The Sephardic Foundation on Aging

Private foundation · EIN 11-1694718 · since 1954sfoa.org·New Jersey, New York·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.4M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$10,000 to $130k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$25,000
Typical grant (median)
61 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • If your organisation supports older adults in one of the foundation's priority areas (Holocaust survivors, community connections, dementia care, capital improvements or intergenerational programming), it is worth submitting a letter of inquiry through its online application system.
  • The letter of inquiry process opens once a year for each area of giving, so check the current window before you write.
  • Keep your request modest: about 8 in 10 of its grants fall in a typical band of $10,000 to $130,000, and half of its grants to organisations are $25,000 or less.
  • About 80% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded before, so an approach that builds on earlier contact may carry weight.
  • Do not apply if you are an individual, want an endowment, are a college or university, a political organisation or action group, need debt reduction or are seeking multi-year funding; you must also be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a qualifying fiscal sponsor and have operated for at least two years.

Overview

The Sephardic Foundation on Aging is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Sephardic Foundation on Aging fosters innovation and collaboration in the field of aging so older people and their communities have the support and resources to flourish. Its priorities include dignity and practical support for Holocaust survivors; community connections that reduce loneliness and strengthen older people’s cognitive and physical wellbeing; dementia care and support for caretakers; capital improvements that sustain and expand quality care; and intergenerational programmes that help older and younger people build meaningful relationships. It invites organisations supporting older adults in one or more priority areas to submit a letter of inquiry. Eligible applicants are nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, or a qualifying fiscal sponsor, and must have operated for at least two years.

Themes

  • Holocaust survivors
  • Community connections
  • Dementia care
  • Capital improvements
  • Intergenerational programming

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York and New Jersey.

What They Don't Fund

  • Individuals
  • Endowments
  • Colleges/Universities
  • Political Organizations/Action Groups
  • Debt reduction
  • Multi-year grant proposals

How to apply

Eligible organisations submit a Letter of Inquiry through the online application system. The foundation reviews LOIs and invites selected applicants to submit a full grant application.

Deadlines: The LOI process opens once per year for each area of giving.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 80% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 211 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • Applicants should be working to support older adults in one or more of the foundation’s priority areas.
  • Applicants must be nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status or have a fiscal sponsor with that status.
  • Applicants must have been in operation for at least two years.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

New York63%
New Jersey11%
Maryland5%
Colorado4%
Pennsylvania3%
California2%

6 other states: 8%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 4%

  • The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to organisations The Sephardic Foundation on Aging had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • 18% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

61 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $25,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 61 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k2%
$2.5k–$5k0%
$5k–$10k10%
$10k–$25k16%
$25k–$50k41%
$50k–$100k20%
$100k–$250k5%
$250k–$500k5%
$500k–$1M2%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • PEF Israel Endowment Funds · Grant
    $513,0002024 tax year
  • Jewish Agency for Israel - North American Council · Grant
    $345,0002024 tax year
  • Struggle to Save Ethiopian Jewry · Grant
    $300,0002024 tax year
  • American Friends of Turkish Jewry · Grant
    $255,0002024 tax year
  • FJC · Grant
    $195,0002024 tax year
  • Kavod - Ensuring Dignity for Holocaust Survivors · Grant
    $150,0002024 tax year
  • American Jewish Committee · Grant
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • Jewish Home of Rochester · Grant
    $85,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • Alan Matarasso — Director
  • James Caspi — Director
  • Laurie Kahmi — Director
  • James Khani — Secretary
  • Neil Crespi — Treasurer
  • Joe Halio — President
  • Michael Lopez — Chair
  • Joshua Hoffman — Executive Director
  • Robert Cohen — Director
  • Ira Rousso — Director
  • Henry Perahia — Director
  • Louis Rousso — Director
  • Clifton Russo — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$5,899,098$4,306,189$64,414,372Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$6,239,341$4,570,600$67,601,683Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$4,932,709$3,412,750$70,431,374Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

Other sources

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