The Cyrus Katzen Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Cyrus Katzen Foundation is a US private foundation based in Baileys Crossroads, VA, and its recorded giving spans health, social support, education, religion, arts and community activity, so a charity working in any of these areas has a basis to consider it.
- About 8 in 10 of its 123 grants to organisations fall between $2,500 and $100,000, and the median grant is $8,000, so a modest request is typical; the largest grant was about $815,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- No geographic focus is stated, although the filing shows grants mainly in District of Columbia and Maryland, so an organisation elsewhere should not assume it is excluded.
- The filing gives no deadlines, though it notes that the foundation accepts applications, so an organisation should send a letter stating its name, proof of tax-exempt status and the purpose of the grant, and should not wait for a set date.
- Since 79% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, a first-time applicant should expect that most of the foundation's money goes to established recipients and set its request size accordingly.
Overview
The Cyrus Katzen Foundation is a US private foundation based in Baileys Crossroads, VA.
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 the grants recorded in its filings, the foundation supported a varied range of charitable organisations. Recipients included hospitals and medical research institutions, disease-focused charities, organisations serving children and families, a legal service for homeless people, religious institutions, arts organisations, educational bodies, youth programmes and community groups. Stated purposes included general support, medical research and treatment, psychosocial support, programme endowments, legal assistance, after-school provision, music and arts activity, and community services. Its recorded giving spans health, social support, education, religion, arts and community activity. The filing asks applicants to identify their organisation, provide proof of tax-exempt status and state the purpose for which a grant will be used.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in District of Columbia and Maryland.
How to apply
Submit a letter stating the organisation's name, provide proof of its tax-exempt status, and state the purpose for which the grant will be used.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 79% 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 123 grants to organisations were $8,000 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: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 36% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations The Cyrus Katzen 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 35 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Children's Hospital Foundation · General support/2025 emergency room dept lunches and activities/2025 music therapy program$812,5002024 tax year
- Johns Hopkins University · Kidney cancer molecular imaging research project$170,0002024 tax year
- Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer · Campaign for prevention & defeat of breast cancer$150,0002024 tax year
- MedStar Washington Hospital Center · General support$125,0002024 tax year
- Evans Victory Against Neuroblastoma Foundation · Support for children with neuroblastoma & research for the disease$85,0002024 tax year
- Capital Jewish Museum · General support$50,0002024 tax year
- Children's Inn at NIH · Program endowment$50,0002024 tax year
- Katzen Donor Advised Fund · General support$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Stacy K Nidus — Director
- Millard S Bennett — Director
- Marc R Feinberg — Director
- Julie K Muchnick — Director
- John R Brunner — Director
- Jay E Katzen — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,199,592 | $1,315,500 | $39,183,319 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,395,264 | $1,500,360 | $46,859,995 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,777,046 | $1,732,500 | $48,295,634 | 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 Cyrus Katzen Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (703) 578-4000
- Baileys Crossroads, VA
Applying to The Cyrus Katzen Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (703) 578-4000
- Baileys Crossroads, VA