Zia Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Old Greenwich, CT EIN: 47-5319201

Zia Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2025 filing states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.

Zia Charitable Foundation at a glance

In short: Zia Charitable Foundation gave $358K across 60 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), top state Connecticut. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$357,957
+76.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
60
+5.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$5,966
+68.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$5,419,564
+2.1% vs 2024
Primary geography
Connecticut (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Zia Charitable Foundation

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: 5 Meadow Place, Old Greenwich, CT 06870
Phone: (203) 618-3770

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Zia Charitable Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Cornerstone Ranch: $51KCornerstone Ranch$51KTrinity College: $50KTrinity College$50KMental Health Justice Project: $50KMental Health Justice Project$50KLehigh University: $25KLehigh University$25KThe River Walk Fund: $10KThe River Walk Fund$10KPlanned Parenthood of SNE: $6KPlanned Parenthood of SNE$6KChildren of Fallen Patriots: $5KChildren of Fallen Patriots$5KBoys & Girls Club of Greenwich: $5KBoys & Girls Club of Greenwich$5KAmerican Humane Society: $5KAmerican Humane Society$5KWorld Central Kitchen: $5KWorld Central Kitchen$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Cornerstone Ranch ($51K). Together the top 10 received $213K.

Grant Size Distribution

263 grants across all recorded years

259<$50K4$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 259 grants of 263 (98%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut (39%), Massachusetts (16%), Texas (16%), Pennsylvania (8%), and New York (6%).

Grant Distribution by State

18states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 60 itemized grants.

Cities

GreenwichNew YorkStamfoerdWashingtonBostonWestportBridgeportCos CobHamdenNorwalkHartfordNew HavenPhildelphiaAlexandriaClaremontDelawareMemphisRichmond HillSimsburySouthbough

How Zia Charitable Foundation gives

  • 85% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 131% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K12 grants2019 11 grants2020 46 grants2021 51 grants2022 49 grants2023 57 grants2024 60 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2019) to $358K (2025). In 2025 it made 60 grants totaling $358K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Cornerstone Ranch McKinney, TXCharitable$50,827
Trinity College Hartford, CTCharitable$50,000
Mental Health Justice Project Boston, MACharitable$50,000
Lehigh University Bethlehem, PACharitable$25,000
The River Walk Fund Richmond Hill, NYCharitable$10,000
Planned Parenthood of SNE New Haven, CTCharitable$5,750
Children of Fallen Patriots Reston, VACharitable$5,318
Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich Greenwich, CTCharitable$5,227
American Humane Society Washington, DCCharitablecharitable$5,227
World Central Kitchen Washington, DCCharitable$5,222
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Zia Charitable Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$5,419,564$731,750$377,408$357,95760$357,957$458,148$294,964
2024$5,309,711$1,807,652$219,745$202,41257$203,986$1,020,661$245,846
2023$4,476,171$1,429,524$203,384$200,31849$200,476$645,750$216,950
2022$4,012,342$286,595$214,336$155,23151$157,127$284,012$218,777
2021$3,939,083$8,246,123$125,523$124,46646$124,466$3,616,548$83,457
2020$412,585$81,339$23,569$22,00011—$35,545$22,049
2019$390,705$50,124$18,399$18,25012——$19,950

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zia Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $295K 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 is provided. The grantee examples show support for organizations working in areas including education, children’s and family services, housing, and environmental education. These are grantees’ missions, not stated foundation priorities: Kids in Crisis describes its work as providing prevention, counseling, and crisis services for children and families, while SoundWaters describes its work as environmental education, jobs and skills training, and public engagement. Trinity College describes its mission as providing excellence in liberal arts education.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 60 grants totaling $357,957. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $50,827, with a median of $5,000. Among its largest grants were $50,827 to Cornerstone Ranch, $50,000 each to Trinity College and the Mental Health Justice Project, and $25,000 to Lehigh University. Other listed grants included $10,000 to The River Walk Fund and $5,750 to Planned Parenthood of SNE.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Brice Russian as president and Laurence Russian as treasurer/secretary.

Zia Charitable Foundation is led by Brice Russian, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Brice Russian

    President

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Laurence Russian

    Treasurer & Sceretary

    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 Zia Charitable Foundation

How much does Zia Charitable Foundation give each year?

Zia Charitable Foundation gave $358K across 60 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $202K across 57 grants.

What is Zia Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

Zia Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,966, across 60 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Zia Charitable Foundation give grants?

Zia Charitable Foundation's top state is Connecticut, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (16%) and Texas (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greenwich, CT (8 grants), Stamfoerd, CT (6 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).

Does Zia Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 60 grants with a stated purpose on Zia Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (51 grants) and "Charitablecharitable" (9 grants).

Who are Zia Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

Zia Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cornerstone Ranch ($50,827), Trinity College ($50,000) and Mental Health Justice Project ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Zia Charitable Foundation?

Zia Charitable Foundation reported $5.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $358K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $295K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Zia Charitable Foundation fund?

No mission statement is provided. The grantee examples show support for organizations working in areas including education, children’s and family services, housing, and environmental education. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Zia Charitable Foundation?

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 Zia Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Zia Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5319201. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Zia Charitable 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

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 4, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Zia Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Aetna Foundation Inc

Hartford, CT

Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.

Assets

—

Grants

65

Total Given

$7.2M

Royce Family Fund Inc

Greenwich, CT

The foundation funds cultural, educational, religious, and community-serving organizations, with most 2024 grant dollars going to organizations in New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. In 2024, it made 100 grants totaling $5.89 million; grants ranged from $215 to $1 million, with a median of $10,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$97.4M

Grants

100

Total Given

$5.9M

The Tudor Foundation Inc

Stamford, CT

The Tudor Foundation supports charitable organizations working in areas including basic needs, housing, education, health care, and youth support, with the largest shares of its 2025 grants going to Connecticut, Virginia, New York, and Florida. Its 87 grants ranged from $750 to $1,125,000, with a median of $10,000. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$2.2M

Grants

87

Total Given

$4.2M

The William J and Frances E Deutsch Charitable Foundation

Riverside, CT

The foundation’s grants support a range of organizations, including those working in breast cancer, autism services, arts and science, community needs, and Jewish education; 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $1,035,000, with a median of $1,040. Grant dollars went mostly to Pennsylvania, followed by New York, Connecticut, Florida, and North Carolina. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$21.8M

Grants

61

Total Given

$1.5M

Fairfield County's Community Foundation Inc

Norwalk, CT

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation funds local nonprofits addressing education and careers, economic security, health equity, housing, civic engagement, and related community needs in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Awards vary widely: capacity-building grants are up to $10,000, Community Impact Grants are $10,000–$15,000, and reported 2025 grants had a median of $24,080. It accepts unsolicited applications for some programs, including rolling capacity-building and small-grant opportunities; Strategic Partner Grants are invitation-only.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$291.4M

Grants

448

Total Given

$25.7M

The Near and Far Association Inc

Southport, CT

The Near and Far Association funds nonprofits addressing poverty in Fairfield County, Connecticut, including basic needs, education, housing, youth development, and health services. Its 2025 grants ranged from $6,500 to $25,000, with a median of $10,000. Applications are by invitation only; it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$1.8M

Grants

87

Total Given

$1.1M

More similar funders

More Funders in Connecticut

Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Zia Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/zia-charitable-foundation-morg_67254369e2c1413b977481d07a9a34fb

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_475319201_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Zia Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/zia-charitable-foundation-morg_67254369e2c1413b977481d07a9a34fb},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Zia Charitable 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.

Zia Charitable Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?