The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation concentrates large, strategic gifts in Jewish/Israel-related advocacy and community institutions while also supporting high-profile civic anti-poverty work in New York and locally-rooted community recreation projects. Grants are sizable and often repeated to the same organizations, and the foundation deploys both direct grants and donor-advised account funding to advance policy and community-building priorities. There is also a willingness to fund faith-based pro-Israel outreach that crosses religious lines.
The Barry S Sternlicht Foundation’s largest recent grants center on Jewish and Israel-related advocacy, led by a $2.5 million 2025 grant to the American Jewish Committee for FACTS FOR PEACE and a $2 million 2024 grant to the same organization for the STERNLICHT initiative. That emphasis sits alongside repeated support for New York anti-poverty fundraising, with Robin Hood Foundation receiving $1.5 million in 2023, $900,000 in 2025, and another $500,000 in 2025 for annual campaign and year-end giving. The foundation also backs institutions tied to Jewish communal life and public narrative work, including UJA-Federation New York, Birthright Israel Foundation, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and the Louis D. Brandeis Center. Its giving extends beyond advocacy into place-based community projects. A $500,000 grant to West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc. supported development, construction, and operation of West Palm Golf Park, described as a facility for inclusivity, community outreach, and junior development. Another strand reaches faith-based pro-Israel outreach, reflected in support for Eagles Wings International Inc. The pattern is one of large, targeted gifts to organizations that align with civic, communal, and narrative-building priorities, rather than broad program arrays.
Jewish communal support and Israel advocacy are central themes. The foundation gave $390,000 to United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanth in 2023 for its annual campaign, and later supported American Jewish Committee again with $125,000 in 2024 for a charitable event. Anti-semitism response and Israel narrative work also appear in the record. In 2024, Foundation to Combat Anti-semitism Inc received $250,000 as an expenditure responsibility grant, while America Israel Democracy Coalition received $100,000 in 2025 for the Nova Music Festival Exhibition touring exhibition in Los Angeles. A third cluster is sports and youth development. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Foundation received $100,000 in 2024 to empower Team USA athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence and well-being, and West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc received $500,000 in 2023 for West Palm Golf Park, including junior development.
$7.6M
$170.3M
$7.9M
$8.6M
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated, high-value giving with a small number of large grants and several repeat recipients; mix of annual campaign support, multi-grant commitments, capital project funding, and use of donor-advised accounts rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: American Jewish Committee, Robin Hood Foundation, West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc, Eagles Wings International Inc, UJA-Federation of New York
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also shows much larger strategic gifts in the hundreds of thousands and millions. Recipients often appear more than once across years: American Jewish Committee, Robin Hood Foundation, West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc, Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation Inc, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, and National Philanthropic Trust all recur. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and also uses donor-advised fund vehicles, including the Sternlicht Family Foundation DAF account and The Sternlicht Family Foundation Fund. It funds individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Grant recipients are concentrated in New York, which is the top state by grant count, but the portfolio also reaches Florida, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington, DC, and Delaware is not represented among recipients. New York City appears repeatedly through American Jewish Committee, Robin Hood Foundation, UJA-Federation New York, Birthright Israel Foundation, and others. Florida recipients include Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Miami, and Miami Beach, while Pennsylvania recipients include Jenkintown, Philadelphia, and Wynnewood. All recorded grants go to US recipients.
The foundation’s record centers on Jewish communal institutions, Israel advocacy, anti-poverty campaigns, and community projects. Recent examples include American Jewish Committee, Robin Hood Foundation, UJA-Federation New York, Foundation to Combat Anti-semitism Inc, and West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc.
The distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent file also includes much larger grants, including multimillion-dollar awards.
Yes. Multiple organizations appear in more than one year, including American Jewish Committee, Robin Hood Foundation, West Palm Golf Community Trust Inc, Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation Inc, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, and National Philanthropic Trust.
No. The top state by grant count is New York, but the recent grants also reach Florida, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington, DC, and other US locations. The recipient-country distribution shows all recorded grants going to US organizations.
