The T Backer Fund makes a small number of relatively large, targeted gifts focused on land conservation, higher‑education innovation, and regional performing arts. Their portfolio is concentrated — multiple sizable awards to the same conservation organization plus significant support for an MIT family‑designated innovation fund — indicating priority relationships rather than one‑off donations. Grants appear aimed at preserving land and supporting local cultural infrastructure and institutional innovation.
T Backer Fund Inc C/o Daniel Grunberg has a clear pattern of pairing land conservation with place-based cultural and educational support. One of its largest recent gifts went to Columbia Land Conservancy Inc in Chatham, NY, and the organization appears multiple times in the recent grant list, showing an ongoing relationship rather than a single transaction. The fund also made a notable commitment to the Backer Grunberg Family Idea Hub Fund at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, including a $119,000 grant in 2023 and a $35,000 grant in 2025. Those awards sit alongside support for regional performing arts groups in the Hudson Valley, including Cradnell Theatre Inc and Time and Space Limited Theatre Co Inc. The result is a funder profile centered on targeted gifts to institutions that preserve land, support innovation, and sustain local cultural infrastructure. It also gives to nonprofit partners in health, civic engagement, housing, and recovery, but the largest grants in the record cluster around conservation, MIT-linked innovation, and theater.
Land conservation is a recurring theme. In 2024 and 2025, T Backer Fund Inc C/o Daniel Grunberg gave $90,000 and $60,000 to Columbia Land Conservancy Inc in Chatham, NY for general support, with another $50,000 grant in 2023 for general charitable purposes. The fund also supports educational and maker-space activity. It gave $11,500 in 2025 to Cambridge City - Makerspace Program in Cambridge, MA for general support, and $10,000 in 2024 to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for general support. Civic participation and public health also appear in the record: it gave $20,000 in 2025 to You Can Vote in Durham, NC for general support, and $10,000 in 2025 to Columbia Memorial Health Foundation in Hudson, NY for general support.
Typical grants are small relative to the largest awards, with a p25 of $2,000, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent record also shows a few much larger gifts, including six-figure and high five-figure awards. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Columbia Land Conservancy Inc, Time and Space Limited Theatre Co Inc, Morris Memorial Association, World Central Kitchen Inc, You Can Vote, Tides Foundation, Columbia Memorial Health Foundation, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which points to repeat relationships rather than one-time checks. The fund gives directly and also through named fund or foundation vehicles such as Tides Foundation.
$395K
$4.1M
$344K
$480K
Most grants fall between $2K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 14% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated giving: a few large grants, repeated support to the same conservation grantee, and targeted institutional gifts rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: Columbia Land Conservancy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Backer Grunberg Family Idea Hub Fund), Cradnell Theatre
Grantmaking is regional and overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 129 grants to recipients in the United States. New York is the top state by grant count, and the recent list shows repeated gifts in Chatham, Hudson, and Old Chatham. Massachusetts also appears through Cambridge grants, while Vermont appears through Bennington and Brattleboro. Outside the HQ state of Massachusetts, the record is concentrated in nearby Hudson Valley and New England places rather than a national spread.
The recent grants point to land conservation, higher-education innovation, regional performing arts, civic engagement, health, housing, and recovery. Examples in the record include Columbia Land Conservancy Inc in Chatham, NY, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, and Cradnell Theatre Inc in Chatham, NY.
The grant-size distribution is relatively modest: p25 is $2,000, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $10,000. The record also includes larger exceptions, such as a $119,000 grant to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2023 and a $90,000 grant to Columbia Land Conservancy Inc in 2024.
Yes. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Columbia Land Conservancy Inc, Time and Space Limited Theatre Co Inc, Morris Memorial Association, World Central Kitchen Inc, You Can Vote, Tides Foundation, Columbia Memorial Health Foundation, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That pattern suggests recurring relationships.
