William and Sylvia Zale Foundation
The William and Sylvia Zale Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas, established in 1951. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and has been tax-exempt since April 1964. It is governed by a board of trustees and directors who serve without compensation.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
-11.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$367K
-25.9% YoY
Grant Count
21
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-25.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William and Sylvia Zale Foundation reported a distributable amount of $248K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities focus primarily on:
- Jewish agencies and temples
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. It operates on an invite-only basis, selecting grantees rather than accepting applications from prospective organizations.
Grant Range
$5,000–$100,000
Average Grant
$18,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Texas
- California
- Colorado
- New York
Texas, California, and Colorado account for approximately 85% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 8 states, including Arizona, Massachusetts, and others.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Financial Position (2025):
- Total Assets: $1,092,065
- Total Revenue: $253,202
- Total Expenses: $394,627
- Investment Income and Dividends: $57,496
Historical Trend:
- Total assets have decreased from $2.9 million in 2010 to approximately $1.1 million in 2024-2025
- Annual giving has decreased from $637,000 in 2021 to $495,000 in 2024
- Giving rate: 39.9% of assets
Contact Information:
- Address: 8333 Douglas Ave Ste 1500, Dallas, TX 75225-5822
- Telephone: 214-231-3775
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,092,065 | $1,239,106 | $1,370,500 |
| Revenue | $253,202 | $389,924 | $207,685 |
| Expenses | $394,627 | $517,976 | $305,992 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $367,000 | $495,907 | $287,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $225,575 | $367,855 | $189,193 |
| Distributable Amount | $247,630 | $228,911 | $199,319 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Jewish Family Service ($62,500), Jewish Family Service ($50,000), Genesis Women's Shelter ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCE NEW YORK, NY | PUBLIC CHARITY | $5,000 |
| SECOND CHANCE PLAYERS DALLAS, TX | PUBLIC CHARITY | $10,000 |
| FROTH AND BUBBLE FOUNDATION SCOTTSDALE, AZ | PUBLIC CHARITY | $15,000 |
| FAIRHILL SCHOOL DALLAS, TX | PUBLIC CHARITY | $12,500 |
| WORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDISRAEL FRIE NEW YORK, NY | PUBLIC CHARITY | $10,000 |
| URBAN SPECIALISTS DESOTO, TX | PUBLIC CHARITY | $10,000 |
| TEMPLE EMANU-EL DALLAS, TX | PUBLIC CHARITY | $25,000 |
| TORCH DALLAS DALLAS, TX | PUBLIC CHARITY | $15,000 |
| OPERATION ISRAEL INC HACKENSACK, NJ | PUBLIC CHARITY | $20,000 |
| FRAZIER REVITALIZATION DALLAS, TX | PUBLIC CHARITY | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board Members and Officers:
- Jack Chen (Principal Officer)
- Mark Zale
- Leslie Greco
- Gregory R
- Daniel B Zale
- Stacy Zale
- Cindy Zale Sollie
All board members and trustees serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARK ZALE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| LESLIE GRECO | VICE PRESIDE | — | — |
| GREGORY R | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DANIEL B ZALE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| STACY ZALE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| CINDY ZALE SOLLIE | SECRETARY | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William and Sylvia Zale Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities focus primarily on: • Jewish agencies and temples • Education • Human services • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from William and Sylvia Zale Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation makes approximately 21 grants annually • Typical grant range: $5,000–$100,000 • Median grant size: $15,000 • Average grant size: $18,000 • Historical grant range: $1,000–$250,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. It operates on an invite-only basis, selecting grantees rather than accepting applications from prospective organizations. **Recent Grant Examples (2024-2025):** • Jewish Family Service: $62,500 and $5…
Where does William and Sylvia Zale Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Texas • California • Colorado • New York Texas, California, and Colorado account for approximately 85% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 8 states, including Arizona, Massachusetts, and others.
What size grants does William and Sylvia Zale Foundation award?
In 2025, William and Sylvia Zale Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $367K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William and Sylvia Zale Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, William and Sylvia Zale Foundation reported a distributable amount of $248K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William and Sylvia Zale Foundation's EIN?
William and Sylvia Zale Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-6037591. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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