The DS Foundation makes very large, concentrated grants focused on philanthropic intermediaries and targeted medical research funding. Most of its dollars flow either to a donor-advised/charitable vehicle (National Philanthropic Trust) or directly to the University of Miami to support urology research, suggesting a mix of national grantmaking flexibility and a local interest in medical/clinical research.
The Ds Foundation’s recent giving is shaped by a large, recurring relationship with National Philanthropic Trust and a parallel commitment to medical research at the University of Miami. In 2025, the foundation gave $4.6 million to National Philanthropic Trust for general operating support, following a $9.2 million grant in 2023. It also supported the University of Miami’s Urology Institute Fund with $4 million in 2025, after a $1 million grant in 2023, indicating repeated backing for the same research program. Beyond those headline grants, the foundation’s portfolio includes university support, scholarship funding, and community-serving organizations. It has funded Achieve Miami, Harvard College, Princeton University, Yale University, and several civic or service groups, alongside grants to Indiaspora and the Miami Foundation. The pattern suggests a funder that combines large institutional support with smaller grants to education, diaspora engagement, and public-interest organizations. Its recent grants are all to U.S.-based recipients, but the giving footprint is broader than Miami alone and includes national intermediaries and out-of-state universities.
Medical research is one of the clearest through lines in the foundation’s grantmaking. The Ds Foundation gave $4 million in 2025 to the University of Miami for the Urology Institute Fund, continuing a prior $1 million grant in 2023 for the same purpose. Education access also appears in the portfolio: in 2023, it gave $100,000 to The Miami Foundation Inc for a venture scholarship fund that provides tuition support to gap funding for at-need city residents. The foundation has also supported Achieve Miami, including a $50,000 grant in 2023 for the program and a $25,000 general operating grant in 2025. Higher-education support extends to Harvard College and Princeton University, with grants tied to the Harvard Innovations Lab Fund, the Harvard College Fund, and general operating support.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $3,250 at the 25th percentile, $15,001 at the median, and $75,000 at the 75th percentile, showing a wide spread between small operating grants and much larger institutional awards. Recent giving is repeated rather than one-off in several cases: National Philanthropic Trust, the University of Miami, Indiaspora, and Princeton University all received grants in more than one year. The Ds Foundation makes grants nationally, and it funds individuals. The recent grants list also shows a mix of general operating support and program-specific awards, especially for university and research institutions.
$8.7M
$210.9M
$12.7M
$9M
Most grants fall between $3K and $75K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$75K
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Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants (four grants total) with repeat funding to the same two recipients; mix of national intermediary support and directed local institutional support.
Notable grantees: National Philanthropic Trust, University of Miami (Urology Institute Fund)
The foundation gives nationally, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Florida receives 27% of grants, and several awards went to Miami-area organizations such as The Miami Foundation Inc and Achieve Miami in Coral Gables. Outside Florida, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania appears twice through National Philanthropic Trust, and San Francisco appears through Indiaspora. University-related grants also land in Cambridge and Allston, Massachusetts, and Princeton, New Jersey, showing a spread across education and philanthropic hubs.
Its recent grants go to philanthropic intermediaries, universities, medical research programs, and community-serving nonprofits. The largest awards went to National Philanthropic Trust and the University of Miami, while smaller grants supported organizations such as Achieve Miami, Indiaspora, Harvard College, and Princeton University.
Yes. National Philanthropic Trust received grants in 2023 and 2025, the University of Miami’s Urology Institute Fund received grants in both years, and Princeton University received general operating support in both 2023 and 2025. Indiaspora also appears in both years.
The 25th percentile grant size is $3,250, the median is $15,001, and the 75th percentile is $75,000. That range reflects a mix of smaller operating grants and much larger institutional awards.
Its giving is national, and all recent grants went to U.S. recipients. Florida accounts for 27% of grants, with additional grants going to organizations in Pennsylvania, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Texas, and Washington, DC.
The clearest focus areas are medical research, higher education support, scholarship and tuition-gap funding, and diaspora/community engagement. Examples include the University of Miami’s Urology Institute Fund, the Harvard Innovations Lab Fund, a venture scholarship fund for at-need city residents, and grants to Indiaspora.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $4,600,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $4,000,000 | 2025 | UROLOGY INSTITUTE FUND |
| ACHIEVE MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | INDIASPORA FORUM FOR GOOD 2025 |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | FOUNDERS CIRCLE |
| PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | ALLSTON, MA | $4,501 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LAWYERS FOR CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $2,505 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $2,501 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OLIGO NATION | SEBASTAPOL, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FASPE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| EPIDEMIC ANSWERS INC | WINDSOR, CT | $1,200 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL | ALLSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE BRONX DEFENDERS | BRONX, NY | $250 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MARCY LAB INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $200 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | DALLAS, TX | $155 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $100 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $6,600,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | UROLOGY INSTITUTE FUND |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $42,413 | 2024 | THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | AKSHAYA PATRA FOUNDATION USA |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | VISION-AID INCORPORATED |
| IIT BOMBAY HERITAGE FOUNDATION | CUPERTINO, CA | $24,247 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BARROW STREET NURSERY SCHOOL AT GREENWICH HOUSE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,570 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FEDERATION OF JAIN ASSOCIATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA JAINA | SOUTH DAYTONA, FL | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FELLOWSHIP AT AUSCHWITZ FOR THE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $7,501 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $2,501 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| JAIN SOCIETY OF GREATER DETROIT INC | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | $1,025 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $9,200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $1,000,000 | 2023 | UROLOGY INSTITUTE FUND |
| THE MIAMI FOUNDATION INC | MIAMI, FL | $100,000 | 2023 | VENTURE SCHOLARSHIP FUND THAT PROVIDES TUITION SUPPORT TO GAP FUNDING FOR AT NEED CITY RESIDENTS |
| THE MIAMI FOUNDATION INC | MIAMI, FL | $50,000 | 2023 | ACHIEVE MIAMI PROGRAM |
| INDIASPORA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $15,001 | 2023 | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR THE HARVARD INNOVATIONS LAB FUND |
| INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF YOGA THERAPISTS | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $4,000 | 2023 | FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES FOR THE HARVARD COLLEGE FUND |
| TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $2,501 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FELLOWSHIP AT AUSCHWITZ FOR THE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST
$4,600,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
$2,501GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
OLIGO NATION
$2,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FASPE
$2,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
EPIDEMIC ANSWERS INC
$1,200GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
$100GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
BARROW STREET NURSERY SCHOOL AT GREENWICH HOUSE INC
$20,570GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FEDERATION OF JAIN ASSOCIATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA JAINA
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FELLOWSHIP AT AUSCHWITZ FOR THE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS INC
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
$2,501GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
JAIN SOCIETY OF GREATER DETROIT INC
$1,025GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
YALE UNIVERSITY
$500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
VENTURE SCHOLARSHIP FUND THAT PROVIDES TUITION SUPPORT TO GAP FUNDING FOR AT NEED CITY RESIDENTS
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR THE HARVARD INNOVATIONS LAB FUND
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF YOGA THERAPISTS
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES FOR THE HARVARD COLLEGE FUND
TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
$2,501GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FELLOWSHIP AT AUSCHWITZ FOR THE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS INC
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT