The Joseph S & Diane H Steinberg 1992 Charitable Trust concentrates its philanthropy on New York City cultural and educational institutions, with a clear emphasis on major performing arts organizations and higher education. Most dollars flow to a small set of repeat grantees (notably NYU and prominent performing arts venues), and there is a visible Brooklyn/metro‑NYC geographic focus that includes civic cultural infrastructure such as botanical gardens and museums.
Concentrated, high-dollar gifts to a small number of institutional grantees, with multiple grants and repeat support to flagship cultural and educational organizations rather than many small grants across diverse causes.
Notable grantees: New York University, City Center 55th Street, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Academy of Music
A defining feature of Joseph S & Diane H Steinberg 1992 Charitable Trust is the scale of its support for New York University and other New York cultural institutions. One recent grant reached $1,370,089 in 2023 to New York University, and the trust returned to the same university again in 2025 with another major award. The trust also made large gifts to City Center 55th Street and Brooklyn Academy of Music, showing an interest in established performing arts venues as well as higher education. Beyond those anchors, the grant record includes Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Hannah Senesh Community Day School, and Red Hook Initiative, which points to a mix of cultural, educational, and neighborhood-based priorities in New York City. The pattern is not limited to a single type of institution: the trust also funded humanitarian and public-service organizations such as American Friends of Magen David Adom, Taps Ukraine, and Direct Relief. With annual grants above $9 million and a 2025 latest filing year, the trust’s giving is substantial and repeat-driven, especially in New York City.
Higher education is a major part of the trust’s portfolio. New York University received $643,333 in 2025 after a $1,370,089 grant in 2023, indicating continued support for a large urban university. The arts are another clear focus. City Center 55th Street received $586,820 in 2024 and $336,872 in 2025, while Brooklyn Academy of Music received $380,748 in 2025. The trust also supports Brooklyn institutions with civic and educational roles. Hannah Senesh Community Day School received $250,000 in 2024, and Red Hook Initiative received $100,000 in 2023 and $100,000 in 2024. Public horticulture appears as well, with Brooklyn Botanic Garden receiving $418,972 in 2023 and $218,210 in 2025.
Typical grants cluster around a moderate-to-large range, with p25 at $10,000, a median of $25,000, and p75 at $60,732. The recent record also includes several six-figure awards, so the trust gives both routine operating-scale support and much larger commitments to selected institutions. Repeat grants are common: New York University, City Center 55th Street, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, St Anns Warehouse, Poly Prep Country Day School, Pef Israel Emdowment Funds, and Red Hook Initiative all appear more than once in the recent list. The trust is a charitable trust rather than a DAF or operating foundation, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$3.4M
$48.7M
$13.5M
$3.9M
Most grants fall between $10K and $61K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$61K
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Giving is heavily concentrated in New York, which accounts for 65% of grants and is the top state by grant count. New York City is the main recipient hub, especially Brooklyn and Manhattan addresses such as Brooklyn, NY; New York, NY; and repeated metro-area institutions. A smaller share of grants reaches outside the state, including Albert Lea, MN; Santa Barbara, CA; Berkeley, CA; Carpinteria, CA; and Arlington, VA. The country distribution is entirely domestic, with 123 grants to U.S. recipients.
Its recent grants lean toward New York City higher education, performing arts, Brooklyn civic and cultural institutions, and public horticulture. Named recipients include New York University, City Center 55th Street, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Hannah Senesh Community Day School, and Red Hook Initiative.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $60,732 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes much larger six-figure awards, including a $1,370,089 grant and multiple grants above $100,000.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including New York University, City Center 55th Street, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, St Anns Warehouse, Poly Prep Country Day School, Pef Israel Emdowment Funds, and Red Hook Initiative. That pattern suggests repeat support rather than one-time awards only.
