About Kovner Foundation
The Kovner Foundation concentrates large, high-impact gifts to a small number of organizations, favoring major cultural institutions, city-focused education reformers, and international humanitarian relief. Although based in Florida, its giving is heavily oriented toward New York City arts and education (including charter networks) and significant grants to global emergency assistance. The foundation prefers multi-million-dollar commitments and repeats support to flagship grantees.
Focus Areas
Major performing arts institutions in New York City (e.g., Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center)Urban K–12 charter school networks in NYC (Success Charter Network, Success Academy)International humanitarian and refugee relief (large grants to IRC)Jewish communal/philanthropic institutions in NYC (UJA Federation of New York)
Who They Fund
professional artists and performing arts organizationsstudents and scholarship recipients (qualified tuition grants)vulnerable populations affected by humanitarian crises
About Kovner Foundation
The Kovner Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by large, repeated commitments to New York cultural institutions and charter-school networks. In 2024, it gave $5,196,200 to Carnegie Hall Corporation for general support, and in 2025 it gave $5,000,000 to UJA Federation of NY for general support. Those gifts sit alongside major support for education reform organizations and emergency relief, showing a portfolio that mixes arts, schooling, and humanitarian aid. The foundation also makes substantial multi-year grants to a small set of repeat recipients. Success Charter Network received $3,500,000 in 2025, while Success Academy Charter Schools received $3,097,150 in 2024. International Rescue Committee was awarded $2,000,000 in 2023, another $2,000,000 in 2024, and $1,500,000 in 2025. That pattern points to a funder that concentrates capital rather than spreading it thinly across many organizations. Beyond those headline gifts, its support reaches performing arts institutions, Jewish communal organizations, and select education initiatives in several states.
What Kovner Foundation Funds
In performing arts, the foundation backed Carnegie Hall Corporation with $5,196,200 for general support and also supported Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with multiple grants, including $2,000,000 in 2023 and $500,000 in 2023. The Metropolitan Opera also appears in the recent grants list with $575,000 in 2024 and $500,000 in 2025. In education, it funded Success Charter Network with $3,500,000 for education and Success Academy Charter Schools with $3,097,150 in 2024 and $500,000 in 2023. It also gave $500,000 to Foundation for Excellence in Education in both 2023 and 2024. For humanitarian work, the International Rescue Committee received $2,000,000 in 2023, $2,000,000 in 2024, and $1,500,000 in 2025. The foundation also supported legal and social reform work through $500,000 grants to Institute for Justice in 2024 and 2023.
How Kovner Foundation Gives
The Kovner Foundation’s typical grant size sits at $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $30,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, but its recent grant list shows many much larger awards. It gives through a regular foundation structure, not a DAF, and it funds individuals through scholarship and fellowship programs. Recipients often appear across multiple years, especially in education, arts, and humanitarian relief, which suggests recurring relationships rather than one-off gifts. Application details are not provided in the data, and several listed programs are marked as not accepting unsolicited requests.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$18.7M
Total Assets
$335.3M
Total Revenue
$62.4M
Total Expenses
$21.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $100K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
National12 states funded
About 13% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Kovner Foundation Funds
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Kovner Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 262 | $54.2M | 99.6% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 1 |
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