The David B Peterson Foundation concentrates its philanthropy exclusively on supporting a single independent school: Harlem Academy. All funding is directed as unrestricted/core support to sustain the school’s operations and programs, indicating a focused, place-based commitment to education in Harlem. The repeated grants suggest a long-term, sustaining relationship rather than one-off project funding.
David B Peterson Foundation’s recent giving is built around a single long-running relationship: Harlem Academy. Across 2023, 2024, and 2025, the foundation supported the school with grants for capital campaign work, general operations, and core activities, including a $289,327 grant in 2023 and multiple $200,000 and $62,500 awards in later years. That pattern shows sustained backing rather than isolated project funding. The foundation’s profile is broader than one amount, but not broader than one institutional commitment. Harlem Academy appears repeatedly in the grant record, with support tied to the school’s capital campaign and day-to-day functioning. The language of the grants points to unrestricted and core support as a central part of the relationship, alongside campaign funding for Future Leaders: The Capital Campaign for Harlem Academy. Outside that core relationship, the foundation has also made grants connected to arts, historic preservation, and community-focused organizations. Examples include New York Foundation for the Arts Inc for Analogue Sites by Jorge Otero-Pailos on Park Avenue, Columbia University in the City of New York for the Onera Prize for Historic Preservation, and National Trust for Historic Preservation for The Glass House.
Education is the clearest thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. Harlem Academy received a $200,000 grant in 2025 for core activities, another $200,000 grant in 2024 for general operations, and several capital-campaign grants, including $200,000 in 2024 for the charity’s capital campaign. The arts appear through project-specific support. New York Foundation for the Arts Inc received $50,000 in 2024 and another $50,000 in 2025 for Analogue Sites by Jorge Otero-Pailos, described as a public art exhibition on Park Avenue in New York. Historic preservation is another recurring area. Columbia University in the City of New York received $26,000 in 2024 and $25,000 in 2023 for the Onera Prize for Historic Preservation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation received $15,000 in 2025 for The Glass House. The foundation also funded community and event-based support, including Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship Inc for the Barn Raising Party and its 10th anniversary event.
$460K
$6.8M
$194K
$477K
Most grants fall between $10K and $63K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$63K
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Highly concentrated giving: all dollars to one repeat grantee (five grants) as core/operating support, indicating a long-term, single-organization focus rather than diversified or one-time grants.
Notable grantees: Harlem Academy
Typical grants are centered in the $10,000 to $62,500 range, with a p25 of $10,000, a median of $25,000, and a p75 of $62,500. The record also includes larger awards, especially to Harlem Academy, where multiple $200,000 grants and a $289,327 grant appear over three years. The pattern is clearly recurring rather than one-off: Harlem Academy appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025 across campaign, operations, and core-activity support. The foundation is a private foundation with annual grants of $1,722,327 and total assets of $6,810,551. It also funds individuals, and the recent-grants data show a mix of operating, project, event, and endowment-related support.
Grantmaking is concentrated in New York: 67% of grants go to recipients in NY, and New York is also the top state by grant count. New York City recipients include Harlem Academy, New York Foundation for the Arts Inc, and Columbia University in the City of New York. Outside New York, the foundation’s grants reach Washington, DC, Wilmington, DE, New Milford, CT, Los Angeles, CA, Santa Barbara, CA, and Latham, NY. The recent grants list shows all recipient-country activity in the United States, with 31 grants and no non-US recipients.
Harlem Academy is the central recipient, appearing repeatedly from 2023 through 2025. The grants include support for the school’s capital campaign, general operations, and core activities, showing a sustained relationship rather than a one-time award.
The recent record includes public art, historic preservation, and community-oriented organizations. Examples include support for Analogue Sites by Jorge Otero-Pailos, the Onera Prize for Historic Preservation, The Glass House, and event support for Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship Inc.
The grant-size distribution is p25 $10,000, median $25,000, and p75 $62,500. The recent record also includes larger grants, including several $200,000 awards and a $289,327 grant.
New York is the top state by grant count, and 67% of grants go to recipients in NY. Recent New York recipients include Harlem Academy, New York Foundation for the Arts Inc, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Space on Ryder Farm.
