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Mesorah Heritage Foundation
Mesorah Heritage Foundation reported $17.3 million in revenue and $15.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $89.41 went to program services, $5.56 to management and general costs and $5.03 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $220,926 (EDITOR). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 57% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $15MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MOther revenue was negative: −$571K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 89.4% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.6% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.1% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $220,926 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.45% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.7 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 8 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Mesorah Heritage Foundation was created to respond to urgent needs that became apparent in the post-world war ii english-speaking world. These needs continue to grow, in part thanks to the scholarship sponsored by the foundation. In addition, the successful work of the foundation has brought demands from speakers of modern hebrew, french, and spanish to make foundation works available in their languages.the needs met by the foundation are threefold: (I) a large jewish public, including those with a yeshivah education, find it difficult or impossible to study classic jewish texts in the…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDITOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,872 | $0 | $58,054 | $220,926 |
| TYPESETTER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,043 | $0 | $49,707 | $215,750 |
| TYPESETTER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $181,326 | $0 | $10,685 | $192,011 |
| SECRETARY/TREASURER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $173,081 | $0 | $7,879 | $180,960 |
| CONTROLLER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,471 | $0 | $9,971 | $173,442 |
| DONOR COORDINATOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,700 | $0 | $3,300 | $170,000 |
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $64,896 | $0 | $0 | $64,896 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Mesorah Heritage Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $246K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b8 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 595
- Volunteers Part I, line 66
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CATERING BY MICHAEL SCHICK Catering services | $327,515 |
| WRITE PLACE Editing/writing services | $292,133 |
| NACHMAN SELTZER LTD Editing/writing services | $260,000 |
| YISROEL BESSER Editing/writing services | $240,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 13 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
19 private foundations reported grants to Mesorah Heritage Foundation totaling $5.0M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Mesorah Heritage Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Mesorah Heritage Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Mesorah Heritage Foundation spent in 2025, $89.41 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Chicago Shakespeare TheaterChicago, IL · revenue $17M · programs 84.3% · FY2025
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- Harmony LabsNew York, NY · revenue $17M · programs 74.6% · 2024
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All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New Jersey
Questions people ask
How much of Mesorah Heritage Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Mesorah Heritage Foundation reported that 89.4% of its $15.2 million in expenses went to program services, 5.6% to management and general and 5.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Mesorah Heritage Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Mesorah Heritage Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $220,926, for the role of EDITOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Mesorah Heritage Foundation get its money?
Of $17.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 97.1% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Mesorah Heritage Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 11-2981112 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202632299349302793 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502599349300335 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402229349300230 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332199349301113 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202509349301100 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202102159349301005 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202042249349301524 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 11-2981112: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.