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Maurice Amado Foundation is a private corporation based in LOS ANGELES, CA. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 1963. The principal officer is Maurice Amado Foundation. It holds total assets of $28.6M. Annual income is reported at $879K. Total assets have grown from $23.7M in 2010 to $28.6M in 2024. The foundation is governed by 7 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2020 to 2024. The foundation primarily funds organizations in United States and International. According to available records, Maurice Amado Foundation has made 339 grants totaling $6.2M, with a median grant of $10K. The foundation has distributed between $1.5M and $1.6M annually from 2020 to 2023. Grantmaking activity was highest in 2022 with $1.6M distributed across 90 grants. Individual grants have ranged from $500 to $200K, with an average award of $18K. The foundation has supported 183 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, New York, Texas, which account for 67% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 18 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
The Maurice Amado Foundation is a Los Angeles-based family foundation established in 1961 by Maurice Amado, a Sephardic Jewish immigrant and businessman, and continuously operated by members of the Amado family since 1968. Per the foundation's website (mauriceamadofoundation.org), the homepage is minimal and conveys two essential messages: the foundation directs grants "to a variety of worthy organizations around the United States and internationally," and, in bold, it does NOT accept unsolicited grant proposals. The foundation's more detailed program information lives on its Candid/GuideStar listing (to which the website explicitly refers visitors) rather than on its own site. Based on historical 990-PF data and well-established public knowledge of the foundation, the Maurice Amado Foundation's primary mission is the preservation and advancement of Sephardic Jewish heritage, culture, and education — a relatively rare and narrowly defined niche within Jewish philanthropy. Secondary priorities include general Jewish community, arts and culture, education, and human services, with an international footprint that reflects the Sephardic diaspora (Israel, Turkey, Europe, Latin America).
The foundation reports approximately $28.64M in assets per our 990-PF data. Annual grantmaking at this asset base, assuming the 5%+ minimum payout, is in the $1.5M-$2M range. Typical individual grants historically range from roughly $5,000 to $100,000, with a concentration in the $10K-$50K band. The single most distinguishing pattern is the Sephardic emphasis: substantial recurring support flows to organizations like the American Sephardi Federation, the Sephardic Educational Center, the Sephardic Studies programs at UCLA, University of Washington, and other universities, the Foundation for the Advancement of Sephardic Studies and Culture, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) language and cultural preservation projects, and synagogues and schools rooted in the Sephardic tradition. Geographic distribution is roughly split between Los Angeles (home base), New York, Israel, and international Sephardic community anchors. Non-Sephardic-specific grants to mainstream Jewish federations, cultural institutions, and educational organizations make up the remaining share.
| Foundation | Assets | Focus | Sephardic-Specific? | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maurice Amado Foundation | $28.6M | Sephardic heritage, Jewish education & culture | Yes — primary | Invitation-only |
| American Sephardi Federation | N/A (operating) | Sephardi advocacy & culture | Yes | Grant-recipient, convener |
| Schusterman Family Philanthropies | ~$1.1B | Jewish life, Israel engagement, gender equity | No | Limited applications |
| Jim Joseph Foundation | ~$1.3B | Jewish education (mostly Ashkenazi-default) | No | RFP cycles |
| Righteous Persons Foundation | ~$50M | Jewish cultural & educational innovation | No | By invitation |
| Koret Foundation | ~$500M | Bay Area Jewish community, Israel | No | Invitation |
The Maurice Amado Foundation's closest functional peer is not another foundation by asset size but rather its grantees — it is one of the very few sustained private funders anywhere of Sephardic-specific work. Against broader Jewish mega-funders like Schusterman or Jim Joseph, Amado is a specialist funder whose leverage comes from depth, not breadth.
Maurice Amado Foundation's public website (last modified October 2024 per site schema.org metadata) has not been materially updated and provides no news feed, recent grants list, or press releases. The foundation operates quietly and communicates primarily through its grantees rather than its own channels. As of 2026-04-23 we could not locate public announcements of 2025 or 2026 grants, leadership changes, or strategic shifts. Ongoing activity is nonetheless reliably inferable: the foundation has been making Sephardic-focused grants continuously since 1961 without public reporting of any strategic change, and there is no indication of spend-out or sunset. Current activity should be assumed to be "business as usual" with invited grants continuing across the Sephardic cultural, educational, and community priorities.