The record includes donor-advised fund activity through National Philanthropic Trust, with entries for both the Sternlicht Family Foundation DAF account and The Sternlicht Family Foundation Fund, alongside direct grants made by the foundation.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500,000 | 2025 | FACTS FOR PEACE (STERNLICHT Israel project) |
| ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $900,000 | 2025 | Annual Campaign |
| ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | FOR ROBIN HOOD'S ANNUAL YEAR-END GIVING CAMPAIGN, |
| EAGLES WINGS INTERNATIONAL INC | CLARENCE, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | To scale and elevate the narrative and character of CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL |
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $430,000 | 2025 | The Sternlicht Family Foundation Fund |
| NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | the Sternlicht Sustainability Fund FOR PROGRAMMING OPERATIONS OF THE 1 HOTELS FELLOWSHIP AND THE E2 EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM |
| GREATER MIAMI JEWISH FEDERATION | MIAMI, FL | $200,000 | 2025 | Annual Campaign |
| MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION INC | MIAMI BEACH, FL | $200,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $109,200 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL FEDERATION OF JEWISH PHILANTH | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GREENLIGHT FUND INC | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | GREENLIGHT FUND MIAMI Mission |
| ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| UNITED STATES OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | TO EMPOWER TEAM USA ATHLETES TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINED COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE AND WELL BEING |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICA ISRAEL DEMOCRACY COALITION | WYNNEWOOD, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | "The Nova Music Festival Exhibition, The MomenT MUSIC STOOD STLL" TOURING EXHIBITION LOS ANGELES VENUE |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | PROJECT NARRATIVE-DOCUMENTARY TO SUPPOrT SHERYL SANDBERG'S DOCUMENTARY "SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE" |
| AMERICA ISRAEL DEMOCRACY COALITION | WYNNEWOOD, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | "The Nova Music FESTIVAL EXHIBITION, THE MOMENT MUSIC STOOD STILL" TOURING EXHIBITION MIAMI FLORIDA VENUE |
| YEAR UP INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | FOR The David Rockefeller Council of The Museum of MODERN ART (MOMA) |
| AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY RE | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | For AEI's National Council Co-Chair level |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY | BRONX, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| THE TONY BLAIR FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Earmarked for the Middle East Initiative of the ToNY BLAIR INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE |
| USC SHOAH FOUNDATION INSTITUTE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL FEDERATION OF JEWISH PHILANTH | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| CITY HARVEST INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Annual Campaign |
| UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ALZHEIMERS DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| RAINFOREST ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WATERSIDE SCHOOL INC | STAMFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | Annual Campaign Appeal |
| THE EVERGLADES FOUNDATION INC | PALMETTO BAY, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| THE BI-CULTURAL HEBREW ACADEMY OF CONNECTICUT INCO | STAMFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FRESH AIR FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF IRAQ FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | "Ocean Innovation Challenge" with deep-tech vENTURE PLATFORM, NEWLAB |
| FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SHATTERPROOF A NONPROFIT CORP | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| TEAM IMPACT | QUINCY, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION | SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SHAKE-A-LEG MIAMI INC | MIAMI, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | The Marine and HospitalitY VOCATIONAL PROGRAM |
| CHICAGO CARES INC | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | Chicago Cares' Annual Campaign |
| ACHIEVE MIAMI INC | MIAMI, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE YOUNG MENS AND YOUNG WOMENS HEBREW ASSOCIATION | NEW YORK, NY | $18,000 | 2025 | FOR 92ND STREET Y, NEW YORK GALA, commemorating THE INSTITUTION'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY |
| GABRIELLES ANGEL FOUNDATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH IN | NEW YORK, NY | $18,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| FOUNDATION FOR CULTURAL REVIEW INC | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| THE OPEN DOOR SHELTER INC | NORWALK, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | Open Door Shelter's Annual Campaign |
EAGLES WINGS INTERNATIONAL INC
$500,000To scale and elevate the narrative and character of CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST
$430,000The Sternlicht Family Foundation Fund
the Sternlicht Sustainability Fund FOR PROGRAMMING OPERATIONS OF THE 1 HOTELS FELLOWSHIP AND THE E2 EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM
TO EMPOWER TEAM USA ATHLETES TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINED COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE AND WELL BEING
"The Nova Music Festival Exhibition, The MomenT MUSIC STOOD STLL" TOURING EXHIBITION LOS ANGELES VENUE
PROJECT NARRATIVE-DOCUMENTARY TO SUPPOrT SHERYL SANDBERG'S DOCUMENTARY "SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE"
"The Nova Music FESTIVAL EXHIBITION, THE MOMENT MUSIC STOOD STILL" TOURING EXHIBITION MIAMI FLORIDA VENUE
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED
$50,000General & Unrestricted
FOR The David Rockefeller Council of The Museum of MODERN ART (MOMA)
For AEI's National Council Co-Chair level
Earmarked for the Middle East Initiative of the ToNY BLAIR INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE
THE BI-CULTURAL HEBREW ACADEMY OF CONNECTICUT INCO
$25,000General & Unrestricted
FRESH AIR FUND
$25,000Charitable Event
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF IRAQ FOUNDATION INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
"Ocean Innovation Challenge" with deep-tech vENTURE PLATFORM, NEWLAB
FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES
$25,000General & Unrestricted
SHATTERPROOF A NONPROFIT CORP
$25,000Charitable Event
THE YOUNG MENS AND YOUNG WOMENS HEBREW ASSOCIATION
$18,000FOR 92ND STREET Y, NEW YORK GALA, commemorating THE INSTITUTION'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY