Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2025 grants supported charitable organizations including the Birthright Israel Foundation, Brothers for Life, Chabad at Dartmouth, and other organizations.
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family at a glance
In short: Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family gave $1.5M across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $166K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,490,000
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $165,556
- -10.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $11,006,830
- +2.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Anchin-3 Times Square 24Fl, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 840-3456
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Birthright Israel Foundation ($1.0M). Together the top 9 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 31 grants of 45 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in New York (69%), Washington (27%), New Hampshire (3%), Florida (1%), and California (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 179% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $828K (2021) to $1.8M (2020). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | Charitable | $1,000,000 |
| Brothers for Life Seattle, WA | Charitable | $400,000 |
| Chabad at Dartmouth Hanover, NH | Charitable | $35,000 |
| American Friends of Israeli Navy Seals Inc New York, NY | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Dartmouth Engineering Hanover, NH | Charitable | $10,000 |
| International Lone Soldiers Inc Spring Valley, NY | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Stacy Joy Goodman Memorial Fund Miami, FL | Charitable | $10,000 |
| The Program Foundation San Francisco, CA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Youth Renewal Fund New York, NY | Charitable | $5,000 |
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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 | $11,006,830 | $1,895,647 | $1,654,193 | $1,490,000 | 9 | $1,490,750 | $1,759,204 | $832,579 |
| 2024 | $10,765,376 | $3,145,375 | $1,645,930 | $1,483,000 | 8 | $1,483,750 | $3,018,195 | $808,857 |
| 2023 | $9,265,931 | $650,780 | $1,669,637 | $1,535,000 | 7 | $1,535,750 | $532,600 | $739,529 |
| 2022 | $10,284,788 | $427,394 | $1,697,565 | $1,410,000 | 11 | $1,410,750 | $147,977 | $786,333 |
| 2021 | $11,554,959 | $1,034,766 | $1,207,960 | $827,500 | 10 | $828,250 | $657,056 | $959,536 |
| 2020 | $11,728,153 | $196,988 | $2,008,424 | $1,754,000 | 14 | — | — | $795,143 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family reported a distributable amount of $833K 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 include organizations with missions related to supporting Jewish and Israeli communities, veterans, and education. Brothers for Life describes its work as supporting Jewish and Israeli heroism through education, mentoring, social services, and financial aid, including helping injured combat veterans. International Lone Soldiers INC describes its work as supporting IDF lone soldiers’ transition to civilian life and assisting young people through the drafting process and service. Youth Renewal Fund says it raises funds to develop and monitor educational programs for disadvantaged Israeli youths and to raise educational standards.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 9 grants totaling $1,490,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable grants included $1,000,000 to THE BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION and $400,000 to BROTHERS FOR LIFE. Other grants included $35,000 to CHABAD AT DARTMOUTH and $10,000 each to AMERICAN FRIENDS OF ISRAELI NAVY SEALS INC, DARTMOUTH ENGINEERING, INTERNATIONAL LONE SOLDIERS INC, STACY JOY GOODMAN MEMORIAL FUND, and THE PROGRAM FOUNDATION.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists THOMAS D STERN and DENISE R STERN as trustees.
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Denise R. Stern
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas D. Stern
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 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.
Frequently asked questions about Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family
How much does Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family give each year?
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family gave $1.5M across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 8 grants.
What is Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's typical grant size?
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $165,556, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family give grants?
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family gives mostly in New York: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Washington (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Hanover, NH (2 grants).
Does Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (9 grants).
Who are Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's largest grantees?
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's largest 2025 grantees include The Birthright Israel Foundation ($1,000,000), Brothers for Life ($400,000) and Chabad at Dartmouth ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family?
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family reported $11.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $833K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with missions related to supporting Jewish and Israeli communities, veterans, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family?
The foundation 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 Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's EIN?
Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4195656. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Thomas D & Denise R Stern Family accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
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