Yes. Harlem Academy appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship Inc appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025 as well. Columbia University in the City of New York and National Trust for Historic Preservation also show repeated support across multiple years.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $62,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS: THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR HARLEM ACADEMY. |
| BEAU BIDEN FOUNDATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN | WILMINGTON, DE | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT ANALOGUE SITES BY JORGE OTERO-PAILOS, A PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION ON PARK AVENUE NEW YORK. |
| HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST INCORPORATED | NEW MILFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE 2024 ONERA PRIZE. |
| FOUNDATION FOR ART & PRESERVATION IN EMBASSIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION | NEW CANAAN, CT | $15,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE GLASS HOUSE. |
| ENDEAVOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INC | BEDFORD CORNERS, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE ENDEAVOR 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT. |
| ENDEAVOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INC | BEDFORD CORNERS, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S GENERAL OPERATIONS. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $62,500 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS: THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR HARLEM ACADEMY. |
| NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT ANALOGUE SITES BY JORGE OTERO-PAILOS, A PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION ON PARK AVENUE NEW YORK. |
| HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST INCORPORATED | NEW MILFORD, CT | $40,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $26,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE ONERA PRIZE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION. |
| NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE GLASS HOUSE. |
| ENDEAVOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INC | BEDFORD CORNERS, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE BARN RAISING PARTY. |
| THE NEW YORK STATE TROOPER FOUNDATION INC | LATHAM, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE K9 TROOP K SP SOMERS. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $289,327 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S GENERAL OPERATIONS. |
| HARLEM ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $62,500 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS: THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR HARLEM ACADEMY. |
| HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST INCORPORATED | NEW MILFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE ONERA PRIZE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION. |
| NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE GLASS HOUSE. |
| FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | TO FUND IMMEDIATE COSTS AND PROVIDE A NAMED ENDOWMENT FOR THE SALLY H. PETERSON AWARD. |
| THE GIVING BACK FUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | TO SUPORT NEXUS GLOBAL. |
| ENDEAVOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INC | BEDFORD CORNERS, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE BARN RAISING PARTY. |
| SPACE ON RYDER FARM | NORTH SALEM, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE 2022 SOIREE. |
| NEW CANAAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW CANAAN, CT | $1,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES. |
| RUTH KEELER MEMORIAL LIBRARY | NORTH SALEM, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES. |
TO SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS: THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR HARLEM ACADEMY.
BEAU BIDEN FOUNDATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
$50,000TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES.
TO SUPPORT ANALOGUE SITES BY JORGE OTERO-PAILOS, A PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION ON PARK AVENUE NEW YORK.
HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST INCORPORATED
$25,000TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$25,000TO SUPPORT THE 2024 ONERA PRIZE.
TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES.
TO SUPPORT THE ENDEAVOR 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT.
TO SUPPORT THE CHARITYS CORE ACTIVITIES.
TO SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS: THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR HARLEM ACADEMY.
TO SUPPORT ANALOGUE SITES BY JORGE OTERO-PAILOS, A PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION ON PARK AVENUE NEW YORK.
HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST INCORPORATED
$40,000TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$26,000TO SUPPORT THE ONERA PRIZE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
TO SUPPORT THE BARN RAISING PARTY.
THE NEW YORK STATE TROOPER FOUNDATION INC
$5,000TO SUPPORT THE K9 TROOP K SP SOMERS.
TO SUPPORT FUTURE LEADERS: THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR HARLEM ACADEMY.
HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST INCORPORATED
$25,000TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$25,000TO SUPPORT THE ONERA PRIZE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
FIELDING GRADUATE UNIVERSITY
$15,000TO FUND IMMEDIATE COSTS AND PROVIDE A NAMED ENDOWMENT FOR THE SALLY H. PETERSON AWARD.
TO SUPPORT THE BARN RAISING PARTY.
SPACE ON RYDER FARM
$5,000TO SUPPORT THE 2022 SOIREE.
NEW CANAAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$1,000TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES.
RUTH KEELER MEMORIAL LIBRARY
$1,000TO SUPPORT THE CHARITY'S CORE ACTIVITIES.