The Philip & Lynn Straus Foundation is highly concentrated in its giving, with the vast majority of its support going to two core institutions: Bank Street College of Education and Zero to Three. This points to a strong interest in early childhood development, infant/toddler learning, and education-related work, while a smaller set of grants supports New York-area cultural institutions, child/family services, and select public-interest causes. The foundation appears to favor repeat relationships and often makes sizable program or unrestricted-style gifts to organizations aligned with its long-term priorities.
Highly concentrated giving with a few very large anchor grants and a small number of recurring smaller gifts; strong repeat-grantee behavior rather than broad, distributed funding.
The Philip & Lynn Straus Foundation Inc. made two matching 2024 grants of $3,610,701 and $3,610,381 to Bank Street College of Education and Zero to Three National Center, showing a funding pattern centered on early childhood education and infant-toddler development. Those awards dominate the foundation’s recent activity and point to a deliberate commitment to educator preparation, child development, and sector capacity in the early years field. The foundation’s giving is also shaped by repeat support for the same organizations. Bank Street College of Education appears again in a separate 2024 grant of $52,508, and Zero to Three National Center for Infantstoddlers also received a 2024 grant of $52,508. That repetition suggests ongoing institutional support rather than one-off project funding. Earlier 2023 grants went to recipients listed as “See Attachment 1” and “See Attachment 12,” both in New York, indicating additional charitable support routed through attachment-listed recipients. Across the recent grants on file, the foundation’s work is concentrated in a small set of education and child-development institutions.
Early childhood educator preparation is a clear priority. In 2024, the foundation gave $3,610,701 to Bank Street College of Education in New York for a contribution to further the donee’s exempt purpose, and it later added a separate $52,508 grant to the same institution. Infant and toddler development is another recurring area. Zero to Three National Center in Washington, DC received $3,610,381 in 2024, followed by a $52,508 grant to Zero to Three National Center for Infantstoddlers, both described as contributions to further the donee’s exempt purpose. The 2023 grants add a broader charitable layer. Two recipients listed only as “See Attachment 1” and “See Attachment 12,” both in New York, received $750,600 and $435,300 respectively, suggesting additional support beyond the named institutions in the public recent-grants list.
Typical grant size is substantial: the p25 is $148,206, the median is $592,950, and the p75 is $2,895,436. The recent grants show a bimodal pattern, with very large institutional awards alongside smaller follow-on grants of $52,508. Bank Street College of Education and Zero to Three National Center both appear more than once in 2024, which indicates repeat support rather than isolated gifts. The foundation is a regular funder, and the grants are described as contributions to further the donee’s exempt purpose, along with unrestricted-style general charitable support in the classification data.
$7.3M
$0
-$31K
$7.4M
Most grants fall between $1K and $6K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$6K
About 50% of grants go to recipients in DC.
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Notable grantees: Bank Street College of Education, Zero to Three National Center, Urban Dove, Planned Parenthood, Museum of Modern Art
Giving is regional and heavily concentrated in New York: 67% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipients are located in New York, NY and Washington, DC, with the New York-based grants including Bank Street College of Education and attachment-listed recipients in New York. All grants in the recent list are to US recipients, with no non-US countries appearing in the data.
Its recent grants focus on early childhood education and infant-toddler development. Named recipients include Bank Street College of Education in New York and Zero to Three National Center in Washington, DC, along with additional New York recipients listed as attachment-based charitable grantees.
Yes. Bank Street College of Education appears in two 2024 grants, one for $3,610,701 and another for $52,508. Zero to Three National Center also appears twice in 2024, with grants of $3,610,381 and $52,508.
The grant-size distribution is large: p25 is $148,206, median grant size is $592,950, and p75 is $2,895,436. The recent list also includes several smaller follow-on grants of $52,508.
New York is the top state by grant count, with 67% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent New York recipients include Bank Street College of Education in New York, NY and other attachment-listed grantees in New York.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION - ATTACHMENT 2 | NEW YORK, NY | $3,610,701 | 2024 | Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose |
| ZERO TO THREE NATIONAL CENTER - ATTACHMENT 1 | WASHINGTON, DC | $3,610,381 | 2024 | Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose |
| ZERO TO THREE NATIONAL CENTER FOR INFANTSTODDLERS | WASHINGTON, DC | $52,508 | 2024 | Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose |
| BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $52,508 | 2024 | Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose |
| Bank Street College of Education | — | $300,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Bank Street College of Education | — | $300,000 | 2023 | Support of Education |
| Zero to Three | — | $200,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Urban Dave | — | $50,000 | 2023 | Support of Politic |
| Urban Dove | — | $50,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Creative Connections | — | $25,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Creative Connection | — | $25,000 | 2023 | Support of Education |
| United Way | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Museum of Modern Art | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| EL Education | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Museum of Russian Art | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Support of Art |
| Project On Government Oversight | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Westchester Childrens’ Assoc | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| United For a Fair Economy | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Friends of the Neuberger Museum | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| United for a Fair Economy | — | $10,000 | 2023 | Support of Children |
| People for the American Way Foundation | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Support of Humanity |
| Planned Parenthood | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Jewish Museum | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Museum of Art and Design | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Washingtonville Housing Alliance | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| The Jewish Board | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| WNET/Thirteen | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| NYCLU Foundation | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Whitney Museum of american Art | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| New York Public Radio | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Student Advocacy | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| The Guidance Center of Westchester | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Stem Alliance of Larchment | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Planned Parenthood | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Support of Womens Issues |
| Whitney Museum of American Art | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Support of Art |
| Storm King Art Center | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Mornigside Center | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Storm King Art Center | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Support of Art |
| Alzheimer Disease Research | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Support of Medical Research |
| The Guidance Center of Westchester | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Support of Health Care |
| Alzheimer Disease Research | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| People for the American Way | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Southern Poverty Law Center | — | $5,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| The Fresh Air Fund | — | $2,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| The Fresh Air Fund | — | $2,000 | 2023 | Support for Children |
| United Negro College Fund | — | $2,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| United Negro College Fund | — | $2,000 | 2023 | Support of Education |
| Feed the Hungry | — | $1,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Choice Matters | — | $1,000 | 2023 | Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose |
| Cycle for Survival | — | $1,000 | 2023 | Support of Community |
Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose
ZERO TO THREE NATIONAL CENTER - ATTACHMENT 1
$3,610,381Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose
ZERO TO THREE NATIONAL CENTER FOR INFANTSTODDLERS
$52,508Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose
Contribution to Further Donee's Exempt Purpose
Bank Street College of Education
$300,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Bank Street College of Education
$300,000Support of Education
Zero to Three
$200,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Urban Dave
$50,000Support of Politic
Urban Dove
$50,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Creative Connections
$25,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Creative Connection
$25,000Support of Education
United Way
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Museum of Modern Art
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
EL Education
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Museum of Russian Art
$10,000Support of Art
Project On Government Oversight
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Westchester Childrens’ Assoc
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
United For a Fair Economy
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Friends of the Neuberger Museum
$10,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
United for a Fair Economy
$10,000Support of Children
People for the American Way Foundation
$5,000Support of Humanity
Planned Parenthood
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Jewish Museum
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Museum of Art and Design
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Washingtonville Housing Alliance
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
The Jewish Board
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
WNET/Thirteen
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
NYCLU Foundation
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Whitney Museum of american Art
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
New York Public Radio
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Student Advocacy
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
The Guidance Center of Westchester
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Stem Alliance of Larchment
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Planned Parenthood
$5,000Support of Womens Issues
Whitney Museum of American Art
$5,000Support of Art
Storm King Art Center
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Mornigside Center
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Storm King Art Center
$5,000Support of Art
Alzheimer Disease Research
$5,000Support of Medical Research
The Guidance Center of Westchester
$5,000Support of Health Care
Alzheimer Disease Research
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
People for the American Way
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Southern Poverty Law Center
$5,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
The Fresh Air Fund
$2,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
The Fresh Air Fund
$2,000Support for Children
United Negro College Fund
$2,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
United Negro College Fund
$2,000Support of Education
Feed the Hungry
$1,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Choice Matters
$1,000Contribution to further donee's exempt purpose
Cycle for Survival
$1,000Support of Community