,500 • Median grant size: $2,500–$5,000 • Grant range: $51,000–$3.5 million **Application Process:** The foundation makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees. **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • Share Food Program: $3…
Where does The Specter Foundation make grants?
The foundation maintains a national focus, with documented giving across multiple states including Pennsylvania, New York, and California.
What size grants does The Specter Foundation award?
In 2024, The Specter Foundation awarded 62 grants totaling $5.5M — an average of about $89K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Specter 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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