About New York Life Foundation
The New York Life Foundation’s 2020 giving reflected a highly concentrated, intermediary-focused approach: nearly all recorded funds were awarded to Blackbaud Giving Fund/YourCause, a corporate giving platform. Rather than direct project support, the foundation appears to channel large sums into a public multipurpose vehicle — likely to facilitate employee- or corporate-directed philanthropy and broad, flexible grantmaking to many downstream charities.
Focus Areas
Corporate/Workplace Giving and Employee Donor-Advised FundsPass-through Philanthropy via Public Multipurpose FundsFlexible/Unrestricted Support for Multiple, unspecified nonprofit causes
Who They Fund
nonprofit organizationseducational institutionsarts and cultural organizationshealth and human services providersgeneral public / community populations
Giving Approach
Very concentrated — a small number of very large grants made to a single intermediary (Blackbaud/YourCause), indicating use of a donor-advised or workplace-giving platform rather than direct, program-specific grants.
About New York Life Foundation
A defining feature of the New York Life Foundation’s grantmaking is its long-running support for bereavement work alongside education and youth-serving programs. The largest recent awards show that pattern clearly: seven-figure grants have gone to organizations such as After-school All-stars, Eluna, and City Year Inc. The foundation also uses sizable support for intermediary and field-building organizations, including Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the Blackbaud Giving Fund (YourCause LLC), which suggests a mix of direct nonprofit grants and pass-through giving. Recent grants point to a broad portfolio across youth opportunity, grief support, and community programs. Education-oriented gifts recur through multiple years, while health and human services awards appear in both child bereavement and wider family-support settings. The foundation’s recent activity also includes recurring support for organizations that operate nationally, not just locally, with grants reaching major nonprofits in education, community service, and grief services. Its published programs reinforce that mix: bereavement, education, workplace initiatives, and local community priorities all sit within the foundation’s grantmaking scope. Employee- and agent-linked volunteering is part of the picture as well, tying some support to workforce engagement and local service.
What New York Life Foundation Funds
Bereavement support is one of the clearest themes in the New York Life Foundation’s recent grantmaking. The foundation gave $1,035,000 to Eluna in 2025 for health and human services work, and it awarded $675,000 to Judi’s House in 2025 for a similar purpose. Education and youth opportunity are another major thread. Grants include $1,200,000 to After-school All-stars in 2025 for education, $750,000 to Higher Achievement Program Inc in 2025 for education, and $537,000 to Afterschool Alliance in 2025 for education. The foundation also supports community-facing organizations that serve children and families. It gave $700,000 to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors in 2025, and it made a $535,000 grant to Sesame Workshop in New York for arts, culture and humanities work. These awards show a portfolio that crosses grief services, schooling, and broader family and community support.
How New York Life Foundation Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$27M
Total Assets
$146.2M
Total Revenue
$39.1M
Total Expenses
$28M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $500 and $7K, with a median of $500.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$500
75th Percentile
$7K
Geographic Reach
National51 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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