The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation's stated purposes cover general support, Jewish religious, rabbinic and communal organisations, food banks and other community-service bodies, advocacy organisations, schools, arts and cultural organisations, and refugee and humanitarian services; a grant writer whose work sits in one of these areas has a plausible fit, but no geographic focus is stated, so grants being recorded mainly in New York, District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia is not a rule about who may apply.
- Keep any request modest: about 8 in 10 of its 320 grants fall between $2,500 and $115,000, and half of those 320 grants were $20,000 or less, though the largest recorded grant was $1,350,000.
- Giving looks relationship-led and heavily repeat-based, with 90% of grant dollars going to organisations the foundation had also funded in its two prior filings, so this is not a foundation that runs an open competition for new applicants.
- Crucially, the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and funds by invitation only, so organisations without an existing connection should not send in a proposal; there is no application form or deadline to work towards.
- Anyone considering this foundation should therefore focus on building a relationship rather than preparing a cold application.
Overview
The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation is a US private foundation based in Bethesda, MD.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) 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 filings, general support is by far the largest stated grant purpose. Recipients include Jewish religious, rabbinic and communal organisations; food banks and other community-service bodies; advocacy organisations; schools; and arts and cultural organisations. The grant record also includes refugee and humanitarian services. Grants reach many states, with the largest recorded shares going to New York, the District of Columbia and Maryland, followed by Virginia. The filing reports contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and says unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 90% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 320 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 20% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to organisations The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Israel).
- 10% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 117 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Union for Reform Judaism · Support for urj, rac, rac sher fellowship, and impj$1,350,0002025 tax year
- Rabbinical Assembly · Support establishment of an american public policy advocacy center for the conservative/masorti movement and general support$800,0002025 tax year
- Save a Child's Heart · General support$600,0002025 tax year
- America Gives · Kibbutz nahal oz$500,0002025 tax year
- Hendel Center Co Jewish Theological Seminary · General support$320,0002025 tax year
- Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel · General support$300,0002025 tax year
- Interfaith Alliance Foundation · General support$250,0002025 tax year
- DC Central Kitchen · General support$230,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Rabbi Jack Moline — Director
- David Saperstein — Director
- Marc Feinberg Esquire — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $5,993,429 | $5,748,500 | $14,879,086 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $7,505,760 | $7,289,000 | $11,894,414 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $8,415,620 | $8,143,833 | $6,289,743 | Filing for 2025 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 Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Bethesda, MD
Applying to The Meyer and Deanne Sharlin Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Bethesda, MD