Tufenkian Foundation Inc
Tufenkian Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Launched in 1999, it says its work is aimed at addressing social, economic, cultural, and environmental challenges in Armenia and building a resilient and just environment alongside the people it serves.
Key facts about Tufenkian Foundation Inc
In short: Tufenkian Foundation Inc gave $647K across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $20K), top state Nevada. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 13-3976159
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $646,772
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- Average grant
- $20,212
- Median grant
- $2,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (5 of 29, 2024)
- Total assets
- $106,131
- Primary geography
- Nevada (5% 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 September 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
$106K
-25.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$647K
-41.4% YoY
Grant Count
32
-8.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$20K
-35.9% YoY
Is Tufenkian Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 29 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $2K repeat.
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
The foundation’s stated mission is to build a resilient and just environment alongside the people it serves. Its focus areas include supporting sustainable resettlement, particularly for people forcibly displaced from Artsakh; strengthening local economies and community infrastructure; and building resilience through human-rights advocacy and capacity building.
Its 2024 grants also show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Hope for New York says it supports organizations serving poor and marginalized communities in New York City; Open Hands Legal Services says it provides free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers; and the Coalition for the Homeless describes work assisting homeless individuals and families. The Armenian Educational Foundation says it provides grants supporting Armenian education and heritage.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 32 grants totaling $646,772. Grant amounts ranged from $350 to $544,172, with a median grant of $2,000. The largest grant, $544,172, went to The Tufenkian Charitable Foundation for the recipient’s exempt purposes. Other notable grants included $35,250 to Nerses Kopalyan and $7,500 to Sara Anjargolian, each for the Yerevan Office Program’s direct charitable activity. Hope for New York and Redeemer Downtown each received $4,000; the Legal Aid Society Development received $4,000; and the Coalition for the Homeless and Open Hands Legal Services each received $3,000.
Ready to take the next step with Tufenkian Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes work in Armenia, including current work in Syunik, and says it was deeply involved in Artsakh for two decades. Its 2024 grant listing includes recipients in Nevada, New York, California, and other U.S. locations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 32 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 $647K (2024) to $1.3M (2020). In 2024 it made 32 grants totaling $647K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Tufenkian Charitable Foundation ($544K). Together the top 10 received $574K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($44,750), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
201 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 185 grants of 201 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Tufenkian Charitable Foundation | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $544,172 |
| 3 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $44,750 |
| Hope for New York New York, NY | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $4,000 |
| Redeemer Downtown New York, NY | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $4,000 |
| The Legal Aid Society Developement New York, NY | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $4,000 |
| Mother Jones Investigative Fund San Francisco, CA | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $3,500 |
| Coalition for the Homeless New York, NY | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $3,000 |
| Equal Justice Initiative Montgomery, AL | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $3,000 |
| Open Hands Legal Services Inc New York, NY | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $3,000 |
| The Salvation Army National Corporation Alexandria, VA | For Donee's Exempt Purposes | $3,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $106,131 | $781,428 | $772,870 | $646,772 | 32 |
| 2023 | $141,978 | $1,299,044 | $1,256,967 | $1,104,219 | 35 |
| 2022 | $99,901 | $1,170,210 | $1,189,900 | $1,160,079 | 52 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $106,131 | $141,978 | $99,901 |
| Revenue | $781,428 | $1,299,044 | $1,170,210 |
| Expenses | $772,870 | $1,256,967 | $1,189,900 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $772,870 | $1,256,967 | $1,189,900 |
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 James Tufenkian as president and John A. Kasbarian as director. The foundation’s website lists James Tufenkian as founder and chairperson, and identifies Adam Kablanian, Alexander Chmelev, Antranig Kasbarian, and Raffi Tanielian as trustees. It also lists Annita Nerses, Hovann Simonian, and Douglas Geogerian among its trustees.
Tufenkian Foundation Inc is led by James Tufenkian, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James Tufenkian
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John A. Kasbarian
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 156 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 603-2560
Website: https://tufenkian.org
Frequently asked questions about Tufenkian Foundation Inc
How much does Tufenkian Foundation Inc give each year?
Tufenkian Foundation Inc gave $647K across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 35 grants.
What is Tufenkian Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Tufenkian Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $20,212, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tufenkian Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.
Where does Tufenkian Foundation Inc give grants?
Tufenkian Foundation Inc's top state is Nevada, with 5% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was New York (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (12 grants), Glendale, CA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Who are Tufenkian Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Tufenkian Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include The Tufenkian Charitable Foundation ($544,172), Hope for New York ($4,000) and Redeemer Downtown ($4,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($44,750), which are not listed by name. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tufenkian Foundation Inc?
Tufenkian Foundation Inc reported $106K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $781K.
What does Tufenkian Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to build a resilient and just environment alongside the people it serves. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tufenkian Foundation Inc?
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 Tufenkian Foundation Inc's EIN?
Tufenkian Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3976159. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Tufenkian Foundation Inc 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.
Here's the math on researching Tufenkian Foundation Inc by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tufenkian Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in New York
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
The Ford Foundation funds organizations, individuals, and ideas working to reduce inequality and advance social justice, including work in areas such as immigrant justice, criminal justice reform, gender equity, and arts and culture, through grants around the world. Its 2024 grants had a median of $100,000, with amounts ranging from $45 to $15 million; it does not accept unsolicited requests by mail, email, or phone.
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
The New York Community Trust funds projects in areas including arts, education, health, human services, community development, and the environment, primarily in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, with some opportunities elsewhere. Its 2024 median grant was $20,000, though awards varied widely. It accepts applications through its open competitive grants program and selected RFPs or letters of interest; donor-advised funds do not accept proposals.
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
The Simons Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Simons Foundation funds research in mathematics and the basic sciences, as well as autism and other disease research, through grants to research centers, universities, and related organizations. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,480 to $20 million, with a median of $72,000; funding is concentrated in New York, California, and Massachusetts, with awards also made elsewhere in the U.S. and internationally. Whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,727
Total Given
$272.0M
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
New York, NY
Local Initiatives Support Corporation funds affordable housing, economic development, education, health, child care, small businesses and other community initiatives, often through grants, loans and equity. Its 2024 grants had a median of $40,000, with awards ranging from $5,189 to $4.7 million, and its work spans communities across all 50 states. It offers specific grant opportunities, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$1.6B
Grants
1,119
Total Given
$102.8M
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund Inc
New York, NY
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund supports climate and environmental work, human rights, civic engagement, Jewish causes, and some economic-opportunity initiatives, with grants reported across the U.S. and internationally. In 2024, its grants ranged from $500 to $9.75 million, with a median of $200,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$134.4M
Grants
1,101
Total Given
$326.0M
More Funders in New York
Tufenkian Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?