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California · Private foundation

The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$118k
Granted FY2024(still arriving)
12
Grants FY2024
52
Organizations funded FY2023
27%
First-time grantees FY2023
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2024
$10,000
Largest grant, FY2024
$25,000
Organizations funded a year
39 to 129
FY2017 to FY2023
States reached, FY2024
7
Total assets, FY2024
$555k
Applications
Preselected organizations only
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2023, 27% of the organizations The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 38% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 62% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $36k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’18’19’20’21’22’23
AnimalsInternationalHuman ServicesHealthEnvironmentEducationOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2024still arriving12$118k25%
FY202352$94k27%
FY202286$105k13%
FY2021126$80k36%
FY2020129$64k36%
FY2019110$56k54%
FY201863$52k48%
FY201739$50kn/a
94% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Animals$142kHealth$122kInternational$96kArts & Culture$60kEnvironment$48kEducation$26kHuman Services$19kHousing & Shelter$17kOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
NH
ID
MN
MI
NY
MA
NV
SD
IA
IN
NJ
CA
UT
CO
NE
KY
WV
VA
MD
AZ
NM
KS
AR
TN
DC
OK
LA
AL
GA
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2024, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 112 grantees
All grantees of The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Austrian-American Council West$25,00019%
Operation Smile Inc$20,70050%
St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc$16,65050%
Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals$15,50070%
Marc Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Foundation$15,30030%
Children's Hospital Los Angeles$15,30070%
Mercy Ships International$15,10030%
Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation$13,50020%
American Institute for Cancer Research$10,70060%
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals$8,85050%
Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc$8,30060%
World Wildlife Fund Inc$7,75040%
Humane World for Animals Inc$7,70070%
Npr Foundation$7,5003n/a
La Family Housing Corporation$7,50060%
Treepeople Inc$7,20070%
Lange Foundation$7,05080%
Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc$7,05070%
World Central Kitchen Inc$6,30020%
Southern California Public Radio$5,70060%
Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and Conservation$5,35070%
United in Harmony$5,00010%
I Stand With My Pack Inc$5,00010%
Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated$4,20060%
The Wilderness Society$4,20050%
The Marine Mammal Center$3,85050%
The Seeing Eye Inc$3,60040%
The Innocence Project Inc$3,50010%
Defenders of Wildlife$3,30050%
Greater Los Angeles Zoological Association$3,30040%
Chimp Haven Inc$3,05040%
Amnesty International of the USA Inc$3,00030%
Smile Train Inc$3,00030%
Beverly Hills Police Foundation$2,90050%
Greenpeace Inc$2,50040%
Best Friends Animal Society$2,50040%
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Inc$2,40040%
Save The Children Federation Inc$2,20030%
Union Rescue Mission$2,00040%
Muttville$2,00040%
March of Dimes Inc$1,80050%
Orphan Acres Inc$1,75020%
Alley Cat Allies Inc$1,70030%
California State Parks Foundation$1,70030%
Wounded Warrior Project Inc$1,60020%
African Wildlife Foundation Inc$1,60040%
National Audubon Society Inc$1,60020%
Little Longears Mini Donkey Rescue Inc$1,60030%
Sierra Club$1,50030%
Feeding America$1,50020%
The Carter Center Inc$1,50020%
Ocean Conservancy$1,50040%
Southern Poverty Law Center Inc$1,35020%
Tiger Haven Inc$1,25060%
National Park Foundation$1,25030%
Oxfam-America Inc$1,20020%
American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia$1,20020%
Feed the Children Inc$1,20030%
Born Free USA united with API$1,10020%
National Foundation for Rescued Animals Dba Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary$1,05030%
Priderock Wildlife Refuge$1,00020%
National Park Trust Inc$1,00040%
Charity Navigator$1,00010%
AARP Foundation$1,00020%
United States Fund for Unicef$1,00010%
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum$1,00020%
The Brittany Foundation Animal Sanctuary$95030%
United States Association for UNHCR$90040%
Project K9 Hero$90030%
Project Angel Food$80030%
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc$80030%
Share Our Strength$75030%
National Wildlife Federation$70030%
National Parks Conservation Association$60030%
Paws of Honor Inc$60020%
International Fund for Animal Welfare Inc$60020%
Irondog K9 International Inc$60030%
National Geographic Society$55020%
Los Angeles Mission Inc$50020%
Common Cause$50010%
Green America$50010%
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles$50010%
Greenpeace Fund Inc$50010%
From the Top Inc$50020%
Save the Redwoods League$40010%
Wildlife Conservation Network Inc$40020%
North Shore Animal League America Inc$40020%
Smithsonian Institution$39020%
Lesea Global Feed the Hungry Inc$30010%
Meals on Wheels West$30010%
Braille Institute of America Inc$30010%
International Animal Rescue US Inc$2501n/a
Public Counsel$25010%
Women Vote$2501n/a
Museum Associates$20010%
The Healing Hands Foundation Inc$20010%
Reading Is Fundamental Inc$20010%
NAACP Empowerment Programs Inc$20010%
Animals' Angels Incorporated$20010%
Shriners Hospitals for Children$20010%
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind Inc$20010%
Mercy Corps$20020%
Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere Inc$20010%
Mara Elephant Project USA Inc$20010%
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank$15010%
Project H O P E Inc$1001n/a
Arthritis Foundation Inc$10010%
Physicians Committee for Responsible Med$10010%
American Indian College Fund$10010%
St Josephs Indian School$501n/a
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home$3010%
American Diabetes Association$1510%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 136 recipients with no EIN on record ($270k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

