Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and that its application method is by invitation only, so a cold proposal is not the route in; a grant writer should first look for a genuine introduction.
- If the work centres on homelessness, education and opportunity, or under-represented communities, and the organisation can show it can scale up and adapt its strategy, the work fits its stated approach.
- About 8 in 10 of its 60 grants to organisations fall between $20,000 and $1,050,000, with a median of $250,000 and half at $250,000 or less, so a modest request near the lower end is most in line with its giving, though its largest grant was about $5,850,000.
- Nearly all of its grant dollars to organisations (98%) went to organisations it had already funded in earlier filings, so the foundation appears to work mainly through established relationships.
- Its grants have mainly gone to California, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois and North Carolina, but no geographic focus is stated, so that pattern is not a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation is a US private foundation based in Glenview, IL.
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 Foundation frames its work around investment in strong leadership and strong people. It describes the organisations and projects it funds and works with as committed to fighting homelessness in the United States and advancing knowledge, opportunities and education, with a focus on under-represented communities. It supports organisations in its fields when they are capable of scaling up their activities and adapting strategies to changing circumstances. Taken together, its stated approach combines work on homelessness with educational and opportunity-building activity, while maintaining a focus on under-represented communities and organisational adaptability.
Themes
- Homelessness
- Education and opportunity
- Under-represented communities
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois and North Carolina.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 98% 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 60 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation supports organisations in its fields that can scale up their activities and adapt strategies to changing circumstances.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 23% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to organisations Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 22 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $150k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Stanford University · General support$3,980,0002024 tax year
- Johns Hopkins University · General support$1,034,0002024 tax year
- The James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy Foundation · General support$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Arts for Learning Maryland · General support$652,9862024 tax year
- Berkeley Film Foundation · General support$500,0002024 tax year
- TMW Center For Early Learning Public Health · General support$465,0002024 tax year
- President and Fellows of Harvard College for Public Service Impact Fund · General support$350,0002024 tax year
- Glide Foundation · General support$333,3332024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Daniel A Fortman — Chairman & Director
- Marvin J Garbis — Vice President & Director
- Elliot G Steinberg — President & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $42,196,034 | $12,969,113 | $80,587,534 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $18,920,025 | $9,103,616 | $102,586,200 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $14,956,444 | $9,487,319 | $94,299,624 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation?
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Applying to Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required