The Zients Family Foundation
The Zients Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. In 2024, it made 31 grants totaling $905,338 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in public service, international development, education, health, and support for women experiencing homelessness.
Key facts about The Zients Family Foundation
In short: The Zients Family Foundation gave $905K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $29K), top state Illinois. 23% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 54-6520936
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $905,338
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- Average grant
- $29,204
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (7 of 31, 2024)
- Total assets
- $6,110,548
- Primary geography
- Illinois (37% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.1M
+495.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$905K
+1.6% YoY
Grant Count
31
-22.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
+31.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Zients Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $748K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Zients Family Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 31 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 67% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 124% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Women for Women International says it supports marginalized women in countries affected by conflict and war, while the African Leadership Foundation says it develops young leaders and entrepreneurs for the African continent. N Street Village describes its work as providing services and housing for women experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 31 grants totaling $905,338. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $333,333, with a median of $10,000. Its largest grants included $333,333 to the Obama Foundation for general support; $100,000 each to Partnership for Public Service and Women for Women International, also for general support; $60,000 to American Friends of Parents Circle; and $50,000 to City Year SA. Other grants included $45,000 to Urban Alliance and $30,000 to the African Leadership Foundation.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with The Zients Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as 37% to Illinois, 36% to the District of Columbia, 13% to New York, 7% to Massachusetts, and 3% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $541K (2021) to $1.1M (2020). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $905K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Obama Foundation ($333K). Together the top 10 received $771K.
Grant Size Distribution
177 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 159 grants of 177 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Obama Foundation Chicago, IL | General Support | $333,333 |
| Partnership for Public Services Washington, DC | General Support | $100,000 |
| Women for Women International Washington, DC | General Support | $100,000 |
| Amer Friends of Parents Circle New York, NY | General Support | $60,000 |
| City Year Sa Boston, MA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Urban Alliance Washington, DC | General Support | $45,000 |
| African Leadership Foundation New York, NY | General Support | $30,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | General Support | $25,000 |
| J Street Education Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $15,000 |
| Breast Care for Washington Alexandria, VA | General Support | $12,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,110,548 | $7,380,718 | $1,001,637 | $905,338 | 31 |
| 2023 | $1,025,718 | -$621,500 | $925,450 | $891,065 | 40 |
| 2021 | $1,676,337 | $1,161,005 | $580,765 | $541,333 | 44 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,110,548 | $1,025,718 | $1,676,337 |
| Revenue | $7,380,718 | $-621,500 | $1,161,005 |
| Expenses | $1,001,637 | $925,450 | $580,765 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $925,338 | $911,065 | $561,333 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,312,621 | — | $524,160 |
| Distributable Amount | $748,467 | $736,293 | $232,001 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mary Zients, Steven Farina, and Jennifer Nance as trustees.
The Zients Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jennifer Nance
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $40K (2024)
Mary Zients
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven Farina
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $40K, to Jennifer Nance (Trustee).
Contact
Mailing address: 4500 Garfield St Nw, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (703) 863-7984
Frequently asked questions about The Zients Family Foundation
How much does The Zients Family Foundation give each year?
The Zients Family Foundation gave $905K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $891K across 40 grants.
What is The Zients Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Zients Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $29,204, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Zients Family Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does The Zients Family Foundation give grants?
The Zients Family Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (36%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (15 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Alexandria, VA (3 grants).
Does The Zients Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Zients Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (31 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Zients Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Zients Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Obama Foundation ($333,333), Partnership for Public Services ($100,000) and Women for Women International ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Zients Family Foundation?
The Zients Family Foundation reported $6.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $925K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $748K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Zients Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Zients Family 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 Zients Family Foundation's EIN?
The Zients Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6520936. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Zients Family 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.
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