The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- This foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and contributes only to organisations it has preselected, so a charity should not send it a proposal cold.
- Its grants cover a broad mix of charitable work, including arts and cultural bodies, educational institutions, community groups, food-support organisations, social-service providers and environmental organisations.
- If an invitation does come, a request in the typical range fits: about 8 in 10 grants fall between $2,150 and $45,000, and the median grant was $10,000, though the largest was about $640,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Most of its grant dollars, 93%, go to organisations it has funded before, so a charity should be clear about how its work would sit alongside that existing support.
- No geographic focus is stated; the filing shows grants mainly in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Canada, which describes past giving rather than a rule on who may apply.
Overview
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation is a US private foundation based in Los Angeles, CA.
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
Across its recorded grants, it supports a broad mix of charitable organisations, including arts and cultural bodies, educational institutions, Jewish organisations, community groups, food-support organisations, social-service providers and environmental organisations. Purposes recorded include general operating support, arts endowments and exhibitions, teaching, conservation, food programmes, climate action and Indigenous priorities. The recorded grants include operating support as well as larger project and endowment gifts, and some are channelled through intermediaries. Giving is concentrated in California, with additional support reaching organisations in New York and Pennsylvania, as well as recipients outside the United States. The filings show a varied mix of grantees, with many grants recorded as general operating support.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Canada.
How to apply
The foundation contributes only to charitable organisations it has preselected; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 93% 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 198 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
3 other states: <1%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 20%
- The largest single recipient received 20% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to organisations The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 14% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 7% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 61 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- The Huntington · Acqisitions and exhibitions$100,0002024 tax year
- Heart of Los Angeles · Visual art dept. endowment$100,0002024 tax year
- Salt Spring Isl Comm Servicescomm Garden · Harvest fod program payments #3 of 4$92,0532024 tax year
- Lehigh University · Luag conservation endowment$50,0002024 tax year
- NewGround · General operating support$45,0002024 tax year
- Hadassah Academic College - Jerusalem · Renovation of optometry teaching clinic #2 of 3$40,0002024 tax year
- Transition Salt Spring Society · General operating support$37,6992024 tax year
- Salt Spring Solutions Society · General operating support$37,5662024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Max Kiss — Board Member
- Alan J Bloch — VP, Treasurer
- Rebecca Bloch — Secretary
- Nancy M Berman — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,328,834 | $2,454,008 | $38,919,625 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,103,225 | $1,335,656 | $41,252,081 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,579,797 | $1,219,766 | $45,014,351 | 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 The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Los Angeles, CA
Applying to The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Los Angeles, CA