The grants are regional and U.S.-based, with New York as the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities include Chatham, Hudson, Old Chatham, Cambridge, Durham, Bennington, and Brattleboro. Massachusetts is the HQ state, but only 14% of grants go to recipients there.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $65,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TIME AND SPACE LIMITED THEATRE CO INC | HUDSON, NY | $23,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YOU CAN VOTE | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ACADEMY OF CHARLEMONT | CHARLEMONT, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HEALTH FOUNDATION | HUDSON, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $12,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WBUR PUBLIC RADIO | BOSTON, MA | $11,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARLINGTON EATS | ARLINGTON, MA | $10,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WOUNDED WARRIORS PROJECT | TOPEKA, KS | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA - GREENE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC | HUDSON, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TWIN COUNTY RECOVERY SERVICES | HUDSON, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | HUDSON, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TIDES FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | MOVEMENT VOTER FUND |
| FOOD LINK INC | ARLINGTON, MA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CRADNELL THEATRE INC | CHATHAM, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MORRIS MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION | CHATHAM, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $7,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEPM PUBLIC RADIO | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $6,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TECH VALLEY CENTER OF GRAVITY INC | TROY, NY | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CONCERTS IN THE VILLAGE | KINDERHOOK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC INC | GREAT BARRINGTON, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA FRIENDS OF THE ELECTRIC TRAIL | VALATIE, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | MAINTAIN ALBANY-HUDSON ELECTRIC TRAIL |
| SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | ASHLAND, OR | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHATHAM AREA RECREATION PROJECT | CHATHAM, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BERKSHIRE TACONIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC | SHEFFIELD, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUDSON FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA | HUDSON, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WAMC | ALBANY, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HANTZ FOUNDATION | SOUTHFIELD, MI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ITACA COMMUNITY RADIOWRFI | ITHACA, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WBGO PUBLIC RADIO | NEWARK, NJ | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRI-VILLAGE FIRE COMPANY INC | OLD CHATHAM, NY | $3,600 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA GREENE HUMANE SOCIETY INC | HUDSON, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA COUNTY RECOVERY KITCHEN INC | HUDSON, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHATHAM AREA SILENT FOOD PANTRY | CHATHAM, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA COUNTY YOUTH THEATRE INC | CHATHAM, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GHENT FOOD PANTRY | GHENT, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUDSON TACONIS LANDS | AVERILL PARK, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GUILDERLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY | GUIDLERLAND, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPENCERTOWN ACADEMY SOCIETY | SPENCERTOWN, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UPPER HUDSON PLANNED PARENTHOOD INC | ALBANY, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BALANCED INNOVATIVE TEACHINGLITTLE BROOK FARM | OLD CHATHAM, NY | $1,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NASSAU FREE LIBRARY | NASSAU, NY | $1,500 | 2026 | LIBRARY |
| ART OMI INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOAGS CORNER VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY INC | EAST NASSAU, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | FIRE DEPARTMENT E NASSAU |
| FRIENDS OF PINE BUSH COMMUNITY | GUIDLERLAND, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF CHATHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY INC | CHATHAM, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHATHAM RESCUE SQUAD INC | GHENT, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA LAND CONSERVANCY INC | CHATHAM, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC
$65,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INC
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TIME AND SPACE LIMITED THEATRE CO INC
$23,500GENERAL SUPPORT
ACADEMY OF CHARLEMONT
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HEALTH FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WBUR PUBLIC RADIO
$11,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARLINGTON EATS
$10,500GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA - GREENE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TWIN COUNTY RECOVERY SERVICES
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CRADNELL THEATRE INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MORRIS MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
NEPM PUBLIC RADIO
$6,500GENERAL SUPPORT
TECH VALLEY CENTER OF GRAVITY INC
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CONCERTS IN THE VILLAGE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC INC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA FRIENDS OF THE ELECTRIC TRAIL
$5,000MAINTAIN ALBANY-HUDSON ELECTRIC TRAIL
CHATHAM AREA RECREATION PROJECT
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HUDSON FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HANTZ FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ITACA COMMUNITY RADIOWRFI
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WBGO PUBLIC RADIO
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRI-VILLAGE FIRE COMPANY INC
$3,600GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA GREENE HUMANE SOCIETY INC
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA COUNTY RECOVERY KITCHEN INC
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHATHAM AREA SILENT FOOD PANTRY
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA COUNTY YOUTH THEATRE INC
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GHENT FOOD PANTRY
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
HUDSON TACONIS LANDS
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GUILDERLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SPENCERTOWN ACADEMY SOCIETY
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BALANCED INNOVATIVE TEACHINGLITTLE BROOK FARM
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
NASSAU FREE LIBRARY
$1,500LIBRARY
ART OMI INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOAGS CORNER VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY INC
$1,000FIRE DEPARTMENT E NASSAU
FRIENDS OF PINE BUSH COMMUNITY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF CHATHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHATHAM RESCUE SQUAD INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT