The Brandt Jackson Foundation concentrates its giving on arts, storytelling and science communication, funding film projects, literary publishing, and museum/scientific research alongside occasional higher-education support. Grants skew toward creative projects that intersect with science (film festivals, science-related films, museum research) and independent literary endeavors, with a mix of project-specific and general operating support for cultural organizations.
The Brandt Jackson Foundation’s clearest through-line is support for work that connects culture, science, and public understanding. Its largest recent grant went to Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, a single award of $1,750,000, alongside smaller awards for public-health training and alumni support at the same institution. That mix sits beside film, literary, museum, and theatre funding, showing a foundation that backs both academic infrastructure and creative projects. In film, the foundation has supported science- and theme-driven titles such as LISTENING TO WHALES and THE MILKY SEAS, as well as the Science New Wave Festival. In publishing, it has backed literary organizations and specific book projects, including THE NEW FORTY PROJECT and THE WORLD ITSELF. Museum science work also appears in the recent record, with support for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Scientific Research. The foundation also funds performing arts groups and event-based support, suggesting a preference for project-linked or program-linked grants rather than a single narrow field.
A recurring theme is documentary and narrative film tied to science or social questions. The foundation gave $200,000 to Utah Film Center for Radical Gaslighters LLC’s THE LIBRARIANS, $50,000 to Entertainment Industry Foundation for Grace McNally’s LISTENING TO WHALES, and $30,000 to Women Make Movies for Sharon Shattuck’s THE MILKY SEAS. Literary publishing is another clear area. It supported Writers Room Inc with a $100,000 general grant and gave Bellevue Literary Press $30,000 in unrestricted support in 2025, after earlier awards for THE WORLD ITSELF. The foundation also backs science-communication and scientific research institutions. Imagine Science Films received $50,000 for the Science New Wave and the Metropolitan Museum of Art received $15,000 to support its Department of Scientific Research led by Marco Leona. Higher-education support appears in Columbia University awards for the MSPH-Alumni Centennial Practicum Stipend Fund and the Columbia Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
Recent gifts range from $1,400 at the 25th percentile to a median of $3,450 and a 75th percentile of $10,511, with a few much larger awards at the top end. The foundation’s 2025 record includes both major institutional support and smaller project grants, which points to a layered approach rather than a single fixed grant size. Multiple organizations reappear across years, including Columbia University, Lilith Publications, Bellevue Literary Press, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, indicating repeat relationships. The foundation funds individuals as well as institutions, and the grant list shows a mix of general support and purpose-specific awards.
$2.6M
$69.6M
$71.9M
$2.7M
Most grants fall between $1K and $11K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$11K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated giving with a few very large grants (notably a multi-grant relationship with Columbia) plus multiple mid-size, repeat grants to film and literary organizations; mix of project-specific funding and unrestricted/general support across mostly arts-and-science-related grantees.
Notable grantees: Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, Imagine Science Films Corp, Utah Film Center, Lilith Publications Inc, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States in the provided record. New York, NY appears most often, with additional awards in Brooklyn, East Hampton, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Berkeley, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Boston, and Wilmington not appearing among recipients. Florida is the top state by grant count overall, though the recent-grants sample here shows especially heavy activity in New York City. The foundation’s giving reaches beyond its headquarters state of Delaware, where no recipient grants appear in the data provided.
The recent record includes universities, film organizations, literary presses, museums, theatre groups, and science-communication groups. Examples include Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Utah Film Center, Writers Room Inc, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Mastervoices Inc.
It funds individuals as well as organizations. The structured data flags individual support, and the grants list includes project-based funding tied to named creators such as Grace McNally and Sharon Shattuck.
The grant-size distribution is small-to-midscale for most awards: the 25th percentile is $1,400, the median is $3,450, and the 75th percentile is $10,511. The recent record also includes a few much larger outliers, including a $1,750,000 gift to Columbia University.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Columbia University, Lilith Publications Inc, Bellevue Literary Press Inc, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time grants only.
