The Dale and Max Berger Family Foundation makes highly concentrated, large-scale gifts focused exclusively on legal education, channeling all recorded support to Columbia Law School. Their repeated payments to a single beneficiary suggest a close, sustained relationship with Columbia Law rather than broad philanthropic diversification. The foundation appears to prioritize strengthening law school capacity — likely via faculty support, scholarships, or program endowments — over funding multiple organizations or causes.
Concentrated giving: few large grants, all to a single recurring grantee (repeat support to Columbia Law School); likely multi-year or multi-purpose commitments rather than many small grants.
The Dale and Max Berger Family Foundation’s giving is anchored by a sustained, seven-figure relationship with Columbia Law School, where support reached $1,100,000 in 2023, $1,050,000 in 2024, and $500,000 in 2025. That repeated pattern points to a foundation that funds legal education through large general-support grants rather than through many small program awards. The recent record also shows the same approach extending to a handful of related institutions and advocacy organizations, including Baruch College, United Jewish Appeal, and the Anti-defamation League Foundation. Across the listed grants, the foundation backs organizations in New York and Washington, DC, with most awards appearing as general support. Its grant history suggests a preference for strengthening established institutions and public-interest organizations through flexible funding. Columbia Law School remains the clearest throughline, but the broader record shows support for higher education, Jewish communal organizations, civil-rights advocacy, and legal services. The foundation’s pattern is concentrated rather than diffuse, with repeated gifts to several recipients across multiple years and a noticeable emphasis on core operating support.
Legal education is the clearest focus area. The foundation gave $1,100,000 in 2023, $1,050,000 in 2024, and $500,000 in 2025 to Columbia Law School, all for general support. That repeated support suggests a durable interest in the institution itself rather than a one-time project. Its broader portfolio also includes higher education beyond Columbia. Baruch College received $150,000 in 2023, $90,000 in 2024, and $50,000 in 2025, again as general support. In the civic and advocacy space, The Andrew Goodman Foundation Inc received $100,000 in 2023 and $75,000 in both 2024 and 2025, while Media Matters for America received $25,000 in 2023 and 2025 and $20,000 in 2024. The foundation also supports services for women and families. Women for Women received $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Her Justice received $35,000 in 2023, $30,000 in 2024, and $25,000 in 2025.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $10,000, with a 25th percentile of $5,000 and a 75th percentile of $75,000. The recent record also includes several much larger awards, showing that the foundation uses both mid-sized and major general-support grants. The pattern is repeat-based: Columbia Law School, Baruch College, United Jewish Appeal, the Anti-defamation League Foundation, Women for Women, Her Justice, Media Matters for America, and New Alternatives for Children each appear in multiple years. The foundation is a Regular Funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$1M
$18.9M
$3.5M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $75K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$75K
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Notable grantees: Columbia Law School
Grantmaking is concentrated in the United States, with all recorded recent grants going to U.S. recipients. New York City appears most often, including Columbia Law School, Baruch College, United Jewish Appeal, Uja Federation, the Anti-defamation League Foundation, Her Justice, and New Alternatives for Children. Washington, DC is another recurring location, with grants to Women for Women, Media Matters for America, and The American Independent Foundation. Outside those two hubs, the list includes Saratoga Springs, NY, and San Francisco, CA.
The recent record centers on legal education and related institutional support, led by repeated general-support grants to Columbia Law School. It also backs higher education, Jewish communal organizations, civil-rights advocacy, media watchdog work, and legal services organizations such as Baruch College, United Jewish Appeal, the Anti-defamation League Foundation, and Her Justice.
The grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $5,000, a median of $10,000, and a 75th percentile of $75,000. The recent list also includes larger awards, including seven-figure support for Columbia Law School and $150,000 gifts to Baruch College and United Jewish Appeal.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Columbia Law School, Baruch College, United Jewish Appeal, the Anti-defamation League Foundation, Women for Women, Her Justice, Media Matters for America, Skidmore College, and New Alternatives for Children. The repeated grants indicate an ongoing relationship with selected institutions.
Recipient locations are concentrated in New York City and Washington, DC. New York City appears frequently across the recent grants list, while Washington, DC is the top state-level giving location by grant count. All recorded recent grants went to U.S. recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FILMMAKERS COLLABORIATIVE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BARUCH COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SKIDMORE COLLEGE | SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HER JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW ALTERNATIVES FOR CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY YEAR NY | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PARK AVENUE SYNAGOGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GOODFOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HILLEL AT BARUCH COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF UNITED HATZALAH | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EARTHJUSTICE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EAST BAY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER | BERKELY, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AVON THEATRE | STAMFORD, CT | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $1,050,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WOMEN FOR WOMEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BARUCH COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $90,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HER JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SKIDMORE COLLEGE | SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW ALTERNATIVES FOR CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF UNITED HATZALAH | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY YEAR NY | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PARK AVENUE SYNAGOGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BUTTERFLIES USA CHILDREN'S CHARITY | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER | MONTGOMERY, AL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EARTHJUSTICE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GETTING OUT AND STAYING OUT | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GOODFOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EAST BAY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER | BERKELY, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $1,100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BARUCH COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UJA FEDERATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WOMEN FOR WOMEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FILMMAKERS COLLABORIATIVE
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BARUCH COLLEGE
GENERAL SUPPORT
NEW ALTERNATIVES FOR CHILDREN
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY YEAR NY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PARK AVENUE SYNAGOGUE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GOODFOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HILLEL AT BARUCH COLLEGE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL
$1,050,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WOMEN FOR WOMEN
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BARUCH COLLEGE
$90,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION INC
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY YEAR NY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PARK AVENUE SYNAGOGUE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BUTTERFLIES USA CHILDREN'S CHARITY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GOODFOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL
$1,100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BARUCH COLLEGE
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UJA FEDERATION
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WOMEN FOR WOMEN
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT