The Michael Finkelstein and Sue-Ann Friedman Foundation concentrates its giving on national advocacy and service organizations, with a strong emphasis on health-related causes (notably rare disease advocacy), Jewish/Israel-related philanthropy and civil-rights work, and occasional support for local arts. Grants are typically unrestricted and sizable relative to the small number of awards, and the foundation shows repeat support to a few preferred organizations rather than widely distributed giving.
Concentrated giving: few, moderately large unrestricted grants; repeat multi-year or repeat grants to core national grantees rather than many small awards.
A $100,000 unrestricted grant to the National Organization for Rare Disorders marked the largest award in the recent record for The Michael Finkelstein and Sue-ann Friedman Foundation Inc. That single grant signals a pattern of giving to national advocacy and service organizations, especially in health-related work tied to rare disease support. The foundation’s recent awards also show repeat backing for the Anti Defamation League and American Friends of Jordan River, alongside support for local institutions in Stamford and Greenwich. Across the grants listed, the foundation uses unrestricted contributions rather than project-specific awards. Its recipients include patient-advocacy groups, Jewish-affiliated organizations, civil-rights organizations, and a smaller set of arts and cultural groups. The grants are spread across organizations with different scales, from major national nonprofits to community-based institutions. Recurring support is visible in several cases: National Organization for Rare Disorders received awards in both 2024 and 2025, the Anti Defamation League appears multiple times, and Temple Sholom received more than one grant. That pattern suggests a funder that favors flexible support for a relatively compact group of organizations rather than broad, highly distributed grantmaking.
Health and rare disease advocacy is a major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $100,000 to the National Organization for Rare Disorders and followed with $20,000 in 2025 to the same group, both as unrestricted contributions. Jewish and Israel-related philanthropy is another visible area. The foundation awarded $35,000 in 2024 and $4,000 in 2025 to American Friends of Jordan River, again using unrestricted support. It also gave $5,000 to Chabad of Connecticut and $1,080 to Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options. Civil-rights and anti-defamation work also appears repeatedly. The Anti Defamation League received $25,200 in 2025, $15,000 in 2024, and $1,000 in 2023. On the arts side, the foundation supported Avon Theatre Film Center Inc with $25,000 and backed music institutions including NY Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall Corporation, Metropolitan Opera Association, and Boston Symphony Orchestra.
$112K
$863K
$88K
$126K
Most grants fall between $2K and $7K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$7K
About 31% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Anti-Defamation League, American Friends of Jordan River, Avon Theatre Film Center
Typical grants cluster in the low thousands, with a p25 of $1,500, a median of $4,000, and a p75 of $7,000. The distribution is wider than the median suggests, because the recent record also includes several larger unrestricted awards, including $100,000 and $35,000. The foundation’s pattern is repeat support rather than one-off gifts. National Organization for Rare Disorders, the Anti Defamation League, American Friends of Jordan River, Temple Sholom, NY Philharmonic, and Jupiter Medical Center Foundation all appear more than once in the recent grants list. The foundation is structured as a grantmaking foundation rather than a vehicle for individuals or program-related investments, and the listed grants are unrestricted contributions.
Grant recipients are all in the United States. New York is the top state by grant count, while 31% of grants went to recipients in Connecticut, the foundation’s headquarters state. Recent awards reached New York City, Stamford, Greenwich, White Plains, Danbury, and Boston, showing a mix of regional and in-state giving. Florida also appears through recipients in Jupiter and Sunrise, with additional grants to organizations in Beaverton, Oregon.
Its recent grants go to rare-disease advocacy, Jewish and Israel-affiliated organizations, civil-rights and anti-defamation groups, and a smaller set of arts institutions. Examples include the National Organization for Rare Disorders, American Friends of Jordan River, the Anti Defamation League, and Avon Theatre Film Center Inc.
Yes. Every grant in the recent list is described as an unrestricted contribution. That includes larger awards such as $100,000 to the National Organization for Rare Disorders and $35,000 to American Friends of Jordan River.
The grant-size distribution centers in the low thousands: p25 is $1,500, the median is $4,000, and p75 is $7,000. The recent record also includes larger awards above that range, including $25,200, $35,000, and $100,000.
Yes. The Anti Defamation League appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; National Organization for Rare Disorders received grants in 2024 and 2025; American Friends of Jordan River appears in 2024 and 2025; and Temple Sholom appears more than once.
By grant count, New York is the top state for recipient organizations. Connecticut is also important, with 31% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Recent city-level recipients include New York, Stamford, Greenwich, Danbury, and White Plains.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR RARE DISORDERS (NORD) | DANBURY, CT | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER INC | STAMFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ADMIRALS COVE FOUNDATION INC | JUPITER, FL | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER | NEW YORK, NY | $6,854 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BARTLETT ARBORETUM | STAMFORD, CT | $6,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TEMPLE SHOLOM | GREENWICH, CT | $5,109 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION | FLUSHING, NY | $2,750 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| MILL RIVER PARK | STAMFORD, CT | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| STAMFORD EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES | STAMFORD, CT | $250 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,200 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR RARE DISORDERS (NORD) | DANBURY, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| STAMFORD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | STAMFORD, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| SISTERHOOD OF TEMPLE SHOLOM | GREENWICH, CT | $4,928 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER | NEW YORK, NY | $4,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION | FLUSHING, NY | $2,750 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION | JUPITER, FL | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| 92ND STREET Y | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | BOSTON, MA | $1,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| JEWISH ADOPTION AND FOSTER CARE OPTIONS | SUNRISE, FL | $1,080 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ADMIRALS COVE FOUNDATION INC | JUPITER, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR RARE DISORDERS (NORD) | DANBURY, CT | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AVON THEATRE FILM CENTER INC | STAMFORD, CT | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TEMPLE SHOLOM | GREENWICH, CT | $5,198 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CARNEGIE HALL CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NY PHILHARMONIC | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| JUPITER MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION | JUPITER, FL | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $7,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NY PHILHARMONIC | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CHABAD OF CONNECTICUT | STAMFORD, CT | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TEMPLE SHOLOM | GREENWICH, CT | $4,518 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH | STAMFORD, CT | $1,500 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL NETWORK OF ABORTIONS | BEAVERTON, OR | $992 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ST FRANCIS HOUSE | BOSTON, MA | $250 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| NATIONAL MS SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $125 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER
$6,854UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BARTLETT ARBORETUM
$6,500UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
TEMPLE SHOLOM
UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION
$2,750UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
MILL RIVER PARK
$500UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
STAMFORD EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
$250UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
STAMFORD HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$10,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
SISTERHOOD OF TEMPLE SHOLOM
$4,928UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER
$4,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION
$2,750UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
92ND STREET Y
$2,500UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$1,500UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF JORDAN RIVER
$35,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
TEMPLE SHOLOM
$5,198UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
NY PHILHARMONIC
$3,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
NY PHILHARMONIC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CHABAD OF CONNECTICUT
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
TEMPLE SHOLOM
$4,518UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
$1,500UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION