Doris & Stanley Tananbaum Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2,100,000
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: $100–$200,000 (typical)
• Geographic Focus: New York, California, New Hampshire

Contact Details

• Location: Rye Brook, NY
• EIN: 137161531
• Website: Not publicly available
• Email: Not publicly available
• Phone: Not publicly available

Overview

The Doris & Stanley Tananbaum Foundation is a private family foundation established by Stanley Tananbaum (1920-2016) and his wife Doris Tananbaum (d. 2014) in Rye Brook, New York. With total assets of approximately $36.8 million, the foundation distributes around $2.1 million annually through 50-70 grants per year. The foundation was established in 1998 and continues to operate as a family legacy, honoring the philanthropic vision of its founders who were known for their commitment to Jewish causes and education, particularly their support of the Jewish Theological Seminary where they funded the renovation of the Kripke Tower.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

• Typical grant range: $100,000–$200,000 per award
• Annual awards: 57 grants (2023), 71 grants (2022), 59 grants (2021)

Priority Areas

Based on available information, the foundation focuses on:

• Education
• Human Services
• Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
• Religious/Jewish causes

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly documented, though the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Governance and Leadership

• President: Ricki Conway (daughter of founders)
• Vice President: Laurence Zuriff
• Secretary & Treasurer: Alan Levine

The foundation appears to be managed by family members and close associates, maintaining the founders' philanthropic vision.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's trustees to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation-only funding model.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations receiving funding are preselected by the foundation's leadership based on existing relationships and alignment with the founders' philanthropic interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications
• All grants are made to preselected organizations chosen by the trustees
• The foundation has a consistent giving pattern of 50-70 grants annually
• Focus areas include education, human services, and Jewish/religious causes
• Typical grant sizes range from $100,000 to $200,000
• Geographic focus is primarily New York, with some giving in California and New Hampshire
• As a private family foundation, relationship-building with trustees would be essential for consideration

References

• Instrumentl 990 Report Database - Doris & Stanley Tananbaum Foundation profile (accessed February 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Organization 137161531 (accessed February 2026)
• Cause IQ - Doris and Stanley Tananbaum Foundation profile (accessed February 2026)
• Legacy.com - Doris Tananbaum Obituary, New York Times, October 2014
• Various nonprofit databases including GuideStar, Foundation Directory Online (Candid), and Grantmakers.io (accessed February 2026)