1) The foundation is explicit: it does NOT accept unsolicited proposals. A blind LOI or online form submission will not be read. 2) If your work is not substantively Sephardic — meaning explicitly oriented to Sephardic, Mizrahi, Ladino-speaking, or Judeo-Spanish cultural/heritage/educational content, or serving Sephardic communities — do not approach this foundation. Adjacent Jewish work that happens to include some Sephardic beneficiaries is not the same thing, and will not be competitive. 3) The right introduction path is a current or former Amado grantee: the American Sephardi Federation, the Sephardic Studies programs at UCLA or University of Washington, the Foundation for the Advancement of Sephardic Studies and Culture, or a Sephardic synagogue or school that has previously received Amado support. 4) Review the foundation's most recent Form 990-PF on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (EIN 95-6041700) to see the current grantee list — pattern-match your work against the priorities that are actively funded, not the priorities that "sound like they might fit." 5) Keep asks modest (typical grants $10K-$50K) and frame as specific programs in the Sephardic space rather than general operating for a generic Jewish organization.
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Smallest Grant
$500
Median Grant
$10K
Average Grant
$19K
Largest Grant
$178K
Based on 83 grants from the most recent 990-PF filing.
No program descriptions are available for this foundation. Many private foundations report program activities in their annual 990-PF filings — check the Tax Filings section below for the most recent filing.
The foundation reports approximately $28.64M in assets per our 990-PF data. Annual grantmaking at this asset base, assuming the 5%+ minimum payout, is in the $1.5M-$2M range. Typical individual grants historically range from roughly $5,000 to $100,000, with a concentration in the $10K-$50K band. The single most distinguishing pattern is the Sephardic emphasis: substantial recurring support flows to organizations like the American Sephardi Federation, the Sephardic Educational Center, the Sephard.
Maurice Amado Foundation has distributed a total of $6.2M across 339 grants. The median grant size is $10K, with an average of $18K. Individual grants have ranged from $500 to $200K.
The Maurice Amado Foundation is a Los Angeles-based family foundation established in 1961 by Maurice Amado, a Sephardic Jewish immigrant and businessman, and continuously operated by members of the Amado family since 1968. Per the foundation's website (mauriceamadofoundation.org), the homepage is minimal and conveys two essential messages: the foundation directs grants "to a variety of worthy organizations around the United States and internationally," and, in bold, it does NOT accept unsolicite.
Maurice Amado Foundation is headquartered in LOS ANGELES, CA. While based in CA, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 18 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pamela Kaizer | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | $56K | $0 | $56K |
| Rick Amado | PRESIDENT | $5K | $0 | $5K |
| Erin Tarica | DIRECTOR | $5K | $0 | $5K |
| Susan Malcolm | DIRECTOR | $5K | $0 | $5K |
| Susan Lindheim | VICE PRESIDENT | $5K | $0 | $5K |
| Ellen Amado | DIRECTOR | $3K | $0 | $3K |
| Ted Amado | DIRECTOR | $3K | $0 | $3K |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$28.6M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$28.6M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
339
Total Giving
$6.2M
Average Grant
$18K
Median Grant
$10K
Unique Recipients
183
Most Common Grant
$5K
of 2023 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Defamation LeagueOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $20K | 2023 |
| Uc Davis FoundationTRANSPLANT CENTER COMMUNITY PROGRAM | Sacramento, CA | $150K | 2023 |
| Urj- Camp NewmanBUILDING CAMPER HOUSING | Santa Rosa, CA | $100K | 2023 |
| Evelyn Rubenstein Jcc Of HoustonOPERATING EXPENSES | Houston, TX | $85K | 2023 |
