The Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Foundation focuses on large, institution-strengthening gifts to major New York cultural and civic institutions. Their support concentrates on performing arts, public media, Jewish community programming, and higher education/museums, typically as general purpose funding to well-established organizations. Grants tend to be few but substantial and often repeated to the same beneficiaries, indicating a preference for sustaining core operations of flagship institutions.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants with repeat funding to a small group of large, established New York cultural and civic institutions; many grants are unrestricted/general purpose to support core operations.
A defining feature of the Susan S and Kenneth L Wallach Foundation is its repeated support for major New York cultural institutions at the top of their grant list, including two $1,250,000 grants to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc in 2023 and 2024. That scale sits alongside steady general support for other long-running civic and cultural organizations, showing a pattern built around sustaining established institutions rather than one-off project bets. The foundation’s recent giving also reaches into performing arts, Jewish community programming, public media, museums, and higher education, with grants often labeled general purpose or general support. Its grant history suggests preference for organizations with broad public reach and durable operating needs. The 92nd Street Ym-ywha received $605,000 in 2024 and $600,000 in 2023, while Wnet received $410,000 in 2024 and $375,000 in 2023. American Museum of Natural History, Pace University, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center also appear among the larger awards, reinforcing a portfolio centered on New York institutions with ongoing institutional budgets and long-term program presence.
In performing arts, the foundation backed Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc with $1,250,000 in 2024 and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Inc with $240,000 in 2023. It also supported Mastervoices with $50,000 in 2024, pointing to interest in performance organizations across different scales. Jewish community programming appears through The 92nd Street Ym-ywha, which received $605,000 in 2024 and $600,000 in 2023, and Uja-federation of New York, which received $25,000 in 2024. For public media and education, Wnet received $410,000 in 2024 and $375,000 in 2023. The foundation also supported the National Book Foundation with $80,000 in 2024 and $76,000 in 2023, alongside New York Public Library grants in both 2024 and 2023.
Typical grant size is $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $33,750 at the 75th percentile, which shows a mix of smaller awards and a much larger upper tier. In the recent grants list, several recipients appear in multiple years, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc, The 92nd Street Ym-ywha, Wnet, Pace University, American Museum of Natural History, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University Radcliffe Institute for Advance Study, Council on Foreign Relations Inc, National Book Foundation, Spence School, and New York Public Library. The foundation is a regular funder, not an individual-giving vehicle, and it does not make program-related investments.
$4M
$97.1M
$15.5M
$5.5M
Most grants fall between $3K and $34K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$34K
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Notable grantees: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 92nd Street YM-YWHA (92nd Street Y), WNET, Pace University, American Museum of Natural History
Grants are concentrated in New York: 70% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and New York is also the top state by grant count. Recent awards cluster in New York City, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc, The 92nd Street Ym-ywha, Wnet, American Museum of Natural History, New York Public Library, and Uja-federation of New York. Outside New York, the foundation gives to Cambridge, MA; Valhalla, NY; Princeton, NJ; and Plymouth, MA, but all grants in the recent list go to US recipients.
Its recent grants go mainly to cultural and civic institutions, especially performing arts groups, Jewish community organizations, public media, museums, higher education, and libraries. Examples in the recent list include Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc, The 92nd Street Ym-ywha, Wnet, American Museum of Natural History, and New York Public Library.
The recent grants are overwhelmingly labeled general support or general purpose. That pattern appears across large awards such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc, Wnet, Pace University, and American Museum of Natural History, suggesting flexible operating support is a major part of the foundation’s approach.
Yes. Several organizations received grants in both 2023 and 2024, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc, The 92nd Street Ym-ywha, Wnet, Pace University, American Museum of Natural History, National Book Foundation, Spence School, and New York Public Library.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $33,750 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes much larger institutional awards, such as $1,250,000 to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc.
New York is the top state by grant count, and 70% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent New York City recipients include Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc, The 92nd Street Ym-ywha, Wnet, and American Museum of Natural History.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $600,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE 92ND STREET Y | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WNET | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | NEW YORK, NY | $145,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MASTERVOICES | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PACE UNIVERSITY | VALHALLA, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARTHA'S VINEYARD HOSPITAL INC | OAK BLUFFS, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPENCE SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $45,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST HILDA'S AND ST HUGH'S SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY RADCLIFFE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION TRUST ACT FOR MASSACHUSETTS INC | PLYMOUTH, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE THIRTY SIX EAST SIXTY SECOND STREET FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE COMMON GOOD INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ECONOMIC GROUP OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE RECORDER NEWS INC | KATONAH, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL INC | PRINCETON, NJ | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOUIS AUGUST JONAS FOUNDATION | RHINEBECK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY HARVARD LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI CENTER | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DEERFIELD ACADEMY | DEERFIELD, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF CENTRAL PARK EAST HIGH SCHOOL INCORPORATED | NEW YORK, NY | $9,600 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARAMOOR CENTER FOR MUSIC AND THE ARTS INC | KATONAH, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOTCHKISS SCHOOL | LAKEVILLE, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| 1898 FOUNDATION INC | PURCHASE, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE FORTUNE SOCIETY INC | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TREVOR DAY SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRO PUBLICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| APERTURE FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARNEGIE HILL NEIGHBORS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EDGARTOWN YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION | EDGARTOWN, MA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY HARVARD COLLEGE FUND | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WESTCHESTER LAND TRUST | BEDFORD HILLS, NY | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE FUND FOR PARK AVENUE | NEW YORK, NY | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THREE LAKES COUNCIL INC | SOUTH SALEM, NY | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC | LINCOLN, MA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTH SALEM FIRE DEPARTMENT | SOUTH SALEM, NY | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEWISBORO VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS INC | SOUTH SALEM, NY | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY RUTGERS LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | NEWARK, NJ | $800,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY RADCLIFFE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $450,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WNET | NEW YORK, NY | $429,573 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS INC
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
$600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE 92ND STREET Y
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WNET
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
MARTHA'S VINEYARD HOSPITAL INC
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST HILDA'S AND ST HUGH'S SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION TRUST ACT FOR MASSACHUSETTS INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE THIRTY SIX EAST SIXTY SECOND STREET FOUNDATION INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ECONOMIC GROUP OF NEW YORK
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE RECORDER NEWS INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOUIS AUGUST JONAS FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DEERFIELD ACADEMY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF CENTRAL PARK EAST HIGH SCHOOL INCORPORATED
$9,600GENERAL SUPPORT
HOTCHKISS SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
1898 FOUNDATION INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
APERTURE FOUNDATION INC
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CARNEGIE HILL NEIGHBORS INC
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
EDGARTOWN YACHT CLUB FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY HARVARD COLLEGE FUND
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE FUND FOR PARK AVENUE
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
THREE LAKES COUNCIL INC
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY INC
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
SOUTH SALEM FIRE DEPARTMENT
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
LEWISBORO VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS INC
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY RUTGERS LAW SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
$800,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WNET
$429,573GENERAL SUPPORT