New York is the top state by grant count, and 65% of grants go to recipients in the trust’s headquarters state. The strongest concentration is in New York City, especially Brooklyn and Manhattan recipients.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN | BROOKLYN, NY | $680,784 | 2026 | CHARITABLE 501C3 |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $590,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE 501c3 |
| BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC | BROOKLYN, NY | $413,368 | 2026 | CHARITABLE 501c3 |
| CITY CENTER 55TH STREET | NEW YORK, NY | $263,890 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PEF ISRAEL EMDOWMENT FUNDS | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL | BERKELEY, CA | $135,400 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | BOONE, IA | $100,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| INT'L RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $100,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ST ANNS WAREHOUSE | BROOKLYN, NY | $98,126 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| VON KING PARK CONSERVANCY | BROOKLYN, NY | $55,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CUREBOUND | SAN DIEGO, CA | $51,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| BROOKLYN BRIDGE CONSERVANCY | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| WILD CONTRIBUTION | AUSTIN, TX | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PROSPECT PARK ALLIANCE | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ROOM AT THE INN | GREENSBORO, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| RED HOOK INITIATIVE | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HELPUSADOPTORG | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT MIDDLE SCHOOL | BROOKLYN, NY | $40,631 | 2026 | CHARITABLE 501C3 |
| THE BROOKLYN ORGANIZATION | BROOKLYN, NY | $31,019 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CTR | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| EPIC PLAYERS INCLUSION COMPANY | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE 501C3 |
| WNET | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| 92ND STREET Y | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CIESLA FOUNDATION | WASHINTON DC, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| OCEANIC SOCIETY | ROSS, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| TELLURIDE FONDATION | TELLURIDE, CO | $25,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| TAPS UKRAINE | ARLINGTON, VA | $20,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK | VISTA, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL | WASHINGTON DC, DC | $18,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SOUTH FORK NATURAL HISTORY MUSUEM | BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE 501C3 |
| ROUNDABOUT THEATRE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CHILDRENS MEDICAL FUND OF NY | SYOSSET, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| BEAM CENTER | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CONGREGATION SHIRAT HAYAM | SWAMPSCOTT, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| FAMILY LEGAL CARE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NY ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| WINE ON WHEELS | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HEART 911 | MONMOUTH BEACH, NJ | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CE12 FOUNDATION | DARIEN, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE BROOKLYN HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CAMP MOSHAVA | WILD ROSE, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CITY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CALVIN COOLIDGE PRESIDENTIAL FNDTN | PLYMOUTH, VT | $5,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| DANSPACE PROJECT | NEW YORK, NY | $2,802 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| FRESH START SURGICAL GIFTS | CARLSBAD, CA | $2,038 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PROJECT EZRA | NEW YORK, NY | $1,800 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ST MATTHEWS LUTHERAN CHURCH | AVON, CT | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| WRITOPIA LAB | SANTA MONICA, CA | $308 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN
$680,784CHARITABLE 501C3
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
$590,000CHARITABLE 501c3
BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC
$413,368CHARITABLE 501c3
CITY CENTER 55TH STREET
$263,890CHARITABLE
PEF ISRAEL EMDOWMENT FUNDS
$200,000CHARITABLE
TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL
$135,400CHARITABLE
AMERICAN RED CROSS
CHARITABLE
INT'L RESCUE COMMITTEE
$100,000CHARITABLE
ST ANNS WAREHOUSE
$98,126CHARITABLE
VON KING PARK CONSERVANCY
$55,000CHARITABLE
CUREBOUND
$51,000CHARITABLE
BROOKLYN BRIDGE CONSERVANCY
$50,000CHARITABLE
WILD CONTRIBUTION
$50,000CHARITABLE
PROSPECT PARK ALLIANCE
$50,000CHARITABLE
ROOM AT THE INN
$50,000CHARITABLE
RED HOOK INITIATIVE
$50,000CHARITABLE
HELPUSADOPTORG
$50,000CHARITABLE
BROOKLYN INDEPENDENT MIDDLE SCHOOL
$40,631CHARITABLE 501C3
THE BROOKLYN ORGANIZATION
$31,019CHARITABLE
MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CTR
$25,000CHARITABLE
EPIC PLAYERS INCLUSION COMPANY
$25,000CHARITABLE 501C3
WNET
$25,000CHARITABLE
92ND STREET Y
$25,000CHARITABLE
THE CIESLA FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
OCEANIC SOCIETY
$25,000CHARITABLE
TELLURIDE FONDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
TAPS UKRAINE
$20,000CHARITABLE
SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK
$20,000CHARITABLE
US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
$18,000CHARITABLE
SOUTH FORK NATURAL HISTORY MUSUEM
$10,000CHARITABLE
BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY
$10,000CHARITABLE 501C3
ROUNDABOUT THEATRE
$10,000CHARITABLE
CHILDRENS MEDICAL FUND OF NY
$10,000CHARITABLE
BEAM CENTER
$10,000CHARITABLE
CONGREGATION SHIRAT HAYAM
$10,000CHARITABLE
FAMILY LEGAL CARE
$10,000CHARITABLE
NY ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
$10,000CHARITABLE
WINE ON WHEELS
$10,000CHARITABLE
HEART 911
$10,000CHARITABLE
CE12 FOUNDATION
$10,000CHARITABLE
THE BROOKLYN HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$10,000CHARITABLE
BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS
$10,000CHARITABLE
CAMP MOSHAVA
$5,000CHARITABLE
THE CITY
$5,000CHARITABLE
THE CALVIN COOLIDGE PRESIDENTIAL FNDTN
$5,000CHARITABLE
DANSPACE PROJECT
$2,802CHARITABLE
FRESH START SURGICAL GIFTS
$2,038CHARITABLE
PROJECT EZRA
$1,800CHARITABLE
ST MATTHEWS LUTHERAN CHURCH
$1,000CHARITABLE
WRITOPIA LAB
$308CHARITABLE