The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation
The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation was a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2023 filing was marked as its final return and states that the foundation was dissolved effective January 31, 2024, without assets; it appears to have wound down and is no longer grantmaking.
The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation at a glance
- 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 Stephen Birnbaum Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its filing listed a letter, the applicant’s financial report, and its goals as application materials. It stated there were no award restrictions. These instructions are not current, as the foundation reported that it had dissolved.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Alexandra Mayes Birnbaum
Mailing address: 785 Park Avenue Unit 16A, New York, NY 10021
Phone: (212) 988-5308
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
31 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 31 grants of 31 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s listed 2023 grantees were based in New York, NY, and Montgomery, AL. The available information does not state a geographic focus.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Is The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $672; repeat grants $402. How we count
Medians: $400 first-time, $500 repeat.
- 60% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2023). 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 2021 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2022) to $5K (2021). In 2023 it made 10 grants totaling $5K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Metro Museum of Art New York, NY | General Purpose. | $1,500 |
| Weill Cornel Med College New York, NY | General Purpose. | $530 |
| Southern Poverty Law Center Montgomery, AL | General Purpose. | $500 |
| Central Park Conservatory New York, NY | General Purpose. | $500 |
| The Writing Revolution New York, NY | General Purpose. | $500 |
| Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery, AL | General Purpose | $400 |
| Thirteen-Wnet New York, NY | General Purpose. | $400 |
| The New York Society Library New York, NY | General Purpose. | $300 |
| American Museaum of Natural History New York, NY | General Purpose. | $115 |
| New York Historical Society New York, NY | General Purpose. | $85 |
Ready to take the next step with The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2023 filing states that all assets were expended for charitable purposes during the year ending January 31, 2023, and that it had no assets when dissolved.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $3,169 | $5,000 | $4,830 | 10 | $4,830 | — | $95 |
| 2022 | $1,831 | $1 | $4,565 | $4,405 | 10 | $4,405 | — | $184 |
| 2021 | $6,395 | $7,460 | $5,055 | $5,055 | 11 | — | $1 | $188 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported $4,830 in grants across 10 grants, an average of $483 per grant. Listed recipients included the Southern Poverty Law Center Inc. ($500), The Writing Revolution Inc. ($500), and the New York Historical Society ($85).
The grantees describe distinct missions: the Southern Poverty Law Center says it works with communities to dismantle white supremacy and advance human rights; The Writing Revolution says it aims to help students, especially those from historically marginalized communities, become proficient writers, readers, and critical thinkers; and the New York Historical Society says its mission is to collect, preserve, and interpret materials relevant to U.S. and New York history.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed Alexandra Mayes Birnbaum as president and Nicholas Mayes Sopkin as vice president.
The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation is led by Alexandra Mayes Birnbaum, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alexandra Mayes Birnbaum
President
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas Mayes Sopkin
Vice President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 Stephen Birnbaum Foundation
How do I apply for a grant from The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation?
The foundation stated that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation make grants?
The foundation’s listed 2023 grantees were based in New York, NY, and Montgomery, AL. The available information does not state a geographic focus.
What is The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation's EIN?
The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3753860. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does The Stephen Birnbaum 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Other open foundation grants in New York
New York Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Stephen Birnbaum Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Ember Foundation
New York, NY
The foundation supports organizations addressing hunger and homelessness, as well as arts and cultural organizations, primarily in New York, with some giving in Washington, DC. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $2,950, with a median of $1,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$294K
Grants
20
Total Given
$19K
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
Judith & David Rivkin Foundation
Rumson, NJ
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
38
Total Given
$78K
Bridgewood Fieldwater Foundation
Bridgewater, CT
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
99
Total Given
$231K
High Five Foundation II
Woodmere, NY
Assets
$6.9M
Grants
116
Total Given
$396K
Arnhold Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Arnhold Foundation supports a broad range of arts, education, health, humanitarian, and conservation organizations, with most of its 2024 grant dollars going to New York recipients. Grants ranged from $250 to $13 million, with a median of $12,800. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$426.6M
Grants
233
Total Given
$56.9M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Stephen Birnbaum 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 Stephen Birnbaum Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?