Iris J & Saul B Katz Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $2.9 million (2024)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (45 grants made in 2023)
Geographic Focus: Primarily New York/Long Island area
Total Assets: $22.5 million

Contact Details

Address: 111 Great Neck Rd, Suite 408, Great Neck, NY 11021

Note: Contact information (phone, email, website) is not publicly available. This is a private family foundation.

Overview

The Iris J & Saul B Katz Foundation Inc was established in May 1983 as a private family foundation. With assets of $22.5 million and annual giving of approximately $2.9 million, the foundation makes approximately 45 grants per year to charitable organizations. The foundation is led by Saul B. Katz, a prominent real estate developer and co-founder of Sterling Equities, and his wife Iris J. Katz, who serves as foundation President. Their son David M. Katz also serves as a director.

Iris Katz is known to be particularly hands-on in her philanthropic work, actively supporting programs focused on hunger and nutrition, the needs of senior citizens, and services for homeless individuals. The Katz family are major benefactors to healthcare causes, particularly women's health, having established the Katz Institute for Women's Health at Northwell Health in 2008, which has since become a defining hallmark of Northwell's comprehensive approach to women's healthcare. The foundation operates primarily from investment income, with dividends comprising 85.8% of annual revenue.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal named grant programs or published funding tiers. Grants are made at the discretion of the board of directors. In 2023, the foundation made 45 individual grants totaling approximately $2.9 million.

Priority Areas

Based on the philanthropic activities of the foundation's leadership:

Healthcare - Particularly women's health initiatives
Hunger and Nutrition - Food security and nutrition programs
Senior Services - Programs supporting elderly populations
Homelessness - Services for homeless individuals
Jewish Causes - The Katz family has been recognized by Jewish philanthropic organizations
Education - Healthcare and general education initiatives

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available. As a private family foundation, funding decisions are made at the trustees' discretion.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is managed by a three-member board of directors, all family members who serve without compensation:

Saul B. Katz - President/Director. Co-founder and Senior Partner of Sterling Equities, a diversified real estate development company. Former president of the New York Mets. Married to Iris Katz (sister of Fred Wilpon, longtime Mets owner).
Iris J. Katz - Director/Treasurer/Foundation President. According to Northwell Health Foundation, "Iris is President of the Katz Family Foundation, where she not only approves grants to many different charities, but is also a hands-on participant, vigorously supporting programs and organizations focused on hunger and nutrition, the needs of senior citizens, and the homeless."
David M. Katz - Director. Son of Iris and Saul Katz.

Iris and Saul Katz have been described as "exceptional visionaries" who have "dedicated both time and philanthropic support to shaping Long Island's health care for nearly 40 years."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private family foundation, grants are typically made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have existing relationships or personal connections.

The foundation does not maintain a public website, published application guidelines, or formal application deadlines. Grant decisions are made by the board of directors based on their funding priorities and interests.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - no public application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process.

Application Success Factors

As this foundation operates without a public application process, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations seeking to understand the foundation's giving patterns should note:

Documented Funding Interests:

The foundation's leadership has demonstrated sustained commitment to women's health (through the Katz Institute for Women's Health established in 2008)
Iris Katz personally prioritizes hunger and nutrition, senior services, and homelessness
The family has strong ties to Long Island and the Greater New York area
Jewish causes and healthcare/education initiatives appear aligned with their values

Geographic Focus:

Strong connection to Long Island and the Great Neck area where the family has lived for over 50 years
Support for Northwell Health system and other New York-based institutions

Recent Major Philanthropy:

Founded the Katz Institute for Women's Health at Northwell in 2008
Provided additional endowment gift to the Katz Institute in 2020
Established Katz Women's Hospitals at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Most recent gift established the Katz Women's Surgical Center at Glen Cove Hospital

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process exists - This foundation makes grants at trustee discretion, typically to organizations with existing relationships
Healthcare focus is strong - Particularly women's health, with transformational gifts to Northwell Health over multiple decades
Social services alignment - Iris Katz's documented priorities include hunger/nutrition, seniors, and homelessness
Long Island connection matters - The family has deep roots in Great Neck and has supported Long Island institutions for nearly 40 years
Relationship-driven philanthropy - As a family foundation without application guidelines, grants flow from personal connections and trustee interests
Substantial giving capacity - With $2.9 million in annual grants and $22.5 million in assets, this is a significant regional funder
Jewish community ties - The family has been honored by Jewish philanthropic organizations and likely supports Jewish causes

Organizations whose mission aligns with the foundation's documented interests and who have connections to the Greater New York/Long Island region may wish to research whether there are appropriate relationship pathways to the trustees, though direct unsolicited appeals are unlikely to be successful.

References

ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Iris J & Saul B Katz Foundation Inc. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/112626656
Charity Navigator - Iris J & Saul B Katz Foundation Inc. Profile. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/112626656
Instrumentl - Iris & Saul Katz Family Foundation Inc | 990 Report. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/iris-and-saul-katz-family-foundation-inc
Northwell Health Foundation - Iris and Saul Katz. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://give.northwell.edu/pacesetters/iris-and-saul-katz
Northwell Health - Katz Institute for Women's Health. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health
Northwell Health - About Katz Institute for Women's Health. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health/about-us
Wikipedia - Saul Katz. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_Katz
Sterling Equities - Fred Wilpon (provides context on Saul Katz's business partnership). Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://sterlingequities.com/about-us/partners/
Cause IQ - Iris and Saul Katz Family Foundation. Retrieved December 16, 2025. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/iris-and-saul-katz-family-foundation,112626656/