Mesorah Heritage Foundation

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The foundation's mission is to research, locate, translate, and create Jewish religious, literary, biblical, and talmudic works for religious, scholarly and cultural purposes for the general public.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 11-2981112) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 95 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.4M a year · 16% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
89% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
19.6 mo
of spending, in cash
19.6 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
27
named funders · $4.2M
27 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$10K
0.04% of total assets
Liabilities are 0.04% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 8 voting members
6 of 8 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$17.3M
+35% vs prior year
Spent
$15.2M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$25.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$17.3M
FY2025▲ +35%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$10.8M
FY2021$13.0M
FY2022$19.7M
FY2023$15.9M
FY2024$12.8M
FY2025$17.3M
Expenses
$15.2M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$10.1M
FY2021$10.6M
FY2022$11.7M
FY2023$13.1M
FY2024$14.4M
FY2025$15.2M
Net assets
$25.1M
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.9M
FY2021$13.2M
FY2022$20.8M
FY2023$24.2M
FY2024$23.0M
FY2025$25.1M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 1994.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $13.6M Management & general 6% · $847K Fundraising 5% · $767K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $1.1M paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Typesetter
$181,326Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$173,081Pt VII · Sec A
Donor Coordinator
$166,700Pt VII · Sec A
Typesetter
$166,043Pt VII · Sec A
$163,471Pt VII · Sec A
$162,872Pt VII · Sec A
$64,896Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Solomon Brander’s $181K as Typesetter is at the 13th percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Solomon Brander$181,326$171,742$169,393$169,007$157,122$139,934
Rabbi Nosson Scherman$173,081$173,399$173,714$173,507$169,737$164,076
Steve Weisz$166,700$166,800$166,950$167,150$170,519$168,300
Jacob Brander$166,043—————
Sara Lea Hoberman$163,471$149,782————
Mordechai Sonnenschein$162,872—————
Rabbi Jacob Brander——$157,188$159,751$160,693$156,028
Rabbi Yehezkel Danziger—$155,655$143,348$143,043——

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Mesorah Heritage Foundation executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Researches, translates, and prepares Jewish religious and literary works.

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1 program · $13.6M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

The 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.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 11-2981112) · Dispute this line
$13.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 27 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $38K · 2022–2024
Yeshivath Beth YehudahMI · FY2023$10,000
Ohr NaavaNY · FY2022$18,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$17.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.0M
Money outPt IX
$15.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$13.6M
Managementcol C$847K
Fundraisingcol D$767K
Owns and owesPt X
$25.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$24.9M
Total assetsLn 16$25.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1.6M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$171K
Investment incomeLn 3$1.0M
Gains on assetsLn 7$48K
Total revenueLn 12$17.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.6M
SavingsLn 2$21.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$24.9M
Notes and loans receivableLn 7$12K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$131K
Total assetsLn 16$25.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K
Net assetsLn 32$25.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 595
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$1.6M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$22.9M$24.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$119K$131K
Total assetsLn 16$23.0M$25.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$10K
Net assetsLn 32$23.0M$25.1M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$246K$112K$112K$22K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$294K$256K$13K$25K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.0M$5.3M$166K$498K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$86K$75K$4K$7K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.2M$1.2M$674$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$421K$367K$19K$35K
Legal feesLn 11b$33K$33K
Accounting feesLn 11c$55K$55K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$189K$78K$102K$10K
Office expensesLn 13$190K$23K$83K$83K
Information technologyLn 14$478K$213K$209K$56K
TravelLn 17$24K$14K$115$10K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$11K$6K$51$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$14K$6K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$6.0M$6.0M$44K
Total functional expensesLn 25$15.2M$13.6M$847K$767K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Aug 17, 2026 $17.3M$15.2M$2.1M$25.1M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Sep 16, 2025 $12.8M$14.4M−$1.6M$23.0M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Aug 9, 2024 $15.9M$13.1M$2.8M$24.2M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 7, 2023 $19.7M$11.7M$8.0M$20.8M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Sep 7, 2022 $13.0M$10.6M$2.4M$13.2M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 3, 2021 $10.8M$10.1M$658K$10.9M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors D · Assets and endowments F · Foreign G · Fundraising J · Pay L · Interested persons M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $17,321,141 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $12,218,565$16,814,696
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $598,796$1,077,460
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0−$571,015
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $12,817,361$17,321,141
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $17,950$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $7,717,907$8,202,949
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$6,500
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $6,678,244$7,038,451
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,414,101$15,247,900
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,596,740$2,073,241
Part VI · Governance 6 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $17,321,141 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$171,038
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$16,643,658
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,568,898
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$16,814,696
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,029,778$1,029,778
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $47,682$47,682
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$571,015−$571,015
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $506,445$17,321,141
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $15,247,900 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $111,896 · Management $111,896 · Fundraising $22,064$245,856
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $255,767 · Management $13,185 · Fundraising $24,620$293,572
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,286,191 · Management $166,379 · Fundraising $497,574$5,950,144
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $74,858 · Management $3,859 · Fundraising $7,207$85,924
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,204,267 · Management $674 · Fundraising $1,259$1,206,200
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $367,003 · Management $18,920 · Fundraising $35,330$421,253
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $33,107$33,107
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $55,166$55,166
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $6,500$6,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $77,535 · Management $102,086 · Fundraising $9,730$189,351
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $23,482 · Management $82,912 · Fundraising $83,275$189,669
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $212,627 · Management $208,841 · Fundraising $56,292$477,760
IX-17 TravelPrograms $13,671 · Management $115 · Fundraising $10,286$24,072
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $6,086 · Management $51 · Fundraising $4,578$10,715
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $5,662 · Fundraising $8,493$14,155
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,000,182 · Management $44,274$6,044,456
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $13,633,565 · Management $847,127 · Fundraising $767,208$15,247,900
Part X · Balance sheet $25,076,795 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,550,486$3,629,259
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $20,360,629$21,304,245
X-7 Notes and loans receivableStart of year $15,720$11,890
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $118,622$131,401
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,045,457$25,076,795
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$10,038
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$10,038
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $23,045,457$25,066,757
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $23,045,457$25,066,757
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,045,457$25,076,795
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $25,066,757 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$17,321,141
XI-2 Total expenses$15,247,900
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,073,241
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$23,045,457
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$51,941
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$25,066,757

Form 990 e-file FY2025 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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