The Zisman Family Foundation
The Zisman Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wayne, Pennsylvania. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 grants went to recipients in Pennsylvania.
The Zisman Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Zisman Family Foundation gave $168K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $168,000
- -50.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- -9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,400
- -45.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,500
- Total assets
- $136,340
- +234.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% 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 Zisman Family 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: 311 Orchard Way, Wayne, PA 19087
Phone: (610) 254-9821
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Zisman Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Teach for America ($25K). Together the top 10 received $131K.
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 143 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Zisman Family Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 20 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 69% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $168K (2025) to $619K (2021). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $168K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Teach for America Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $25,000 |
| Kimmel Center Inc Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $20,000 |
| WGGB Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $15,000 |
| Pa Ballet Association Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $12,500 |
| Bard College Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $11,000 |
| Amateur Golf Alliance Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $10,000 |
| Annika Foundation Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $10,000 |
| PGA Reach Philadelphia Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $10,000 |
| Philadelphia Museum of Art Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $10,000 |
| Settlement Music School Wayne, PA | To Fund Operating Budget | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Zisman Family 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 | $136,340 | $495,528 | $175,045 | $168,000 | 20 | $168,000 | $235,367 | $2,987 |
| 2024 | $40,826 | $304,847 | $346,177 | $339,940 | 22 | $339,940 | $129,694 | $6,446 |
| 2023 | $203,082 | $285,560 | $321,085 | $316,250 | 22 | $316,250 | $123,829 | $11,281 |
| 2022 | $384,884 | $244,137 | $547,148 | $541,500 | 29 | $541,500 | $52,477 | $18,463 |
| 2021 | $750,451 | $780,908 | $662,651 | $618,916 | 50 | $618,916 | $311,883 | $39,690 |
| 2020 | $960,368 | $2,301,238 | $542,521 | $532,750 | 36 | — | $1,251,789 | $23,978 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Zisman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K 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 grants included support for organizations in areas such as performing arts, golf, grief support, and youth development. For example, Kimmel Center Inc. describes its mission as sharing the transformative power of performing arts and arts education, while PGA REACH Philadelphia says it serves communities and grows golf through youth, military, and diversity initiatives. Peter’s Place describes its work as supporting grieving children and families, and Girls First says it builds character and life skills through arts, academic, and emotional-learning activities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $168,000. Awards ranged from $500 to $25,000, with a median grant of $6,500. The largest grants included $25,000 to Teach for America, $20,000 to Kimmel Center Inc., $15,000 to WGGB, $12,500 to PA Ballet Association, and $11,000 to Bard College. The listed purposes for these grants were to fund operating budgets. Other recipients included Amateur Golf Alliance, Annika Foundation, PGA REACH Philadelphia, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Settlement Music School, Peter’s Place, and Franklin Institute.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael D. Zisman as president, treasurer, and director; Ruth L. Zisman as vice president, secretary, and director; and Steven D. Zisman, Adam P. Zisman, and Katerina Zisman as directors.
The Zisman Family Foundation is led by Michael D. Zisman, President, Treasurer & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael D. Zisman
President, Treasurer & Director
Director, Vice President & Treasurer → President, Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam P. Zisman
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth L. Zisman
Vice President, Secretary & Director
Director → Vice President, Secretary & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven D. Zisman
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katerina Zisman
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Linda J. Gamble (2020–2023) — Director, President & Secretary
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Zisman Family Foundation
How much does The Zisman Family Foundation give each year?
The Zisman Family Foundation gave $168K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $340K across 22 grants.
What is The Zisman Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Zisman Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,500, and its average grant was $8,400, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Zisman Family Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Zisman Family Foundation give grants?
The Zisman Family Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wayne, PA (20 grants).
Does The Zisman Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Zisman Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Zisman Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Zisman Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Teach for America ($25,000), Kimmel Center Inc ($20,000) and WGGB ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Zisman Family Foundation?
The Zisman Family Foundation reported $136K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $168K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Zisman Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations in areas such as performing arts, golf, grief support, and youth development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Zisman 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 Zisman Family Foundation's EIN?
The Zisman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-3033239. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Zisman 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Zisman Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-zisman-family-foundation-morg_c12145248b9e475c803ad633b0aff257
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_233033239_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Zisman Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-zisman-family-foundation-morg_c12145248b9e475c803ad633b0aff257},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Zisman Family 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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