The Colton Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on elite higher-education institutions and related research/medical centers, with occasional support for performing arts and Israeli university causes. Most dollars flow to a small number of large grants to Ivy League and major research universities, often as repeat gifts, while a smaller share funds local cultural institutions in New Jersey and overseas academic partners.
Highly concentrated: very large, repeat gifts to a few flagship universities and medical centers (especially UPenn and Yale), supplemented by a small number of sizable, targeted grants to cultural and international university partners.
Colton Family Foundation C/o Stewart M Colton’s recent giving is anchored by seven- and eight-figure unrestricted grants to major universities and related institutions, led by a $12.33 million gift to the University of Pennsylvania in 2025. Yale University also appears as a repeat recipient at $1.26 million in both 2024 and 2025, showing a pattern of sustained support rather than isolated awards. The foundation’s grant list also includes substantial backing for academic medical and research institutions, alongside cultural and Israel-connected philanthropy. Its approach favors unrestricted support, with several recipients appearing across multiple years. Beyond the largest university awards, the foundation has repeatedly supported New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NYU Langone Health, and American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ. These grants point to a portfolio that blends higher education, biomedical research, and arts institutions, while keeping a strong presence in the Northeast. The overall grant volume is large, but the giving is concentrated: a small set of recipients accounts for many of the biggest gifts, and several of those awards recur over time.
In higher education, the foundation has backed major research universities with unrestricted support, including $11 million to the University of Pennsylvania in 2024 and $1.26 million to Yale University in 2024. It also supported Yale again in 2025, which suggests continuity in its university giving. Academic medicine is another clear theme. NYU Langone Health received $1.10086 million in 2023 and another $100,000 in 2025, linking the foundation to biomedical and clinical institutions. The arts and cultural side of the portfolio includes New Jersey Performing Arts Center, which received $1.017526 million in 2024 and $1 million in 2023, plus support for New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. International academic and cultural ties appear as well through American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ and American Friends Israel Philharmoni.
Typical grants are modest for many recipients, with a p25 of $1,000, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $13,479, but the distribution is shaped by several very large unrestricted awards. The same institutions recur across years, including University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NYU Langone Health, and American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ. The foundation is a family foundation, and the grants shown are unrestricted or general in character. The latest filing year on file is 2025.
$10.3M
$72.2M
$7.1M
$10.4M
Most grants fall between $1K and $13K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$13K
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Notable grantees: University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NYU Langone Health, American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Grantmaking is regional, but it is concentrated in a few Northeast hubs. Philadelphia appears through the University of Pennsylvania, while New York City recipients include NYU Langone Health, American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ, New York Philharmonic, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Pef Israel Endowment Funds Inc. New Jersey grants cluster in Newark, including New Jersey Performing Arts Center and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, with additional support in Whippany and Verona. Connecticut recipients include Yale University in New Haven and Connecticut Public Broadcasting in Hartford.
The recent grants center on major research universities, academic medical and biomedical institutions, and performing arts organizations. University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, NYU Langone Health, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and New York Philharmonic all appear in the recent grant list.
The grants shown are overwhelmingly unrestricted. Recent awards to University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ are all labeled unrestricted, and the foundation’s philosophy tags also point to unrestricted and flexible funding.
Yes. University of Pennsylvania appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Yale University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and New Jersey Performing Arts Center appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. NYU Langone Health and American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ also recur across years.
Among all grants, the middle of the distribution is small relative to the largest awards: p25 is $1,000, median is $5,000, and p75 is $13,479. The recent list also shows several much larger grants in the millions, especially to universities and related institutions.
The foundation gives primarily in the United States, with 139 grants there in the provided distribution. New York is the top state by grant count, and New Jersey accounts for 34% of grants. Recent recipients cluster in Philadelphia, New York, Newark, New Haven, and Hartford.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $8,333,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TEL AVIV UNIV | NEW YORK, NY | $1,160,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | NEWARK, NJ | $300,100 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | NEWARK, NJ | $217,250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC | NEW YORK, NY | $98,232 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ALLICANCE FOR DECISION EDUCATION | BALA CYNWYD, PA | $40,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $22,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BOSTON, MA | $11,144 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WNYC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| INTERFAITH FOOD PANTRY | ORANGE, NJ | $7,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF NJ | HILLSIDE, NJ | $7,105 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS ISRAEL PHILHARMONI | NEW YORK, NY | $7,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONGREGATION BETH EL | SOUTH ORANGE, NJ | $5,570 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FOCUSING PHILANTHROPY INC | SANTA MONICA, CA | $5,100 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WILDWOOD SCHOOL | SCHENECTADY, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW JEWISH NARRATIVE | WASHINGTON, DC | $4,730 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEWARK MUSEUM | NEWARK, NJ | $4,700 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY HOUSING CORP | LIVINGSTON, NJ | $3,600 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LIGHTHOUSE | PONTIAC, MI | $2,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GLASSROOTS | NEWARK, NJ | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STOCKBRIDGE BOWL ASSOC | STOCKBRIDGE, MA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | FAIRFIELD, CT | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HEIFER INTERNATIONAL | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $750 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| JSDD | LIVINGSTON, NJ | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AJC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LISA B FISHMAN FOUNDATION | MONTVILLE, NJ | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFA | YARMOUTH PORT, MA | $480 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MRCC FOUNDATION | WEST CALDWELL, NJ | $400 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BNAI JESHRUN | SHORT HILLS, NJ | $283 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $100 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CLEVELAND SYMPHONY | CLEVELAND, OH | $100 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $12,333,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $1,260,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF TEL AVIV UNIV | NEW YORK, NY | $1,250,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | NEWARK, NJ | $1,016,250 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS ISRAEL PHILHARMONI | NEW YORK, NY | $309,113 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | NEWARK, NJ | $305,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC | NEW YORK, NY | $105,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PEF ISRAEL ENDOWMENT FUNDS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING | HARTFORD, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NYU LANGONE HEALTH | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $22,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WNET | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BOSTON, MA | $7,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMEINU | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BERSHIRE THEATRE | STOCKBRIDGE, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
$98,232UNRESTRICTED
ALLICANCE FOR DECISION EDUCATION
$40,000UNRESTRICTED
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$11,144UNRESTRICTED
WNYC
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
INTERFAITH FOOD PANTRY
$7,500UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN FRIENDS ISRAEL PHILHARMONI
$7,000UNRESTRICTED
CONGREGATION BETH EL
$5,570UNRESTRICTED
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
WILDWOOD SCHOOL
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
NEWARK MUSEUM
$4,700UNRESTRICTED
JEWISH COMMUNITY HOUSING CORP
$3,600UNRESTRICTED
STOCKBRIDGE BOWL ASSOC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
$750UNRESTRICTED
JSDD
$500UNRESTRICTED
AJC
$500UNRESTRICTED
LISA B FISHMAN FOUNDATION
$500UNRESTRICTED
BNAI JESHRUN
$283UNRESTRICTED
CLEVELAND SYMPHONY
$100UNRESTRICTED
YALE UNIVERSITY
$1,260,000UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN FRIENDS ISRAEL PHILHARMONI
$309,113UNRESTRICTED
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
$105,000UNRESTRICTED
NYU LANGONE HEALTH
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
WNET
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$7,500UNRESTRICTED
BERSHIRE THEATRE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED