The Adelman Foundation concentrates support on social-change intermediaries and narrative-driven advocacy, prioritizing women's leadership and feminist movements, documentary storytelling for public education, and progressive public policy work. They favor funding fiscal sponsors and capacity-building intermediaries that amplify smaller organizations and campaigns, and they repeatedly back a small set of partners that act as conveners or funders-of-record. Their grants skew toward larger, targeted gifts rather than many tiny awards, often routed through philanthropy-facing organizations.
Concentrated giving to a limited set of intermediaries and repeat grantees; several large, multi-thousand-dollar gifts routed through fiscal sponsors and capacity-builders rather than many small direct-service grants. Shows preference for organizations that scale or convene (fiscal sponsors, donor networks, national advocacy groups) and recurring support for storytelling and policy-focused initiatives.
A defining feature of Lucy & Isadore B Adelman Foundation C/o Caskey Mandell Karp & Block LLP is its repeated use of unrestricted grants to intermediaries that channel money into advocacy, feminist organizing, and narrative change. In 2025, the foundation gave $150,000 to Courageous Conversation Global Foun, followed by six-figure support to Tides Foundation and a series of large gifts to documentary and policy groups. That pattern points to a funder that backs organizations with reach beyond a single project, especially fiscal sponsors, conveners, and groups that move resources to smaller actors. The foundation’s recent giving also shows clear attention to women’s leadership and movement infrastructure. Women Donors Network appears in both 2024 and 2025, while Ms Foundation for Women received a grant in 2024. Alongside those gifts, the foundation supported organizations working in documentary film, public education, and progressive advocacy, including International Documentary Association, Just Vision, Institute for Policy Studies, and NEO Philanthropy. Most of the listed grants are unrestricted, suggesting flexibility in how recipients use the funds. The portfolio is not broad in the sense of many tiny awards; instead, it centers on a relatively small set of repeat partners and large, targeted grants.
Women’s leadership and feminist movement infrastructure are visible through grants to Women Donors Network, which received $70,000 in 2024 and another $62,300 in 2025, plus $35,000 in 2024 and $35,000 in 2025. Ms Foundation for Women also appears among the recent grantees with a $28,500 grant. Documentary storytelling is another clear lane. International Documentary Association received $85,000 in 2025 and $35,000 in 2024, while International Documentary Foundatio received $50,000 in 2025. These grants fit a pattern of support for public-facing narrative work. The foundation also funds policy and advocacy intermediaries. Institute for Policy Studies received $50,000 in 2025, $25,000 in 2025, and multiple 2024 grants; Just Vision received $60,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2024, plus another $25,000 in 2024. NEO Philanthropy was also funded in both 2024 and 2025.
$547K
$522K
$686K
$602K
Most grants fall between $275 and $23K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$275
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$23K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Lucy & Isadore B Adelman Foundation C/O Caskey Mandell Karp & Block Llp.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 110 | $1.6M | 99.1% |
| 2 |
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Notable grantees: Women Donors Network, International Documentary Association, Tides Foundation, Just Vision, Institute for Policy Studies
The grant-size distribution is weighted toward mid-sized awards: p25 is $275, median is $3,500, and p75 is $22,500. That spread sits alongside a much larger set of targeted grants, including several gifts in the $25,000 to $150,000 range in the recent-grants list. The pattern is also repeat-oriented. Multiple recipients appear in both 2024 and 2025, including Women Donors Network, Tides Foundation, Just Vision, Institute for Policy Studies, NEO Philanthropy, International Documentary Association, and Bvm Capacity Building Institute. The foundation appears to use unrestricted, flexible support across these relationships.
The foundation gives nationally, with 99.1% of recipient grants going to U.S. organizations and one grant to Canada. California is the top state by grant count, accounting for 39% of grants in the headquarters state but not the foundation’s home location. Recent California recipients include Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Culver City. Other frequently appearing places in the recent list include Atlanta, Washington DC, New York, and San Francisco.
It funds women’s leadership and donor networks, documentary storytelling, progressive public policy, peacebuilding advocacy, and philanthropic intermediaries. Recent grantees in those areas include Women Donors Network, International Documentary Association, Institute for Policy Studies, Just Vision, Tides Foundation, and NEO Philanthropy.
