The Rona Jaffe Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 13-3383860 · since 1995ronajaffefoundation.org·New York, Vermont, Washington·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$2.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $50,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$25,000

Typical grant (median)

79 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The foundation's stated emphasis is emerging women writers and literary nonprofits, so work close to that is the clearest fit, although its filings also show grants to food banks, hospitals, theatre education and housing services.
It does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected organisations, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered, and the realistic route in is an existing connection.
Its typical grants run from $10,000 to $50,000, with a median of $25,000, but the largest grant was about $280,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
In the latest filing, 95% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in the two filings before, which suggests a relationship-led funder where new names are rare.
No geographic focus is stated, so location alone should not decide whether you approach it.

Overview

The Rona Jaffe Foundation is a US private foundation based in Dix Hills, 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 foundation describes its support as centred on emerging women writers, identifying and encouraging those of exceptional promise for their important contributions to culture. It acknowledges the obstacles talented women can face in finding time to write and gaining attention. It has offered opportunities, encouragement and financial support at a critical time, including sponsored fellowships at distinguished cultural and educational nonprofit institutions and support for vital literary nonprofits. Its grant record also includes support for food banks, hospitals, theatre education, creative-writing fellowships and housing services. The records thus show organisational funding across several charitable fields alongside the foundation’s stated literary emphasis.

Themes

Emerging women writers
Literary nonprofits

Geographic Focus

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

How to apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 95% 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 242 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

New York64%

Vermont12%

Washington7%

Connecticut4%

Massachusetts3%

Pennsylvania2%

6 other states: 7%

The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to organisations The Rona Jaffe Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

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

How much do they typically give?

Share of 79 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k3%

$2.5k–$5k0%

$5k–$10k6%

$10k–$25k34%

$25k–$50k44%

$50k–$100k10%

$100k–$250k1%

$250k–$500k1%

Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · General operations, visible ink program & endowed fellowship
$277,5002024 tax year
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation · Healthy stories program
$100,0002024 tax year
New York Public Library · Summer reading program & cullman center
$85,0002024 tax year
Island Harvest · General operations and backpack program
$70,0002024 tax year
Doctors Without Borders · General operations
$60,0002024 tax year
Friends of School in the Square · General operations
$50,0002024 tax year
Planned Parenthood of Greater New York · General operations
$50,0002024 tax year
Vermont Foodbank · General operations
$50,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Marc N Simon — Trustee
Beth Mccabe — Executive Director
Alan C Rothfeld — Executive Vice President / Secretary
Robert Wishnew — President / Treasurer

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$2,998,717	$2,268,500	$35,205,660	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$3,079,989	$2,285,000	$37,878,576	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$3,129,859	$2,315,500	$38,489,921	Filing 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.