The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2025 filing reports charitable grants to organizations including education institutions and organizations working on human trafficking, child protection, and supply-chain labor and environmental issues.
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation at a glance
In short: The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation gave $998K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $62K), mostly in California. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $998,000
- +11.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $62,375
- +11.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,500
- Total assets
- $21,795,952
- +4.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (60% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: C/O Bradley 55 W 39Th St Flr14, New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 764-0644
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was San Carlos Education Foundation ($400K). Together the top 10 received $946K.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 78 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in California (60%), New Jersey (15%), Washington, DC (14%), and New York (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 16 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $70K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $28K repeat.
- 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−15%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $883K (2023) to $1.2M (2022). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $998K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Carlos Education Foundation San Carlos, CA | Charitable | $400,000 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Charitable | $150,000 |
| Free the Slaves Washington, DC | Charitable | $130,000 |
| Thorn Manhattan Beach, CA | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Transparentem Ltd New York, NY | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Freedom Fund Brooklyn, NY | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Semper Virens Camp Pendleton, CA | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Menlo School Aherton, CA | Charitable | $26,000 |
| Survivor Alliance San Francisco, CA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Polaris Project Washington, DC | Charitable | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Terrence and Ruth Elkes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $21,795,952 | $1,202,395 | $1,101,977 | $998,000 | 16 | $998,000 | $1,177,071 | $1,052,239 |
| 2024 | $20,846,757 | $1,232,063 | $1,001,734 | $895,000 | 16 | $895,000 | $1,191,946 | $995,144 |
| 2023 | $19,784,148 | $716,087 | $985,786 | $883,000 | 11 | $883,000 | $1,305,141 | $926,789 |
| 2022 | $18,955,076 | $860,997 | $1,272,726 | $1,176,000 | 16 | $1,176,000 | $1,092,528 | $1,006,413 |
| 2021 | $22,833,219 | $1,049,184 | $1,116,713 | $1,029,000 | 19 | $1,029,000 | $1,013,736 | $1,092,608 |
| 2020 | $21,543,011 | $1,055,262 | $1,182,523 | $1,096,900 | 21 | — | $1,017,998 | $1,010,313 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees describe a range of missions: Free the Slaves says it works to end slavery and human trafficking worldwide; Thorn says it works to protect children from sexual exploitation; and Transparentem says it works with workers and communities to uncover supply-chain abuses and advance labor and environmental justice. Other supported organizations include Menlo School, whose mission includes helping students reach their potential and become engaged community members, and the California Academy of Sciences, which says it works to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $998,000. Awards ranged from $2,000 to $400,000, with a median of $25,500. The largest listed grants were $400,000 to San Carlos Education Foundation, $150,000 to Princeton University, $130,000 to Free the Slaves, and $75,000 to Thorn. Other listed grants included $50,000 each to Transparentem Ltd and Freedom Fund, and $30,000 to Semper Virens.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Daniel Elkes and David Bloom as trustees.
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Daniel Elkes
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$69K (2020) → $74K (2025)
David Bloom
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $74K, to Daniel Elkes (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation
How much does The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation give each year?
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation gave $998K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $895K across 16 grants.
What is The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's typical grant size?
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,500, and its average grant was $62,375, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation give grants?
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation gives mostly in California: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (15%) and District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (16 grants).
Who are The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's largest grantees?
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include San Carlos Education Foundation ($400,000), Princeton University ($150,000) and Free the Slaves ($130,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation?
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation reported $21.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $998K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's EIN?
The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-4174904. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Terrence and Ruth Elkes 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-terrence-and-ruth-elkes-foundation-morg_044b62cfbd744ccc935b54dd365a9084
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_824174904_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Terrence and Ruth Elkes Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-terrence-and-ruth-elkes-foundation-morg_044b62cfbd744ccc935b54dd365a9084},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Terrence and Ruth Elkes 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.
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