The Taft Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 20-1232852 · since 2004thetaftfoundation.org·Broward County, Miami-Dade County, New York, Palm Beach County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$12.2M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$5,000 to $330k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$82,500

Typical grant (median)

94 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 Taft Foundation funds non-profit service providers in the New York City Metro Area and in Southeast Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties), focusing on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and on children facing serious illness, so organisations outside these fields or places are unlikely to fit.
A realistic request sits around the median grant of $70,000, with grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $330,000, though the largest grant was about $840,000.
The Foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, and the site gives no further steps for seeking an invitation, so there is no application process to follow.
Giving looks relationship-led rather than open to new applicants generally, since 94% of grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded before.
Organisations seeking support for capital projects, endowments or academic research should not apply, as the Foundation does not fund these.

Overview

The Taft Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, 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 Taft Foundation supports non-profit service providers in the New York City Metro Area and Southeast Florida. Its primary mission is to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives, and it also aims to enhance the well-being of children facing serious illness. For people with I/DD, it funds access to quality services and help navigating service systems, comprehensive transition planning, pathways to adult fulfilment and competitive employment, and greater participation in community life through arts and enrichment. It also supports hospital enrichment and wellness programmes that reduce stress and anxiety, including art and music therapies and healthcare clowning. The Foundation favours mission-aligned organisations demonstrating positive community impact, particularly those reaching disadvantaged and under-resourced communities, and funds direct services addressing critical needs through effective solutions.

Themes

I/DD service access
Adult fulfilment
Community inclusion
Medical enrichment

Geographic Focus

New York City Metro Area; Southeast Florida: Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in Florida.

What They Don't Fund

Capital projects
Endowments
Academic research

How to apply

The Foundation makes grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests; the site gives no further steps for organisations to seek an invitation.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 94% 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 290 grants to organisations were $70,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Foundation supports organisations that are mission-aligned and demonstrate positive community impact, with a focus on disadvantaged and under-resourced communities.
The Foundation funds direct services that meet critical needs and demonstrate effective solutions.
The Foundation relies on stakeholders and leaders with on-the-ground experience to identify critical needs and best practices.
The Foundation encourages grantees to use data to inform their work.
The Foundation believes solving complex issues requires partnership and collaboration.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

New York62%

Florida37%

Oregon<1%

Connecticut<1%

Kentucky<1%

Ohio<1%

6 other states: <1%

The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to organisations The Taft 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

94 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $82,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 94 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k4%

$2.5k–$5k3%

$5k–$10k24%

$10k–$25k7%

$25k–$50k3%

$50k–$100k11%

$100k–$250k27%

$250k–$500k17%

$500k–$1M3%

Median $82,500 (tax year 2024)

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

The Center for Discovery · Healing arts program
$600,0002024 tax year
Children's Aid · General operating support
$600,0002024 tax year
The Arc Westchester · General operating support
$559,7592024 tax year
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law · Disability & advocacy law (dial) clinic
$482,2002024 tax year
Arc Broward · Transition and employment programs, infrastructure improvments and staff retention efforts
$450,0002024 tax year
Brooklyn Law School · Disability and civil rights clinic
$416,6612024 tax year
Els for Autism Foundation · Adult services
$385,0002024 tax year
Healthy Humor · Red nose docs in harlem, jacobi, and bronxcare hospitals
$379,1672024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Nina Bershadker — Executive Director
Joan Rothman — Director
William Rupp — Vice President, Treasurer, Director
Phoebe Boyer — Vice President, Secretary, Director
Howard Rothman — President, Board Chair, Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$13,705,581	$11,668,575	$199,581,401	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$13,348,164	$11,358,437	$220,938,159	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$14,574,303	$12,215,702	$239,983,928	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.