The Haven Foundation
The Haven Foundation is a private foundation established in 2006 and based in New York, NY. It is a 501(c)(3) organization classified as a private foundation (NTEE code T20). The foundation provides direct financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who face career-threatening emergencies.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$139K
-97.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$353K
-94.6% YoY
Grant Count
2
-98.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$176K
+225.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Haven Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is "to offer interim financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who face crises."
The foundation strengthens and sustains the careers of freelance professional writers, artists, and others connected with the entertainment industry across the United States. It provides grants to freelance artists and writers experiencing:
- Career-threatening illness
- Accidents
- Natural disasters
- Other emergency or personal catastrophes
Eligible applicants include all persons connected with the artistic or entertainment industry who work on a freelance basis.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides grants that are renewable for up to five years, as well as emergency relief assistance and financial support.
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Haven Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds freelance professionals across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total Assets: $6.3 million
- Total Liabilities: $5.81 million
- Total Expenses: $6.61 million
- Total Revenues: -$96.1 thousand
- Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $1,500
- Number of Employees: 0
As of December 31, 2022:
- Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $379
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $139,114 | $6,298,730 | $7,737,428 |
| Revenue | $9,682 | $-96,068 | $406,994 |
| Expenses | $362,986 | $6,610,989 | $1,013,536 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,816,928 | $1,297,400 | $681,714 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,365 | $129,992 | $356,011 |
| Distributable Amount | $38,144 | $342,303 | $383,523 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
202 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cerf ($350,000), Arthur Baron ($2,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CERF MONTPELIER, VT | TO HELP FREELANCE WRITERS AND ARTISTS WHO HAVE CAREER-THREATENING ILLNESS | $350,000 |
| ARTHUR BARON NEW YORK, NY | TO HELP FREELANCE WRITERS AND ARTISTS WHO HAVE CAREER-THREATENING ILLNESS | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Haven Foundation was established in 2006 by author Stephen King. King founded the organization after a serious car accident in 1999 nearly took his life. During his 10-month recovery period, he realized that many writers, audio readers, and other freelancers lack emergency funds or financial cushions to fall back on during illness, injury, or catastrophic events. This experience, detailed in his memoir On Writing: A Memoir on Craft, inspired him to create the foundation to address "the uniquely perilous situation of many freelance artists."
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEPHEN KING | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARK LEVENFUS | OFFICER | 1 | — |
| DAVID RAPKIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN MCELROY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARSHA DEFILIPPO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WARREN SILVER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FREDRIC M SANDERS | OFFICER | 1 | — |
| ALYSSA FORSLUND | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Haven Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is "to offer interim financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who face crises." The foundation strengthens and sustains the careers of freelance professional writers, artists, and others connected with the entertainment industry across the United States. It provides grants to freelance artists and writers experiencing: • Career-threatening illness • Accidents • Natural disasters • Other emergency or personal catastrophes Eligible applicants include al…
How do I apply for a grant from The Haven Foundation?
**Grant Types & Structure:** The foundation provides grants that are renewable for up to five years, as well as emergency relief assistance and financial support. **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** The foundation made 64 grants in 2023. Notable recipients included: • Authors League Fund: $720,000 • PEN American Center: $675,000 • SAG-AFTRA Foundation: $580,000 **Application Process:** Applications for assistance are accepted via an online form and must be accompanied by evidential materials. Dec…
Where does The Haven Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds freelance professionals across the United States.
What size grants does The Haven Foundation award?
In 2024, The Haven Foundation awarded 2 grants totaling $353K — an average of about $176K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Haven Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Haven Foundation reported a distributable amount of $38K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Haven Foundation's EIN?
The Haven Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4356938. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Haven Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
The Reich Family Charitable Trust
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$689K
Grants
1
Total Given
$453K
Launa Beuhler Foundation for
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$2K
Grants
4
Total Given
$20K
The Hilary Grace Foundation Inc
EAST AMHERST, NY
Assets
$126K
Grants
2
Total Given
$36K
Uw E J Madden Mem Open Hearts Club 10-214880
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$307K
Hindy's Foundation
BROOKLYN, NY
Assets
$142K
Grants
8
Total Given
$225K
Jeanne & Thomas Hardy Family Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$3K
Grants
3
Total Given
$3K
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Haven Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching The Haven Foundation to a real strategy.