Yes. The recent-grants list shows repeated unrestricted gifts across 2024 and 2025, including grants to Tides Foundation, Women Donors Network, Just Vision, and Institute for Policy Studies. The philosophy tags also point to unrestricted, general operating, and flexible support.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once across the recent-grants list, including Women Donors Network, Tides Foundation, Just Vision, Institute for Policy Studies, NEO Philanthropy, International Documentary Association, and Bvm Capacity Building Institute. That indicates recurring relationships rather than one-off gifts.
The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $275, a median of $3,500, and a p75 of $22,500. Recent grants also include larger targeted awards such as $150,000, $105,000, and several $50,000 to $85,000 gifts.
Its grantmaking is national. In the recent-grants list, 99.1% of recipient grants go to U.S. organizations, with one grant going to Canada. California is the top state by grant count, and recent California cities include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Woodland Hills, Berkeley, and Culver City.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| Canada |
| 1 |
| $8K |
0.9% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courageous Conversation Global Foun | Woodland Hills, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Tides Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $105,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Intl Documentary Association | Los Angeles, CA | $85,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Tides Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Women Donor's Network | San Francisco, CA | $62,300 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| NEO Philanthropy | New York, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Black Voters Matter Building Instit | Atlanta, GA | $60,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Just Vision Inc | Washington DC, DC | $60,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| International Documentary Foundatio | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| BVM Capacity Building Inst | Atlanta, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Institute for Policy Studies | Washington DC, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| BVM Capacity Building Inst | Atlanta, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Women Donor's Network | San Francisco, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Institute for Policy Studies | Washington DC, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Jewish Voice for Peace | Berkeley, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Center for Study of Political Graph | Culver City, CA | $17,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Liberty Hill Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Just Vision Inc | Washington DC, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Ms Foundation for Women | Brooklyn, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| IMEU | Tustin, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| If Not Now | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Center for Study of Political Graph | Culver City, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Amusement Park Sports Inc | Inglewood, CA | $6,600 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Center for Cuban Studie | Brooklyn, NY | $6,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Institute for Public Accuracy | Oakland, CA | $5,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Institute for Public Accuracy | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Women Make Movies | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| IMEU | Tustin, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Leonard Beerman Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Liberty Hill Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Palast Investigative Fund | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| National Network of Abortion Funds | Beaverton, OR | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Curious Communications | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Higher Heights Leadership Fund | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Richland School Booster Club | Los Angeles, CA | $3,600 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Center for Cuban Studie | Brooklyn, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| WRRAP | Santa Monica, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| LAANE | Los Angeles, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Arts and Cultural Bridge Foundation | Santa Monica, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Public Concern Foundation | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Public Concern Foundation | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Single Moms Planet Inc | Santa Monica, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Operation USA | Los Angeles, CA | $1,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Just Detention International | Los Angeles, CA | $1,500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| New Israel Fund | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Just Detention International | Los Angeles, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Inquilinos Unidos | Los Angeles, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| San Francisco Mime Troupe | San Francisco, CA | $750 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| San Francisco Mime Troupe | San Francisco, CA | $750 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
| Vietnamese Veterans Against the War | Champaign, IL | $500 | 2025 | Unrestricted |
Courageous Conversation Global Foun
$150,000Unrestricted
Tides Foundation
$105,000Unrestricted
Tides Foundation
$75,000Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Black Voters Matter Building Instit
$60,000Unrestricted
International Documentary Foundatio
$50,000Unrestricted
BVM Capacity Building Inst
$50,000Unrestricted
BVM Capacity Building Inst
$50,000Unrestricted
Center for Study of Political Graph
$17,500Unrestricted
IMEU
$10,000Unrestricted
Center for Study of Political Graph
$7,500Unrestricted
Amusement Park Sports Inc
$6,600Unrestricted
Center for Cuban Studie
$6,000Unrestricted
IMEU
$5,000Unrestricted
Leonard Beerman Foundation
$5,000Unrestricted
Palast Investigative Fund
$5,000Unrestricted
National Network of Abortion Funds
$5,000Unrestricted
Richland School Booster Club
$3,600Unrestricted
Center for Cuban Studie
$2,500Unrestricted
Arts and Cultural Bridge Foundation
$2,500Unrestricted
Public Concern Foundation
$2,500Unrestricted
Public Concern Foundation
$2,500Unrestricted
Single Moms Planet Inc
$2,000Unrestricted
Inquilinos Unidos
$1,000Unrestricted
San Francisco Mime Troupe
$750Unrestricted
San Francisco Mime Troupe
$750Unrestricted
Vietnamese Veterans Against the War
$500Unrestricted