The top state by grant count is Florida. In the recent-grants list provided, recipient organizations are spread across several states, with New York City appearing frequently and other recipients located in Utah, California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Delaware not appearing among grantees.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $1,750,000 | 2025 | Mailman School of Public Health ("MSPH") |
| UTAH FILM CENTER | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $200,000 | 2025 | Radical Gaslighters LLC | THE LIBRARIANS by Kim A Snyder |
| WRITERS ROOM INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | to support Grace McNally's film project LISTENING TO WHALES |
| IMAGINE SCIENCE FILMS CORP | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | in support of the Science New Wave |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | for the MSPH-Alumni Centennial Practicum Stipend Fund, Giving Day Match |
| ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | in support of Grace McNally's film project LISTENING TO WHALES |
| SCIENCE COMMUNICATION LAB INC | BERKELEY, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | for THE MILKY SEAS film project |
| BELLEVUE LITERARY PRESS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WOMEN MAKE MOVIES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | in support of Sharon Shattuck's film THE MILKY SEAS |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) Scholarship Fund |
| THEATER LABRADOR INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| UTAH FILM CENTER | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $25,000 | 2025 | for the project FAMILY VINES/SHERRY FILM LLC with Katy Beal and Ana Appignani |
| IMAGINE SCIENCE FILMS CORP | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| IMAGINE SCIENCE FILMS CORP | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | in support of the Science New Wave Festival |
| MASTERVOICES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LILITH PUBLICATIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | in support of THE NEW FORTY PROJECT |
| THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | to support the work of the Department of Scientific Research currently led by Marco Leona |
| NATIONAL THEATRE IN AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GUILD HALL OF EAST HAMPTON INC | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION IN | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AN CLAIDHEAMH SOLUIS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $6,900 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRANSFORMA THEATRE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS INC | NORFOLK, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | for the Robert M. Asch Scholarship Fund |
| FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | Pamela B. Jackson and Thomas C. Jackson Charitable Fund |
| EQUUS FOUNDATION INC | WESTPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | to support Equus Foundation's Adoption Event |
| ELLUMINATE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LUNA STAGE CO INC | WEST ORANGE, NJ | $3,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| FRACTURED ATLAS INC | HARTSDALE, NY | $2,717 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE COMPANY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ATLAS ECONOMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION - ATLAS NETWORK | ARLINGTON, VA | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| DUPUYTREN RESEARCH GROUP INC | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL INC | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | the Melissa Mathison Award Fund through the HamptonsFilm Screenwriter Lab |
| PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS INC | NORFOLK, VA | $1,800 | 2025 | In Support of Indian Foal "Rocky" |
| THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| POUND RIDGE LAND CONSERVANCY INC | POUND RIDGE, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| POUND RIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT INC | POUND RIDGE, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| POUND RIDGE LIONS AMBULANCE CORPS | POUND RIDGE, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EAST HAMPTON VILLAGE AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION INC | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEW YORK STEM CELL FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMAGANSETT VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY | AMAGANSETT, NY | $500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMAGANSETT FIRE DEPARTMENT | AMAGANSETT, NY | $500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMAGANSETT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION | AMAGANSETT, NY | $500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EAST HAMPTON HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $250 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMAGANSETT FREE LIBRARY | AMAGANSETT, NY | $250 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMAGANSETT LIFE-SAVING AND COAST GUARD STATION SOC | AMAGANSETT, NY | $250 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW | NEW YORK, NY | $22,500 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$1,750,000Mailman School of Public Health ("MSPH")
Radical Gaslighters LLC | THE LIBRARIANS by Kim A Snyder
WRITERS ROOM INC
$100,000General & Unrestricted
to support Grace McNally's film project LISTENING TO WHALES
IMAGINE SCIENCE FILMS CORP
$50,000in support of the Science New Wave
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
for the MSPH-Alumni Centennial Practicum Stipend Fund, Giving Day Match
in support of Grace McNally's film project LISTENING TO WHALES
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION LAB INC
$30,000for THE MILKY SEAS film project
BELLEVUE LITERARY PRESS INC
$30,000General & Unrestricted
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$30,000the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) Scholarship Fund
for the project FAMILY VINES/SHERRY FILM LLC with Katy Beal and Ana Appignani
IMAGINE SCIENCE FILMS CORP
$25,000General & Unrestricted
IMAGINE SCIENCE FILMS CORP
$25,000in support of the Science New Wave Festival
to support the work of the Department of Scientific Research currently led by Marco Leona
NATIONAL THEATRE IN AMERICA INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
TRANSFORMA THEATRE INC
$5,000General & Unrestricted
Pamela B. Jackson and Thomas C. Jackson Charitable Fund
EQUUS FOUNDATION INC
$5,000to support Equus Foundation's Adoption Event
ELLUMINATE INC
$5,000General & Unrestricted
LUNA STAGE CO INC
$3,000Charitable Event
FRACTURED ATLAS INC
$2,717General & Unrestricted
DUPUYTREN RESEARCH GROUP INC
$2,500General & Unrestricted
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL INC
$2,000the Melissa Mathison Award Fund through the HamptonsFilm Screenwriter Lab
In Support of Indian Foal "Rocky"
POUND RIDGE LAND CONSERVANCY INC
$1,000General & Unrestricted
POUND RIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT INC
$1,000General & Unrestricted
POUND RIDGE LIONS AMBULANCE CORPS
$1,000General & Unrestricted
EAST HAMPTON VILLAGE AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION INC
$1,000General & Unrestricted
AMAGANSETT VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
$500General & Unrestricted
AMAGANSETT FIRE DEPARTMENT
$500General & Unrestricted
AMAGANSETT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
$500General & Unrestricted
AMAGANSETT FREE LIBRARY
$250General & Unrestricted
AMAGANSETT LIFE-SAVING AND COAST GUARD STATION SOC
$250General & Unrestricted
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW
$22,500General & Unrestricted