About Tepper Foundation
The Tepper Foundation concentrates its philanthropic dollars into a very small number of high-value grants, primarily supporting national efforts to scale evidence-based anti-poverty and youth programs through Blue Meridian. Secondary giving includes support for Jewish communal life and use of donor-advised vehicles, suggesting the foundation combines strategic national investments with community and donor-directed philanthropy.
Focus Areas
Scaling evidence-based poverty reduction and youth interventions (via Blue Meridian)National philanthropic collaboratives / impact investing for children and familiesJewish communal support and federation programsDonor-advised and wealth-management philanthropic vehicles
Giving Approach
Highly concentrated, with the vast majority of funding committed in a few very large grants (multiple multimillion-dollar gifts to Blue Meridian); occasional single large gifts to Jewish federation and donor-advised funds. Low number of total grants and preference for national-scale partners over many small grantees.
Funding Style
general operating supportunrestricted support
About Tepper Foundation
The Tepper Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a three-year sequence of large general-support grants to Blue Meridian, including $35,217,240 in 2023, $33,555,766 in 2024, and $28,287,513 in 2025. That recurring commitment points to a funder that concentrates substantial resources in a small number of national bets rather than spreading support thinly across many recipients. Alongside that portfolio, the foundation also backs Jewish communal infrastructure and anti-hate work. In 2025, it gave $10,177,350 to The Jewish Federations of North America for general support, and it made multi-million-dollar grants tied to antisemitism response and civic protections. The foundation’s grantmaking also includes donor-advised philanthropy and support for community institutions in New Jersey, showing a mix of strategic national funding and locally directed commitments. Its recent grants are almost entirely domestic, with U.S. recipients accounting for all listed grants in the distribution data. The Tepper Foundation’s structure and its high median grant size indicate a program built around large, relationship-based awards rather than open, small-ticket grantmaking.
What Tepper Foundation Funds
One major line of work is anti-hate and democracy protection. In 2025, The Tepper Foundation gave $2,000,000 to States United Democracy Center Inc for general support and $1,250,000 to Protect Democracy Project for general support, while also funding the Center for Technology and Civic Life with $2,000,000. Another strand is Jewish communal support. The foundation awarded $1,550,000 to Anti Defamation League in 2025 and $1,200,000 to American Committee for the Weizmann Institute in 2025, both as general support. It also supports community infrastructure in New Jersey, including $1,170,000 to Community Foundation of NJ in 2025. The foundation’s portfolio approach also reaches food, housing, health, and crisis response through broad general-support grants.
How Tepper Foundation Gives
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $100,000, and the 75th percentile is $250,000. Recent activity shows repeated awards to the same recipients across multiple years, including Blue Meridian and Charlotte Mecklenberg Library, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time funding. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Its active programs are invitation-only or otherwise non-solicited, with relationship-driven grantmaking across several portfolios.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$87M
Total Assets
$744.1M
Total Revenue
$125.5M
Total Expenses
$91.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $250K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$250K
Geographic Reach
Regional20 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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