The Laurie Kayden Foundation funds a mix of Jewish communal causes, higher education, civil rights/advocacy, and humanitarian and environmental organizations, often supporting both U.S.-based and Israel-focused institutions. Grants are frequently unrestricted or for general support and tend to back service delivery (food aid, disaster response), disability/access programs, and civic justice efforts, indicating a preference for organizations that combine direct service with public-facing advocacy or research.
The Laurie Kayden Foundation’s recent giving shows a strong pattern of unrestricted support for Jewish communal organizations, human-rights and advocacy groups, universities, and service providers. In the latest grants list, the foundation awarded $100,000 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. and $100,000 to Hias Inc., both for general support, signaling a preference for flexible operating dollars rather than tightly restricted project funding. Other recurring grant recipients include United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanth and World Central Kitchen Incorporated, each appearing at $75,000 grants, alongside major institutional support for Colgate University and Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. The foundation also backs environmental advocacy, disability access, food relief, and medical-research institutions. Its portfolio includes organizations such as Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated, Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, and American Friends of Wgh Western Galilee Hospital N. Across these grants, the foundation consistently funds established nonprofits with broad public missions, often through general or unrestricted awards.
Jewish communal support is a clear area of emphasis. The foundation gave $75,000 to United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanth in both 2024 and 2025, and also supported American Friends of Wgh Western Galilee Hospital N with $75,000 grants in 2024 and 2025. In civil rights and reproductive rights, it awarded $100,000 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. in 2025 and $50,000 to Anti-defamation League in 2024. Environmental advocacy appears in grants of $75,000 to Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated and Natural Resources Defense Council Inc., each listed in recent years. Humanitarian relief and food security show up in $75,000 grants to World Central Kitchen Incorporated and $50,000 to Mercy Corps, as well as $50,000 to Citymeals-on-wheels.
Typical award size clusters tightly around $50,000 to $75,000, with a median grant of $50,000 and a p75 of $50,000. The upper end reaches $100,000, but most recent grants in the list sit at or near the median. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Recipients appear across multiple years, including Hias Inc, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated, Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, and others, which suggests repeat institutional relationships rather than one-time awards. Many grants are marked general or unrestricted, including support for operating and institutional needs.
$3.2M
$64.3M
$2.3M
$3.9M
Most grants fall between $25K and $50K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated, repeat support: the foundation makes mid-to-large unrestricted grants, often in multiple installments to the same organizations (many grantees received 2–3 grants). Giving mixes national/international institutional partners with service providers, indicating sustained multi-year relationships rather than one-off small gifts.
Notable grantees: HIAS, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Natural Resources Defense Council, World Central Kitchen / Mercy Corps (humanitarian & disaster relief), Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind
The foundation gives nationally, and the recipient base is entirely U.S.-based in the grant data provided. New York is the top state by grant count, with multiple recent recipients in New York City and the Bronx. Washington, DC also appears often, including several advocacy and relief organizations. Other recipient locations in the recent list include Hamilton, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Warrington, PA; Seattle, WA; Louisville, KY; Boone, IA; and Bronx, NY. Delaware is the headquarters state, but no grants in the provided data go to Delaware recipients.
The recent grants show support for Jewish communal organizations, higher education, environmental advocacy, humanitarian relief, disability services, and civil rights or reproductive rights groups. Examples in the data include United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanth, Colgate University, Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated, World Central Kitchen Incorporated, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc.
Typical awards are concentrated at $50,000 and $75,000. The reported median grant size is $50,000, with p25 also at $25,000 and p75 at $50,000. Recent grants include several $75,000 awards and multiple $50,000 awards, with some $100,000 grants at the top end.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple recent years, including Hias Inc, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated, Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanth, and American Friends of Wgh Western Galilee Hospital N. The pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated grants.
Most listed awards are for general or unrestricted support. A few grants name a specific institutional purpose, such as Columbia Law School and Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences. The repeated general-support language suggests the foundation often funds operating needs.
The top state by grant count is New York. Recent recipients there include organizations in New York City, the Bronx, and Hamilton. The grant list also shows recipients in Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA; Warrington, PA; Seattle, WA; Louisville, KY; and Boone, IA.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIAS INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF WGH WESTERN GALILEE HOSPITAL N | PHILIDELPHIA, PA | $75,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL FEDERATION OF JEWISH PHILANTH | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLGATE UNIVERSITY | HAMILTON, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | BOONE, IA | $75,000 | 2026 | Cornell Hillel Endowment Fund |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | General and Unrestricted - Columbia Law School |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRO PUBLICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | Weill Cornell Medicine |
| FEEDING AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| METROPOLITAN NEW YORK COORDINATING COUNCIL ON JEWI | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF S | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| WNET | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ALS UNITED GREATER NEW YORK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CENTER FOR HEARING AND COMMUNICATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HEIFER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | BRONX, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER | BRONX, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMIT CHILDREN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| HEARING HEALTH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| VIBRANT EMOTIONAL HEALTH | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| GODS LOVE WE DELIVER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CITYMEALS-ON-WHEELS | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| LIGHTHOUSE GUILD INTERNATIONAL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| FEEDING WESTCHESTER INC | ELMSFORD, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| MERCY CORPS | BOONE, IA | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| WHITE PLAINS MEDICAL CENTER | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| WOMENS ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | Ossining Innovates! and WEDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program |
| CANCER CARE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION INC | MERRIFIELD, VA | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CALVARY HOSPITAL INC | BRONX, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| CITY HARVEST INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY | HARTSDALE, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| MORSELIFE FOUNDATION INC | WEST PALM BCH, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| SELFHELP COMMUNITY SERVICES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE AUDITORY ORAL SCHOOL OF NEW YORK | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRAUMA AND RESILIENCY RESOURCES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ISRAEL GUIDE DOG CENTER FOR THE BLIND | WARRINGTON, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF WGH WESTERN GALILEE HOSPITAL N
$75,000General & Unrestricted
General & Unrestricted
COLGATE UNIVERSITY
$75,000General & Unrestricted
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
$75,000Cornell Hillel Endowment Fund
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$75,000General and Unrestricted - Columbia Law School
WNET
$50,000General & Unrestricted
MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER
$50,000General & Unrestricted
AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted
WOMENS ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC
$50,000Ossining Innovates! and WEDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program
THE AUDITORY ORAL SCHOOL OF NEW YORK
$50,000General & Unrestricted
TRAUMA AND RESILIENCY RESOURCES INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted