WS Scharff Family Foundation
The WS Scharff Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. In its 2025 filing, it reported giving $55,075 through 10 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations in California, Florida, and Virginia.
WS Scharff Family Foundation at a glance
In short: WS Scharff Family Foundation gave $55K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in California. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $55,075
- +22.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +42.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,508
- -14.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $710,342
- -2.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (82% 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 WS Scharff Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states in its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2452 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Phone: (031) 082-8570
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who WS Scharff Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Venice Family Clinic ($15K). Together the top 10 received $55K.
Grant Size Distribution
39 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 39 grants of 39 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 9% to Florida, and 9% to Virginia. The filing also lists a $50 grant to a recipient in Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is WS Scharff Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $50 first-time, $5K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 125% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 130% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $198 (2020) to $55K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $55K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Venice Family Clinic Venice, CA | General Funds | $15,000 |
| Venice Heritage Foundation Venice, CA | General Funds | $10,000 |
| City of Hope Duarte, CA | General Funds | $6,000 |
| National Parkinson Foundation Inc Miami, FL | General Funds | $5,000 |
| Share Inc Beverly Hills, CA | General Funds | $5,000 |
| Virginia Institute of Autism Charlottesville, VA | General Funds | $5,000 |
| Wounded Warrior Project San Diego, CA | General Funds | $5,000 |
| Heal the Bay Santa Monica, CA | General Funds | $4,000 |
| United Breast Cancer Support Atlanta, GA | General Funds | $50 |
| National Association of Chiefs of P Titusville, FL | General Funds | $25 |
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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 | $710,342 | $43,825 | $62,785 | $55,075 | 10 | $55,075 | $36,115 | $42,306 |
| 2024 | $729,302 | $32,126 | $53,679 | $45,000 | 7 | $45,000 | $23,447 | $43,391 |
| 2023 | $753,197 | $173,134 | $45,561 | $39,000 | 7 | $39,000 | $166,573 | $36,211 |
| 2022 | $626,201 | $39,951 | $27,054 | $24,500 | 5 | $20,000 | $32,897 | $39,529 |
| 2021 | $613,744 | $30,113 | $52,490 | $45,510 | 10 | $45,510 | $23,133 | $42,193 |
| 2020 | $635,595 | $7,048 | $7,612 | $198 | 8 | — | $8,417 | $36,351 |
| 2019 | $637,493 | $49,766 | $45,789 | $38,738 | 18 | — | $42,715 | $36,879 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, WS Scharff Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $42K 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 went to organizations whose work includes health care, cultural heritage, cancer and diabetes, services for people with disabilities, autism programs, environmental protection, and other causes.
Among the grantees described in their own words, Venice Family Clinic says it provides quality primary health care to people in need. Venice Heritage Foundation says it works to preserve, showcase, and nurture Venice’s cultural heritage and history. City of Hope describes its mission as making hope a reality for people touched by cancer and diabetes. Heal the Bay says it works to make Southern California coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $55,075. Grants ranged from $25 to $15,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest awards were $15,000 to Venice Family Clinic and $10,000 to Venice Heritage Foundation. Other notable grants were $6,000 to City of Hope and $5,000 each to National Parkinson Foundation Inc., SHARE Inc., Virginia Institute of Autism, and Wounded Warrior Project. All listed grants were for general funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Simone Scharff as president.
WS Scharff Family Foundation is led by Simone H. Scharff, President since 2023 (on filings since 2019) — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Simone H. Scharff
President
President & Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 WS Scharff Family Foundation
How much does WS Scharff Family Foundation give each year?
WS Scharff Family Foundation gave $55K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $45K across 7 grants.
What is WS Scharff Family Foundation's typical grant size?
WS Scharff Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,508, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from WS Scharff Family Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does WS Scharff Family Foundation give grants?
WS Scharff Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (9%) and Virginia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Venice, CA (2 grants).
Does WS Scharff Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of WS Scharff Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are WS Scharff Family Foundation's largest grantees?
WS Scharff Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Venice Family Clinic ($15,000), Venice Heritage Foundation ($10,000) and City of Hope ($6,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is WS Scharff Family Foundation?
WS Scharff Family Foundation reported $710K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $55K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $42K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does WS Scharff Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations whose work includes health care, cultural heritage, cancer and diabetes, services for people with disabilities, autism programs, environmental protection, and other causes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from WS Scharff Family Foundation?
The foundation states in its 2024 filing 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 WS Scharff Family Foundation's EIN?
WS Scharff Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4245078. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does WS Scharff 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
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 23, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). WS Scharff Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ws-scharff-family-foundation-morg_e35ee4a59d5946648f366fca88126690
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954245078_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{WS Scharff Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ws-scharff-family-foundation-morg_e35ee4a59d5946648f366fca88126690},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 WS Scharff 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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