The New York State Capitol

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 13-6142796

Phyllis & Bennett Cerf Foundation Inc

A private foundation in New York, NY. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 13 grants and $38,350 paid in grants.

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Preselected only

The return checks the box saying the foundation gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets and giving by year

6 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.
  • Tax year 2025

    $38,350

    Grants listed
    13
    Assets, end of year
    $191,299
  • Tax year 2024

    $14,854

    Grants listed
    12
    Assets, end of year
    $213,258
  • Tax year 2023

    $18,546

    Grants listed
    12
    Assets, end of year
    $218,732
  • Tax year 2022

    $26,655

    Grants listed
    18
    Assets, end of year
    $250,674
  • Tax year 2021

    $28,302

    Grants listed
    18
    Assets, end of year
    $266,120
  • Tax year 2020

    $4,590

    Grants listed
    5
    Assets, end of year
    $278,350

Grants paid in 2025

13 grants, largest first

As listed on the return. Grants to individuals show as “Individual”, with purpose and amount only.

  1. National Book FoundationNew York, NY

    Contribution

    $17,500
  2. Individual

    Contribution

    $10,000
  3. ACLU FoundationNew York, NY

    Contribuion

    $1,500
  4. Individual

    Contribution

    $1,500
  5. Citymeals on WheelsNew York, NY

    Contribution

    $1,500
  6. Innocence ProjectNew York, NY

    Contribution

    $1,500
  7. Individual

    Contribution

    $1,500
  8. Individual

    Contribution

    $1,000
  9. Individual

    Contribution

    $1,000
  10. Carnegie Hall CorporationNew York, NY

    Contribution

    $500
  11. Individual

    Contribution

    $500
  12. Hearts of GoldNew York, NY

    Contribution

    $250
  13. Individual

    Contribution

    $100

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Civil rights1 grant $1,50029% of the total
  2. Food and agriculture1 grant $1,50029% of the total
  3. Human services1 grant $1,50029% of the total
  4. Arts and culture1 grant $50010% of the total
  5. Philanthropy and grantmaking1 grant $2505% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. New York6 grants $22,750

Officers, directors and trustees

3 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Christopher CerfPresident Hours 0.5Pay $0
  • Jonathan CerfVice President Hours 0.5Pay $0
  • Rosanne CerfVice President Hours 0.5Pay $0

The return

More foundations

Similar foundations

Same main cause (civil rights), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.

  1. Irving Fabrikant FoundationNew York, NY 8 grants Preselected only $40,500 giving
  2. Judith Chase Foundation Co Fiduciary TrustNew York, NY 13 grants Preselected only $33,600 giving
  3. Lawrence & Alice Valenstein Family Fund IncNew York, NY 21 grants Preselected only $30,000 giving
  4. Gilbert L and Linda A Snyder Charitable Foundation IncNew York, NY 13 grants Preselected only $58,959 giving
  5. The Kunis Family FoundationNew York, NY 17 grants Preselected only $24,273 giving