The Lowy Foundation USA directs a focused, high-dollar philanthropic program toward Israel–Middle East engagement and public policy influence, often supporting organizations that advance diplomacy, Jewish–Christian relations, and strategic research. Grants favor policy-oriented think tanks, Israel-focused advocacy and philanthropic intermediaries, and occasional support for biomedical research at leading institutions. Their giving emphasizes programmatic initiatives with named purposes (e.g., fellowships, impact funds, peace dialogue projects) rather than many small community grants.
Lowy Foundation USA Inc makes large, targeted grants around Israel–Middle East diplomacy and public-policy influence, with a clear preference for named initiatives rather than broad unrestricted support. One of its most distinctive recent awards was $937,500 to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews for ORR SHALOM, a grant that sits alongside other high-value commitments to policy and research institutions. The foundation also backed the Council on Foreign Relations with $600,000 for the Lowy Distinguished Fellow in US - Middle East Diplomacy, reinforcing a pattern of funding work that connects scholarship, diplomacy, and strategic dialogue. Its grants reach organizations involved in Israeli philanthropy, peace dialogue, and communications work, including project-specific support for groups such as Middle East Peace Dialogue Network Inc. Across the recent record, the foundation favors substantial awards and named programs, with grants often attached to fellowships, chairs, funds, or specific initiatives. That structure suggests a funder that uses philanthropy to advance policy-relevant work in international affairs, Israel-related engagement, and selected biomedical priorities.
In diplomacy and international affairs, Lowy Foundation USA Inc funded the Council on Foreign Relations with $600,000 for the Lowy Distinguished Fellow in US - Middle East Diplomacy. For policy and strategic research, it gave Rand Corporation $500,000 for the LOWY IMPACT FUND, and later another $100,000 to the same organization for the Michael D Rich Chair in Countering Truth Decay Foundation. In Israel-related philanthropy and capacity-building, the foundation awarded $200,000 to Pef Israel Endowment Funds Inc for LDAN FUND #129. It also made a $250,000 grant to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for PRIORITY INITIATIVE, showing that its portfolio includes selected biomedical support alongside foreign-policy and Israel-focused giving.
Typical grants are large: the recent distribution shows a 25th percentile of $200,000, a median of $250,000, and a 75th percentile of $500,000. The foundation’s recent record includes repeat support to Rand Corporation across 2023 grants, which points to some ongoing relationships rather than purely one-off awards. Its giving is program-oriented, with grants tied to named fellows, funds, projects, and initiatives. Lowy Foundation USA Inc does not fund individuals directly and does not make program-related investments.
$1.9M
$1.7M
$1.8M
$2M
Most grants fall between $200K and $500K, with a median of $250K.
25th Percentile
$200K
Median
$250K
75th Percentile
$500K
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Concentrated giving with a small number of large grants; primarily one-off or program-specific awards to national intermediaries and think tanks rather than broad grassroots grantmaking.
Notable grantees: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Council on Foreign Relations, RAND Corporation, Middle East Peace Dialogue Network, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Giving is national, but it is concentrated in a small set of recipient locations. New York accounts for 44% of grants, and named recipients there include Council on Foreign Relations, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Pef Israel Endowment Funds Inc, and Pen American Center Inc. Other recipient cities in the recent record include Chicago, Rehoboth Beach, Santa Monica, and Washington, DC. All recent grants in the data went to US recipients.
The foundation backs diplomacy and Middle East policy work, Israel-focused philanthropy and capacity-building, Jewish–Christian relations and pro-Israel outreach, policy research, and some biomedical initiatives. Recent grants include named fellowships, chairs, funds, and project support rather than open-ended general operating support.
Recent grants cluster at the high end: the 25th percentile is $200,000, the median is $250,000, and the 75th percentile is $500,000. The recent sample also includes a $937,500 grant, showing that the foundation sometimes makes much larger awards.
In the recent grants data, all listed recipients are in the United States, and the recipient country distribution is 100% US. Named recipient cities include New York, Chicago, Santa Monica, Rehoboth Beach, and Washington, DC.
Yes. Rand Corporation appears in two recent grants, one for $500,000 in 2023 for the LOWY IMPACT FUND and another for $100,000 in 2023 for the Michael D Rich Chair in Countering Truth Decay Foundation. That indicates at least some repeat funding relationships.
No. The foundation’s profile states that it does not fund individuals. The recent grants also show awards to organizations and named institutional programs, such as the Council on Foreign Relations, Pef Israel Endowment Funds Inc, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Friends of Tel Aviv University | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF UNITED HATZALAH | NEW YORK, NY | $430,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| HATZOLAH AIR | MONGAUP VALLEY, NY | $18,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | RAND Centers |
| UJA-FEDERATION OF NY | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ISRAEL EMERGENCY ALLIANCE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE |
| AMERICAN AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | MUSCOSKELETAL RESEARCH |
| COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS | NEW YORK, NY | $600,000 | 2024 | Lowy Distinguished Fellow in US - Middle East Diplomacy |
| MIDDLE EAST PEACE DIALOGUE NETWORK INC | Rehoboth Beach, DE | $500,000 | 2024 | Blue White Future |
| AMERICA GIVES INC | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2024 | PROJECT TKOOMA |
| PEN AMERICAN CENTER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS | CHICAGO, IL | $937,500 | 2023 | ORR SHALOM |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $500,000 | 2023 | LOWY IMPACT FUND |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2023 | PRIORITY INITIATIVE |
| PEF ISRAEL ENDOWMENT FUNDS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2023 | LDAN FUND #129 |
| RAND CORPORATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Michael D Rich Chair in Countering Truth Decay Foundation |
HATZOLAH AIR
$18,000GENERAL
RAND CORPORATION
$500,000RAND Centers
CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE
AMERICAN AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION INC
$25,000GENERAL
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
$600,000Lowy Distinguished Fellow in US - Middle East Diplomacy
RAND CORPORATION
$500,000LOWY IMPACT FUND
RAND CORPORATION
$100,000Michael D Rich Chair in Countering Truth Decay Foundation