About Himan Brown Charitable Trust
The Himan Brown Charitable Trust makes a small number of very large grants concentrated on cultural and educational institutions, with a particular emphasis on Jewish communal life in New York and higher-education programs (including law). Its giving favors established institutions and repeat grantees rather than many small donations, supporting programmatic and general operating needs. The portfolio blends support for metropolitan NYC cultural centers with selective national university gifts.
Focus Areas
Jewish communal and cultural institutions in New York City (e.g., 92nd Street Y, UJA-Federation)Support for university-level education and research (large gifts to Cornell University)Legal education and law school programs (University of Michigan Law School)Major operating/general support grants to established nonprofits
Who They Fund
students/learners (unspecified age)educational institutions (schools, colleges, training providers)human service organizations supporting education
About Himan Brown Charitable Trust
The Himan Brown Charitable Trust gives a small number of very large grants, and its recent awards show a strong pattern of support for long-standing institutions in Jewish communal life, higher education, and aging-related programming. Among the largest recent grants are $1.6 million and $1.1 million to 92nd St Y, along with $1.2 million and $500,000 to the University of Michigan Law School. The Trust also backs Cornell University at a similar scale, including $587,000 in 2025 and $510,000 in 2024, and supports Jewish communal institutions such as United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of NY Inc and UJA Federation of NY Inc. Its portfolio also includes targeted support for institutions serving older adults, including a named program at 92NY and a symposium at New York’s New Jewish Home. Across the grant list, the Trust favors established organizations and repeated support over one-off, small awards, with grants appearing across several years to the same grantees. The result is a pattern of institutional funding that mixes educational, cultural, and community-serving purposes, with especially visible activity in New York and selective national university and Florida-based awards.
What Himan Brown Charitable Trust Funds
In Jewish communal and cultural work, the Trust has made large awards to United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of NY Inc, including $833,160 in 2025 and $350,000 in 2025, and also supported UJA Federation of NY Inc with $459,000 in 2024. These grants sit alongside consistent backing for 92nd St Y, which receives support across multiple years. For higher education, the Trust has funded Cornell University with $587,000 in 2025 and $510,000 in 2024, plus $500,000 in 2023. It also supports Hillel at Cornell Inc, giving $545,000 in 2025. In legal education, the University of Michigan Law School received $1.2 million in 2024 and $500,000 in 2025. The Trust also reaches youth and service-oriented organizations. After School All-Stars received $185,000 in 2025, while Repair the World Inc received $350,000 in 2025, $300,000 in 2025, $200,000 in 2024, and $200,000 in 2023.
How Himan Brown Charitable Trust Gives
Typical grants fall in the mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range: p25 is $25,000, median is $37,500, and p75 is $100,000. The recent grant list shows repeated awards to the same institutions over multiple years, including 92nd St Y, Cornell University, Repair the World Inc, and Key Biscayne Community Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing institutional relationships rather than isolated one-time gifts. The Trust is a regular funder, and the available program descriptions point to direct grantmaking, sponsorships, and partner-processed scholarships and fellowships. Unsolicited applications are not part of the listed programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.2M
Total Assets
$68.7M
Total Revenue
$6.4M
Total Expenses
$14.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $38K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$38K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Regional14 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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