Each grantee by its size and the share of its budget The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation supplied at peak.

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetAustrian-American Council West: $25,000 over 1y, 8.9% of budgetOperation Smile Inc: $20,700 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetSt Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc: $16,650 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetLos Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: $15,500 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetMarc Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Foundation: $15,300 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetChildren's Hospital Los Angeles: $15,300 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetMercy Ships International: $15,100 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetStephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation: $13,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Institute for Cancer Research: $10,700 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetThe American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: $8,850 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMedecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc: $8,300 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetWorld Wildlife Fund Inc: $7,750 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetHumane World for Animals Inc: $7,700 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetLa Family Housing Corporation: $7,500 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTreepeople Inc: $7,200 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetLange Foundation: $7,050 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetGuide Dogs for the Blind Inc: $7,050 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetWorld Central Kitchen Inc: $6,300 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSouthern California Public Radio: $5,700 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetJane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and Conservation: $5,350 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetUnited in Harmony: $5,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetI Stand With My Pack Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetEnvironmental Defense Fund Incorporated: $4,200 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetThe Wilderness Society: $4,200 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetThe Marine Mammal Center: $3,850 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetThe Seeing Eye Inc: $3,600 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetThe Innocence Project Inc: $3,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDefenders of Wildlife: $3,300 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetGreater Los Angeles Zoological Association: $3,300 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetChimp Haven Inc: $3,050 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetAmnesty International of the USA Inc: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetSmile Train Inc: $3,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBeverly Hills Police Foundation: $2,900 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetGreenpeace Inc: $2,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBest Friends Animal Society: $2,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Inc: $2,400 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetSave The Children Federation Inc: $2,200 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetUnion Rescue Mission: $2,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMuttville: $2,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetMarch of Dimes Inc: $1,800 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetOrphan Acres Inc: $1,750 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetAlley Cat Allies Inc: $1,700 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetCalifornia State Parks Foundation: $1,700 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetWounded Warrior Project Inc: $1,600 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAfrican Wildlife Foundation Inc: $1,600 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetNational Audubon Society Inc: $1,600 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLittle Longears Mini Donkey Rescue Inc: $1,600 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetSierra Club: $1,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 107.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Amg Charitable Gift FoundationCO20.6× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Amg Charitable Gift Foundation · Joyce a Ward Foundation · PC Fund for Animals Charitable Tr · Sempra Foundation · Bernard Weinberg Foundation · Paula Knickerbocker Foundation Inc · Gat Family Foundation · The Susan and Ford Schumann Foundation · Grace and Li Yu Family Foundation · Seckinger Foundation Corporation · The Gerald B Shreiber Foundation · American Express Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation with peer funders

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation?

Find your warmest path to The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

About The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation

How much does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation give?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation reported 12 grants totaling $117,500 in its FY2024 IRS filing. It funded between 39 and 129 organizations a year over FY2017 to FY2023.
What does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2024, its largest causes are Animals (23%), Health (20%), International (15%).
Who are The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2024: Austrian-American Council West ($25k), Operation Smile Inc ($21k), St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc ($17k).
Does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2023, 27% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and does not take unsolicited requests. Check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Amg Charitable Gift Foundation, Joyce a Ward Foundation, PC Fund for Animals Charitable Tr.
Where is The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation based?
The Phyllis & Donald Epstein Foundation is based in CA.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 250 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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