The Taft Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 2004 in Delaware and Florida. Based in New York City, the foundation operates with total assets exceeding $220 million and functions as a family foundation dedicated to philanthropic giving in two primary program areas.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$240.0M
+8.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$12.2M
+7.5% YoY
Grant Count
94
-8.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$130K
+17.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Taft Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Taft Foundation's primary mission is to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to lead fulfilling lives. The foundation also aims to enhance the well-being of children facing serious illness through its Medical Enrichment program.
Funding priorities include:
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD): Care coordination and wraparound support services
- Medical Enrichment: Support for children facing serious illness
The foundation emphasizes partnership, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making, relying on stakeholder expertise and community leaders to identify critical needs and best practices.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
$25,000 - $600,000
Average Grant
$110,276
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Taft Foundation concentrates its grantmaking in two primary regions:
- New York City Metro Area
- Southeast Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $239,983,928
- Total revenues: $15,261,940
- Total expenses: $14,574,303
- Investment income and dividends: $4,780,791
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $221 million
- Annual giving: $11.4 million
- Number of grants: 103
- Median grant size: $55,000
Giving rate: Approximately 5.1% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $239,983,928 | $220,938,159 | $199,581,101 |
| Revenue | $15,261,940 | $9,589,359 | $16,163,495 |
| Expenses | $14,574,303 | $13,348,164 | $13,705,581 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,669,756 | $12,606,749 | $12,714,811 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,215,024 | $9,109,660 | $15,396,258 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,321,511 | $10,204,700 | $10,212,095 |
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 Children's Aid ($600,000), Arc Broward Inc ($450,000), Brooklyn Law School ($416,661).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACTIONPLAY BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER TRUST INC MIAMI, FL | ACCESSING THE ARTS - ADULTS PROGRAM | $50,000 |
| AHRC NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK, NY | CARE COORDINATION PILOT WITH NYC DSS | $175,000 |
| ANN STORCK CENTER FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | EXPRESSIVE ARTS PROGRAM AND PLAYGROUND RENOVATION | $220,543 |
| ARC BROWARD INC SUNRISE, FL | TRANSITION AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVMENTS AND STAFF RETENTION EFFORTS | $450,000 |
| ARTS4ALL FLORIDA TAMPA, FL | SUPPORT FOR MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTIES | $3,000 |
| ARTS4ALL FLORIDA-PALM BEACH COUNTY LAKE WORTH, FL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF GREATER WILMINGTON WILMINGTON, NC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| AUDRE LORDE PROJECT BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $3,000 |
| AUTISM THEATER PROJECT CUTLER BAY, FL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Howard Rothman – President and Board Chair
- Nina Bershadker – Executive Director (compensation: $320,000)
- Phoebe Boyer – Vice President and Secretary
- William Rupp – Vice President and Treasurer
- Joan Rothman – Director
The foundation employs 6 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOWARD ROTHMAN | PRESIDENT, BOARD CHAIR, DIR. | 15 | $112,750 |
| PHOEBE BOYER | VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, DIR. | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM RUPP | VICE PRESIDENT, TREASURER, DIR. | 1 | — |
| JOAN ROTHMAN | DIRECTOR | 4 | — |
| NINA BERSHADKER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $320,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: 530 Fifth Avenue, 9th Floor, Suite 805, New York, NY 10036
- Phone: (347) 871-4131
- Website: thetaftfoundation.org
- Grantee Portal: thetaftfoundation.org/grantee-portal
- EIN: 20-1232852
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Taft Foundation fund?
The Taft Foundation's primary mission is to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to lead fulfilling lives. The foundation also aims to enhance the well-being of children facing serious illness through its Medical Enrichment program. **Funding priorities include:** • **Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD):** Care coordination and wraparound support services • **Medical Enrichment:** Support for children facing serious illness The foundation em…
How do I apply for a grant from The Taft Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total grants awarded: $11.7 million • Number of grants: 54 recipients • Grant range: $25,000 - $600,000 • Average grant size: $110,276 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • The Center for Discovery (Healing Arts Program): $600,000 • Children's Aid (General Operating Support): $600,000 • The Arc Westchester (General Operating Support): $559,759 **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. **H…
Where does The Taft Foundation make grants?
The Taft Foundation concentrates its grantmaking in two primary regions: • **New York City Metro Area** • **Southeast Florida** (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties)
What size grants does The Taft Foundation award?
In 2024, The Taft Foundation awarded 94 grants totaling $12.2M — an average of about $130K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Taft Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Taft Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Taft Foundation's EIN?
The Taft Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1232852. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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