The Dean & Zoe Pappas Family Foundation makes relatively large, regionally focused gifts to strengthen South Jersey and Philadelphia communities, concentrating on youth services, community revitalization, and arts institutions. They fund both direct service organizations (mentoring, youth sports, community action) and place-based initiatives that support local economic and civic life, with several multi-grant relationships indicating ongoing partnerships.
The Dean & Zoe Pappas Family Foundation’s most visible recent commitment is a $200,000 unrestricted grant to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, paired with a set of similarly flexible gifts that point to long-term support rather than project-specific sponsorships. Across its recent grants, the foundation backs community institutions, youth-serving organizations, and place-based revitalization work in South Jersey and Philadelphia. Its portfolio includes repeated support for Revive South Jersey, Big Brother Big Sister of Cumberland & Salem Counties, and Gateway Community Action Partnership, along with arts and civic institutions such as Opera Philadelphia and The American Philosophical Society. The pattern suggests a funder that uses meaningful unrestricted grants to help local organizations keep operating, while also making targeted investments in youth development, community action, and neighborhood redevelopment. Recent awards also show attention to education and cultural access through Stockton University, public libraries, and a local preserve. The foundation’s giving is regional and closely tied to specific communities in southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, with several organizations appearing in multiple grant years.
In community revitalization, the foundation supported Revive South Jersey with $105,000 in 2023 and again in 2025, signaling a continuing commitment to South Jersey redevelopment. For family support and anti-poverty work, it gave Gateway Community Action Partnership $100,000 in 2023 and $50,000 in 2025, both unrestricted. Youth mentoring is another clear lane: Big Brother Big Sister of Cumberland & Salem Counties received $75,000 in both 2023 and 2025. The foundation also extended its support to civic arts and cultural infrastructure through grants such as $200,000 to Philadelphia Museum of Art and $5,000 to Opera Philadelphia, showing an interest in institutions that shape public life as well as direct-service organizations.
Grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $21,250, a median of $45,000, and a p75 of $70,500. The foundation also makes larger anchor grants, including one at $200,000, while continuing many awards at $5,000 to $75,000. Several grantees appear across multiple years, including Revive South Jersey, Gateway Community Action Partnership, Big Brother Big Sister of Cumberland & Salem Counties, United Advocacy Group, and Philabundance, indicating recurring relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is a family foundation and gives unrestricted support frequently, including general operating-style awards and one project-labeled grant for the STEAMWORKS PROJECT.
$706K
$12M
$967K
$868K
Most grants fall between $21K and $71K, with a median of $45K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$45K
75th Percentile
$71K
About 24% of grants go to recipients in NJ.
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Concentrated, moderate-number portfolio of relatively large grants (many six-figure gifts) with repeat funding to select regional partners; emphasis on sustained, place-based impact rather than many small, one-off donations.
Notable grantees: Revive South Jersey, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Big Brother Big Sister of Cumberland & Salem Counties, Gateway Community Action Partnership, Bridgeton Area Police Athletic League
The foundation’s giving is concentrated in New Jersey, which accounts for the largest share of grant recipients by count, while 17% of grants go to organizations in Pennsylvania. Recent New Jersey recipients include Bridgeton, Vineland, Galloway, Millville, Elmer, and Princeton, with Bridgeton appearing often through grantees such as Revive South Jersey, Gateway Community Action Partnership, and United Advocacy Group. Pennsylvania recipients include Philadelphia-based organizations like Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philabundance, Opera Philadelphia, and The American Philosophical Society, plus Media’s Nature Lands Peak Preserve. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. organizations.
Its recent grants cluster around youth services, community revitalization, arts and civic institutions, community action, and libraries. Examples include repeated support for South Jersey redevelopment work, youth mentoring organizations, and Philadelphia arts and civic groups. Many awards are unrestricted, suggesting flexible support for operating needs.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple grant years, including Revive South Jersey, Big Brother Big Sister of Cumberland & Salem Counties, Gateway Community Action Partnership, United Advocacy Group, Stockton University, Milville Public Library, and Philabundance. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts.
The typical grant sits in the mid-five-figure range: p25 is $21,250, median grant size is $45,000, and p75 is $70,500. Recent awards include both smaller gifts at $5,000 to $10,000 and larger grants such as $200,000 to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
New Jersey is the top state by grant count, with many recipients in Bridgeton, Vineland, Galloway, Millville, Elmer, and Princeton. Pennsylvania also receives a meaningful share, including organizations in Philadelphia and Media. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| REVIVE SOUTH JERSEY | BRIDGETON, NJ | $105,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER OF CUMBERLAND & SALEM COUNTIES | VINELAND, NJ | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP | BRIDGETON, NJ | $69,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP | BRIDGETON, NJ | $52,000 | 2025 | STEAMWORKS PROJECT |
| GATEWAY COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP | BRIDGETON, NJ | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY | VINELAND, NJ | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STOCKTON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | GALLOWAY, NJ | $40,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MILVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY | MILVILLE, NJ | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRIDGETON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY | BRIDGETON, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PHILABUNDANCE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| OPERA PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $400,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP | BRIDGETON, NJ | $120,200 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| REVIVE SOUTH JERSEY | BRIDGETON, NJ | $105,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER OF CUMBERLAND & SALEM COUNTIES | VINELAND, NJ | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION | CAMDEN, NJ | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY | VINELAND, NJ | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STOCKTON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | GALLOWAY, NJ | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| APPLE FARM | ELMER, NJ | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MILVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY | MILVILLE, NJ | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRIDGETON AREA POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE | BRIDGETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PHILABUNDANCE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW JERSEY AUDUBON | BERNARDSVILLE, NJ | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NATURE LANDS PEAK PRESERVE | MEDIA, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| REVIVE SOUTH JERSEY | BRIDGETON, NJ | $105,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GATEWAY COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP | BRIDGETON, NJ | $100,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER OF CUMBERLAND & SALEM COUNTIES | VINELAND, NJ | $75,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRIDGETON AREA POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE | BRIDGETON, NJ | $69,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP | BRIDGETON, NJ | $51,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY | VINELAND, NJ | $50,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STOCKTON UNIVERSITY | GALLOWAY, NJ | $40,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MILVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY | MILVILLE, NJ | $37,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| APPEL FARM | ELMER, NJ | $25,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GENNADIUS LIBRARY | PRINCETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PHILABUNDANCE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NATURE LANDS PEAK PRESERVE | MEDIA, PA | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
REVIVE SOUTH JERSEY
$105,000UNRESTRICTED
BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER OF CUMBERLAND & SALEM COUNTIES
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP
$69,000UNRESTRICTED
UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP
$52,000STEAMWORKS PROJECT
UNRESTRICTED
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
MILVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
BRIDGETON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP
$120,200UNRESTRICTED
REVIVE SOUTH JERSEY
$105,000UNRESTRICTED
BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER OF CUMBERLAND & SALEM COUNTIES
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
TRI-COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
APPLE FARM
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
MILVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
BRIDGETON AREA POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
NATURE LANDS PEAK PRESERVE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
REVIVE SOUTH JERSEY
$105,000UNRESTRICTED
BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER OF CUMBERLAND & SALEM COUNTIES
$75,000UNRESTRICTED
BRIDGETON AREA POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE
$69,000UNRESTRICTED
UNITED ADVOCACY GROUP
$51,000UNRESTRICTED
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
STOCKTON UNIVERSITY
$40,000UNRESTRICTED
MILVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
$37,000UNRESTRICTED
APPEL FARM
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
GENNADIUS LIBRARY
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
NATURE LANDS PEAK PRESERVE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED