About Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University's foundation prioritizes local civic and community support in suburban New Jersey, directing the bulk of its dollars to municipalities and municipal projects (notably South Orange, Clifton, Nutley, and Summit). Beyond large civic grants, it routinely funds neighborhood cultural institutions, faith-based campus ministry, emergency services, and local scholarship programs — typically with unrestricted or general-purpose awards. The pattern suggests a strong emphasis on sustaining the university's host communities and nearby social infrastructure.
Focus Areas
Municipal government and local public services in Essex/Passaic County, NJ (large general-purpose grants to townships)South Orange civic and cultural institutions (e.g., South Orange Performing Arts Center, SOMA cross-cultural initiatives)Faith-based campus and youth ministry (Saint Paul's Outreach and similar groups)Local emergency services and public safety support (South Orange Rescue Squad)Scholarships and educational access for urban/inner-city children (The Scholarship Fund for Inner City Children)
Giving Approach
Highly concentrated in a few large municipal recipients (majority of dollars to top townships) combined with repeated smaller, general-purpose grants to local nonprofits; favors repeat grantees in its immediate geographic area rather than broad, issue-specific national giving.
About Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University’s recent giving is defined by a concentrated pattern of general-purpose support to nearby municipalities, with the Township of South Orange Village receiving the largest awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That civic focus sits at the center of a broader portfolio that also reaches local public safety, cultural institutions, faith-based campus ministry, and scholarship support for children in urban communities. The foundation’s grantmaking is largely unrestricted or general-purpose, which shows up clearly in recurring awards to township governments rather than one-time project grants. In the latest grant list, South Orange Village appears alongside Township of Clifton and Township of Nutley as major recipients, while smaller awards support organizations such as South Orange Rescue Squad, South Orange Performing Arts Center, and The Scholarship Fund For Inner City Children. The overall picture is of a university-linked funder that channels most of its giving into the social and civic infrastructure surrounding its host communities, while keeping a limited portion for mission-adjacent nonprofits farther afield.
What Seton Hall University Funds
Local government and public services are the clearest funding lane. Seton Hall University gave $620,000 to Township of South Orange Village in 2025 for general purpose support, after similar awards of $611,000 in 2024 and $562,000 in 2023. It also backed Township of Clifton with $326,000 in 2025 and Township of Nutley with $279,000 in 2025, continuing a municipal pattern across Essex and Passaic County. The foundation also supports community infrastructure beyond government. It awarded $12,000 to South Orange Rescue Squad in 2024, reflecting support for local emergency services. Cultural and civic life appears in grants such as $8,000 to South Orange Performing Arts Center Inc in 2025 and $8,000 to Soma Cross Cultural Works Inc in 2024. Education-related giving includes $10,000 to The Scholarship Fund For Inner City Children in 2023.
How Seton Hall University Gives
Typical grants are modest at the center of the portfolio, with a p25 of $7,750, a median of $11,000, and a p75 of $181,000; the distribution is pulled upward by large municipal awards. The recurring pattern is clear: several recipients appear across multiple years, especially South Orange Village, Clifton, Nutley, Summit, Saint Paul's Outreach, South Orange Performing Arts Center Inc, and Soma Cross Cultural Works Inc. That repeated funding suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. The foundation gives as a university-linked institutional funder and uses flexible support heavily, with many grants labeled general purpose. No individual-grant application process is indicated in the data.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.6M
Total Assets
$921.7M
Total Revenue
$563.8M
Total Expenses
$550.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $181K, with a median of $11K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$11K
75th Percentile
$181K
Geographic Reach
National5 states funded
About 79% of grants go to recipients in NJ.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
KATIA PASSERINI PHD
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