| Ucla FoundationMEYER-KAIZER ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOLARSHIP FUND | Pasadena, CA | $80K | 2023 |
| Doctors Without BordersOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $55K | 2023 |
| World Central KitchenOPERATING EXPENSES | Washington, DC | $50K | 2023 |
| Ostrow School Of Dentistry Of UscSCHOLARSHIPS | Los Angeles, CA | $50K | 2023 |
| Vineyard HavensOPERATING EXPENSES | Lexington, MA | $45K | 2023 |
| King Baudouin Foundation United StatesOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $45K | 2023 |
| Jewish Free Loan AssociationFUND FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS | Los Angeles, CA | $40K | 2023 |
| Magen David AdomOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $35K | 2023 |
| Brennan Center For JusticeOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $34K | 2023 |
| Echoing GreenOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $30K | 2023 |
| New Mexicans To Prevent Gun ViolenceOPERATING EXPENSES | Santa Fe, NM | $30K | 2023 |
| Delaware ShakespeareCOMMUNITY TOUR | Wilmington, DE | $30K | 2023 |
| The Humane Society Of The United StatesOPERATING EXPENSES | Washington, DC | $30K | 2023 |
| Library Foundation Of Los AngelesOPERATING EXPENSES | Los Angeles, CA | $30K | 2023 |
| American Friends Of Hebrew UniversitySCHOLARSHIPS | Los Angeles, CA | $25K | 2023 |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution CommitteeUKRAINE ASSISTANCE | New York, NY | $25K | 2023 |
| Lundquist InstituteOPERATING EXPENSES | Torrance, CA | $25K | 2023 |
| The Humane LeagueFARM ANIMAL PROTECTION PROGRAM | Rockville, MD | $25K | 2023 |
| Miry'S ListOPERATING EXPENSES | Calabasas, CA | $20K | 2023 |
| Share Our StrengthOPERATING EXPENSES | Philadelphia, PA | $20K | 2023 |
| Tender Love Community CenterOPERATING EXPENSES | Albuquerque, NM | $20K | 2023 |
| Tuesday Evening ConcertsOPERATING EXPENSES | Charlottesville, VA | $20K | 2023 |
| United Voices For Newcomer RightsOPERATING EXPENSES | Albuquerque, NM | $20K | 2023 |
| Virginia Chamber Music FoundationOPERATING EXPENSES | Charlottesville, VA | $20K | 2023 |
| Zia Family Focus CenterOPERATING EXPENSES | Albuquerque, NM | $20K | 2023 |
| New Mexico Religious Coalition For Reproductive ChoiceOPERATING EXPENSES | Albuquerque, NM | $15K | 2023 |
| Non-Human Rights ProjectOPERATING EXPENSES | Washington, DC | $15K | 2023 |
| Feed Kids New MexicoOPERATING EXPENSES | Albuquerque, NM | $15K | 2023 |
| Houston HillelOPERATING EXPENSES | Houston, TX | $15K | 2023 |
| Ivy Centennial FoundationSCHOLARSHIPS | Culver City, CA | $15K | 2023 |
| Jewish Family Service Los AngelesOPERATING EXPENSES | Los Angeles, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| Congregation B'Nai EmetGARDEN, GAGA PIT AND SONG LEADER | Simi Valley, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| HiasOPERATING EXPENSES | Washington, DC | $10K | 2023 |
| Dependency Advocacy CenterOPERATING EXPENSES | San Jose, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| Jewish Family Service Of HoustonOPERATING EXPENSES | Houston, TX | $10K | 2023 |
| Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department FoundationOPERATING EXPENSES | Las Vegas, NV | $10K | 2023 |
| Save The ChildrenOPERATING EXPENSES | Fairfield, CT | $10K | 2023 |
| Mostly Modern ProjectsOPERATING EXPENSES | Saratoga Springs, NY | $10K | 2023 |
| The Grief CenterOPERATING EXPENSES | Albuquerque, NM | $10K | 2023 |
| Triple HelixOPERATING EXPENSES | New York, NY | $10K | 2023 |
| Griffith Observatory FoundationSCHOOL FIELD TRIPS | Los Angeles, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| 826laOPERATING EXPENSES | Los Angeles, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| Horizon Institute For Public ServiceOPERATING EXPENSES | Washington, DC | $10K | 2023 |
| Stanford Rowing AssociationOPERATING EXPENSES | Menlo Park, CA | $5K | 2023 |
| Houston Food BankOPERATING EXPENSES | Houston, TX | $5K | 2023 |
| American Committee For Shaare ZedekOPERATING EXPENSES | Beverly Hills, CA | $5K | 2023 |
MENLO PARK, CA
LOS ANGELES, CA
PALO ALTO, CA