Karsh Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a cold proposal; an approach only makes sense if you already have a connection that could lead to an invitation.
- If your work fits its themes of education, community and democracy, it is worth pursuing that route, though the filing also records grants for health and arts.
- Its typical grants run from $5,000 to $1,000,000, with about 8 in 10 grants in that band, and half of its 248 grants to organisations are $10,000 or less, so a request near its $10,000 median fits its usual pattern.
- Its largest grant was $5,300,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat funding is significant, since 61% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had funded in the earlier filings; that is a share of dollars, not of grants, so a new charity should not be put off by it, and no geographic focus is stated, so location alone should not rule you out.
Overview
Karsh Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Beverly Hills, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (karshinstitute.virginia.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Karsh Family Foundation supports education, community and democracy. Its education giving includes financial aid and professorships in higher education, major scholarship programmes and support for K–12 education. The filings also record grants for health and arts, alongside a larger group classified as philanthropic activity. The recipient record spans educational institutions and organisations, health and arts organisations, and community-serving bodies. The material describes these areas and types of recipient, while the filing limits contributions to preselected charitable organisations and states that unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Themes
- Education
- Community
- Democracy
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Virginia, New York and District of Columbia.
How to apply
It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 61% 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 248 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 61% of grant dollars went to organisations Karsh Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 11% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 91 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Virginia Karsh Institute of Democracy · Education$5,300,0002024 tax year
- American Jewish Committee Facts for Peace · Philanthropic activity$2,500,0002024 tax year
- KIPP Foundation · Education$2,500,0002024 tax year
- American Jewish Committee Facts for Peace · Philanthropic activity$2,500,0002024 tax year
- Teach for America · Education$1,500,0002024 tax year
- Spelman College · Education$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation · Philanthropic activity$1,000,0002024 tax year
- HeadCount · Philanthropic activity$500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Martha L Karsh — Trustee
- Bruce A Karsh — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $30,425,367 | $28,706,900 | $334,605,042 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $38,004,556 | $38,263,925 | $347,920,468 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $22,252,549 | $19,864,519 | $412,900,943 | 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 Karsh Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Beverly Hills, CA
Applying to Karsh Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Beverly Hills, CA