The Catherine Jefferson Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on private education, making a small number of very large gifts to collegiate and independent secondary schools. Most dollars flow to a handful of institutions — notably Syracuse University and selective private schools — suggesting a preference for capital or unrestricted contributions to established educational institutions. The foundation’s giving is highly focused rather than broad-based, favoring substantial investments in education over many small grants.
Concentrated giving: few, large-dollar grants with at least one repeat beneficiary (Syracuse University); funds are directed to a small set of established educational institutions rather than distributed broadly.
Notable grantees: Syracuse University, New Canaan Country School, Avon Old Farms
A $800,000 contribution to Syracuse University stands out in The Catherine Jefferson Foundation Inc’s recent grant record and captures the scale of its giving: the foundation makes relatively few, high-dollar gifts, often to established educational institutions. Education is the core pattern in the data, with support flowing to universities, private schools, and independent day schools rather than a broad mix of charities. Recent gifts also show repeat relationships. Syracuse University appears multiple times, as do New Canaan Country School and Avon Old Farms, indicating sustained support for select institutions. The foundation’s recent grants include major contributions to private education in Connecticut, higher education in New York, and a smaller number of gifts to other organizations connected to student athletics, school-related giving, and institutional funds. Across the recent sample, the foundation’s approach is concentrated and institution-facing, with grant sizes large enough to suggest meaningful operating or capital support for recipients already built to receive substantial contributions.
Private education is the clearest theme in the foundation’s giving. In 2023, it gave $562,000 to New Canaan Country School for contribution purposes, and in 2023 it also granted $263,000 and in 2024 $101,000 to Avon Old Farms, showing continued support for selective secondary schools. Higher education is another steady area: Syracuse University received $800,000 in 2024 and $500,000 in 2023, while the Fuqua School of Management received $133,100 in 2024 and $60,000 in 2023. The foundation also funded campus-linked or education-adjacent entities such as The Purchase College Foundation with $100,000 in 2024. Beyond schools, it made grants to organizations tied to athletics and student support, including Team Impact and Athletes Who Care.
The typical grant size is firmly in the mid-to-large range: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. The recent record shows a small number of much larger gifts above that upper quartile, including seven-figure-leaning contributions to major institutions. Several recipients appear more than once across 2023 and 2024, which points to recurring support rather than one-off check writing. The foundation is not an individual-giving vehicle and does not make program-related investments, so its activity is conventional grantmaking from a private foundation structure.
$2.9M
$32M
$8.5M
$7M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 8% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 3 recipient countries by grant volume for Catherine Jefferson Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 120 | $9.2M | 96.0% |
| 2 | U.S. Virgin Islands |
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Grants are national in scope, but the strongest concentration by recipient location is in New York. Recent gifts land in Syracuse, New York; Purchase, New York; Pittsford, New York; and also in New Canaan, Connecticut and Avon, Connecticut. Outside the United States, the recipient distribution includes 2 grants in VQ. Only 5% of grants went to recipients in North Carolina, even though the foundation is headquartered in Durham.
The recent record is centered on private education and higher education. Named recipients include Syracuse University, New Canaan Country School, Avon Old Farms, the Fuqua School of Management, and The Purchase College Foundation. The foundation also supports a smaller number of athletics and student-support organizations such as Team Impact and Athletes Who Care.
Its grant-size distribution is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent giving also includes much larger contributions, such as $800,000 to Syracuse University and $562,000 to New Canaan Country School.
Yes. Syracuse University appears in both 2023 and 2024, New Canaan Country School appears in 2023 and 2024, and Avon Old Farms also received more than one grant across those years. That pattern suggests ongoing support for a small set of institutions.
