Atran Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The foundation's record covers Jewish and Yiddish cultural and educational work, along with journalism, labour and social justice, human rights, health, humanitarian relief and food assistance, so check that your project sits in one of these areas before you write.
- Most of its grants fall between $5,000 and $50,000, with a median of $18,000, so a modest request in that range is a realistic starting point, though its largest grant was $140,000.
- Because 96% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded, it may help to show clearly how your work connects with its existing giving.
- Only tax-exempt organisations under section 501(c)(3) are eligible, so organisations that are not tax-exempt should not apply.
- Send a written proposal describing the project's nature and objectives; the filing gives no deadlines and does not name a submission channel, so ask the foundation how it prefers to receive applications.
Overview
Atran Foundation is a US private foundation based in Englewood, NJ.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The grant record shows support for Jewish and Yiddish cultural and educational work, including research and archives, theatre, music, literacy, university teaching and heritage projects. It also records grants for journalism, labour and social justice, human rights, anti-slavery and trafficking work, health and humanitarian relief, food assistance, and other community programmes. Recipients include cultural institutions, educational bodies, theatres, universities, labour and Jewish organisations, social-service providers, and humanitarian and health charities. Many grants are recorded as general support; others are attached to named projects and programmes. Proposals are expected to explain a project's nature and objectives. Applicants must be tax-exempt organisations under section 501(c)(3). Grant recipients are expected to provide periodic progress reports and a final narrative report with a detailed statement of disbursements, and return unspent funds.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York and New Jersey.
What They Don't Fund
- Organizations that are not tax-exempt
How to apply
Applicants submit a grant proposal describing the project's nature and objectives. The filing does not specify a submission channel.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 96% 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 92 grants to organisations were $18,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Grant recipients are expected to send periodic progress reports and, when the project ends, a narrative final report and a detailed statement of disbursements.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 15% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations Atran 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
How much do they typically give?
Share of 29 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- YIVO Institute for Jewish Research · Challenge grant and new archive project$130,0002024 tax year
- Workmen's Circlearbeter Inc · Yiddishfest and cultural programs, campership incentive program, jewish literacy project, and youth stand up for justice program$120,0002024 tax year
- Forward Association · Investigative fund and the forverts$120,0002024 tax year
- National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene · General support$60,0002024 tax year
- Columbia University in the City of New York · Atran professor of yiddish and fellowship support$50,0002024 tax year
- Jewish Labor Committee · General operating support$50,0002024 tax year
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · East harlem outreach project, human rights program, and bioethics national conference$40,0002024 tax year
- Workers Defense League · General support$35,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Zachary Atran — Director
- Susan J Atran — Director
- Jeffrey Novak — Director
- David Muller — Director
- Judah Fischer — Director
- Edward R Burns — Director
- Harris K Atran — Secretary
- Samuel Norich — Treasurer
- Robert A Kaplan — Vice President
- Alison Fischer — President
- Ann Toback — Director
- Michele Novak — Director
- Arieh Lebowitz — Director
- Rachel Fishman-Feddersen — Director
- Michael Dettelbach — Director
- Jonathan Brent — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,098,163 | $815,000 | $21,428,304 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,248,821 | $995,000 | $23,179,948 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,191,323 | $900,500 | $24,690,812 | 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.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Atran Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (201) 569-9677
- FOUNDATRAN@GMAIL.COM
- Englewood, NJ
Applying to Atran Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (201) 569-9677
- FOUNDATRAN@GMAIL.COM
- Englewood, NJ