Recipient locations are concentrated in New York, which is the top state by grant count. Recent grants also go to Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, and Massachusetts, showing that the foundation gives nationally rather than only in its headquarters state.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 4 |
| $205K |
3.2% |
| 3 | Switzerland | 1 | $5K | 0.8% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVON OLD FARMS | AVON, CT | $1,150,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY | SYRACUSE, NY | $650,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $241,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| OLD CHATHAM GOLF CLUB | DURHAM, NC | $150,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DURHAM ACADEMY | DURHAM, NC | $110,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ORMCF INC | KEY LARGO, FL | $101,600 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ST PAUL'S SCHOOL | VALLEY COTTAGE, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | EVANSTON, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HEADSTRONG FOUNDATION | WOODLYN, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TEAM IMPACT | QUINCY, MA | $40,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TEWAARATON FDN | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HARLEM LACROSSE | HARLEM, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE PURCHASE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | PURCHASE, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BRONX LACROSSE | PURCHASE, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WINGMAN OPEN | RED BANK, NJ | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $11,061 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEW CANAAN CNTY SCHOOL | NEW CANAAN, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FROSTED FACES FOUNDATION | RAMONA, CA | $5,150 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MSK | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GOFUNDME SIMON BROOKS | SAN DIEGO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | TO RAISE MONEY FOR ASSISTANCE - UNRESTRICTED |
| USVI LACROSSE ASSOCIATION | CHRISTIANSTED, ST | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LOU FERRARO GOLF CLASSIC | CROMWELL, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BAG ROOM OPEN | KEY LARGO, FL | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BREAKTHROUGH JDRF | COSTA MESA, CA | $510 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GOFUNDME KELLY GEBERT'S FAMILY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $500 | 2026 | TO RAISE MONEY FOR ASSISTANCE - UNRESTRICTED |
| VINEYARD GOLF CLUB | EDGARTOWN, MA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| A SHOT FOR LIFE | WATERTOWN, MA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AVON OLD FARMS | AVON, CT | $1,001,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY | SYRACUSE, NY | $980,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| ORMCF INC | KEY LARGO, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT | EVANSTON, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| TEAM IMPACT | QUINCY, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| PLL ASSISTS | TORRANCE, CA | $55,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| GIFT HILL | ST JOHN, Vi | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE PURCHASE COLLEGE FOUNDATION | PURCHASE, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| FOLDS OF HONOR | CENTER VALLEY, PA | $41,600 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| TEWAARATON FDN | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SANDY HOOK PROMISE FUND | NEWTOWN, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HARLEM LACROSSE | HARLEM, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| DURHAM ACADEMY | DURHAM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| NEW CANAAN CNTY SCHOOL | NEW CANAAN, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| ATHLETES WHO CARE | STANTON, NJ | $10,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| RYE AMERICAN LEGION POST 128 | RYE, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| MSK | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| GIVENGAIN FOUNDATION | VILLARSSUROLLON, VI | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| GOFUNDME | SAN DIEGO, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| LANDON SCHOOL | BETHESDA, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| PAN-MASS CHALLENGE FOR JOHN STRAUS | NEEDHAM, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| MARK GLICINI MEANINGFUL GROWTH FOUNDATION | VERO BEACH, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
AVON OLD FARMS
$1,150,000UNRESTRICTED
OLD CHATHAM GOLF CLUB
$150,000UNRESTRICTED
DURHAM ACADEMY
$110,000UNRESTRICTED
UNRESTRICTED
ST PAUL'S SCHOOL
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
TEWAARATON FDN
$40,000UNRESTRICTED
WINGMAN OPEN
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$11,061UNRESTRICTED
NEW CANAAN CNTY SCHOOL
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
MSK
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
GOFUNDME SIMON BROOKS
$5,000TO RAISE MONEY FOR ASSISTANCE - UNRESTRICTED
USVI LACROSSE ASSOCIATION
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
LOU FERRARO GOLF CLASSIC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
BAG ROOM OPEN
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
BREAKTHROUGH JDRF
$510UNRESTRICTED
GOFUNDME KELLY GEBERT'S FAMILY
$500TO RAISE MONEY FOR ASSISTANCE - UNRESTRICTED
VINEYARD GOLF CLUB
$500UNRESTRICTED
A SHOT FOR LIFE
$500UNRESTRICTED
AVON OLD FARMS
$1,001,000CONTRIBUTION
KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
$100,000CONTRIBUTION
PLL ASSISTS
$55,000CONTRIBUTION
GIFT HILL
$50,000CONTRIBUTION
FOLDS OF HONOR
$41,600CONTRIBUTION
TEWAARATON FDN
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
SANDY HOOK PROMISE FUND
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
HARLEM LACROSSE
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
DURHAM ACADEMY
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
NEW CANAAN CNTY SCHOOL
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
ATHLETES WHO CARE
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
RYE AMERICAN LEGION POST 128
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
MSK
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
GIVENGAIN FOUNDATION
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
GOFUNDME
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
PAN-MASS CHALLENGE FOR JOHN STRAUS
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
MARK GLICINI MEANINGFUL GROWTH FOUNDATION
$5,000CONTRIBUTION