The Wright Foundation concentrates large, targeted gifts to a small set of organizations focused on education and Jewish communal life, often using endowments and named catalyst funds. Its giving skews toward STEM and youth education in the New York area, support for higher education initiatives at Cornell, and backing of Jewish and civil-rights organizations such as Friends of Ofanim and the ADL. Grants are sizable and repeat, suggesting long-term partnerships rather than one-off donations.
A defining feature of The Wright Foundation Inc is its repeated support for Cornell University through named funds and endowments, including the Peter A Wright Catalyst Fund and the Johnson Alumni Faculty Endowment Fund. That pattern sits alongside major gifts to STEM education and Jewish communal organizations, showing a mix of higher-education, youth-development, and community-centered giving. The foundation’s recent grants include $500,000 to Stem Kids NYC for an endowment fund, $225,000 to Friends of Ofanim for an education fund, and repeated support for the ADL Foundation and Friends of Ofanim. The grant list also shows direct backing for scientific research, humanitarian support for soldiers in the Israel Defense Force, and donations to Birthright Israel Foundation and Iqra Fund. With annual grants of $2,985,000 and a median grant size of $125,000, the foundation appears to favor substantial awards to a relatively small set of recipients rather than broad, low-dollar distribution. Its giving is concentrated in a few interconnected areas, especially education, Jewish communal life, and university-based initiatives.
Education is one of the clearest threads in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $500,000 to Stem Kids NYC for an endowment fund and $225,000 to Friends of Ofanim for an education fund, both pointing to support for learning opportunities and institutional capacity. Higher education is another major area: Cornell University received $200,000 for the Peter A Wright Catalyst Fund, $175,000 for the Johnson Alumni Faculty Endowment Fund, and $100,000 for the Industrial Practitioner Program in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. The grant list also includes $200,000 to the ADL Foundation for a general donation and $25,000 to the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation for a general donation, showing support beyond education for Jewish civil-rights work and health-related philanthropy. A separate grant of $100,000 to Friends of Yashar L'chayal Inc supported humanitarian projects for soldiers in the Israel Defense Force.
The Wright Foundation Inc gives at a high dollar level: the typical grant size is $100,000 at the 25th percentile, $125,000 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same recipients across 2023 and 2024, including Cornell University, Stem Kids NYC, Friends of Ofanim, the ADL Foundation, and the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is not a funder of individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grant list shows institutional gifts and named funds rather than an open application model.
$1.5M
$21.4M
$2M
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $100K and $200K, with a median of $125K.
25th Percentile
$100K
Median
$125K
75th Percentile
$200K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Relatively concentrated portfolio of large grants and repeat awards to a few core grantees, frequently directed into endowments or named catalyst funds; geographically focused in the Northeast (NY/CT) with multiyear relationships.
Notable grantees: STEM KIDS NYC, Cornell University, ADL Foundation, Friends of Ofanim
The foundation’s grants are entirely domestic in the recent sample, with all 19 grants going to U.S. recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, led by Cornell University in Ithaca and the ADL Foundation in New York City. New Jersey also appears through Stem Kids NYC in North Bergen and Friends of Yashar L'chayal Inc in East Brunswick. Pennsylvania shows up with Friends of Ofanim in Wayne, while Illinois appears with the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation in Lake Zurich. The recipient geography is regional rather than national.
Its recent grants cluster around education, Jewish communal life, and higher education. Examples include endowment support for Stem Kids NYC, an education fund for Friends of Ofanim, multiple named funds at Cornell University, and general donations to the ADL Foundation.
The grant-size distribution is relatively high: $100,000 at the 25th percentile, $125,000 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include several larger commitments above that range, such as $500,000 and $250,000.
Yes. The recent grants show repeat support across 2023 and 2024 for Cornell University, Stem Kids NYC, Friends of Ofanim, the ADL Foundation, and the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation. That pattern points to ongoing relationships with a small set of recipients.
New York is the top state by grant count. Recent recipients also appear in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Montana, and New York City, with Cornell University in Ithaca and the ADL Foundation in New York City appearing multiple times.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent record instead shows grants to organizations and named funds, including endowments, general donations, and program-specific institutional support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BRONX, NY | $300,000 | 2026 | NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS PURSUING STEM |
| THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| ADL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL DONATION |
| PEF ISRAEL ENDOWNMENT FUNDS | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | ALAN WAGNER ENDOWMENT FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | PETER A. WRIGHT CATALYST FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | JGSM AI AND DATA SCIENCE PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING |
| FRIENDS OF OFANIM | WAYNE, PA | $100,000 | 2026 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| THE CONNECTICUT INVENTION CONVENTION | HARTFORD, CT | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL DONATION |
| NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION | NEWTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL DONATION |
| ADL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | S. ALFRED AND DOROTHY NEUFELD FUND |
| HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BRONX, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS PURSUING STEM |
| THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | PETER A. WRIGHT CATALYST FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | JOHNSON ALUMNI FACULTY ENDOWMENT FUND |
| FRIENDS OF OFANIM | WAYNE, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION | LAKE ZURICH, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| STEM KIDS NYC | NORTH BERGEN, NJ | $250,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| FRIENDS OF OFANIM | WAYNE, PA | $225,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION FUND |
| ADL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL DONATION |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | PETER A. WRIGHT CATALYST FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $175,000 | 2024 | JOHNSON ALUMNI FACULTY ENDOWMENT FUND |
| THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2024 | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING |
| FRIENDS OF YASHAR L'CHAYAL INC | EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ | $100,000 | 2024 | DIRECT SUPPORT THRU HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS FOR SOLDIERS IN THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCE |
| ADL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL DONATION |
| NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION | LAKE ZURICH, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL DONATION |
| STEM KIDS NYC | NORTH BERGEN, NJ | $500,000 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| ADL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2023 | GENERAL DONATION |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $200,000 | 2023 | PETER A WRIGHT CATALYST FUND |
| FRIENDS OF OFANIM | WAYNE, PA | $160,000 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | JOHNSON ALUMNI FACULTY ENDOWMENT FUND |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL DONATION |
| IQRA FUND | BOZEMAN, MT | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL DONATION |
| NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION | LAKE ZURICH, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL DONATION |
HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$300,000NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS PURSUING STEM
ADL FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL DONATION
JGSM AI AND DATA SCIENCE PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT FUND
INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING
FRIENDS OF OFANIM
$100,000ENDOWMENT FUND
NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL DONATION
ADL FOUNDATION
$300,000S. ALFRED AND DOROTHY NEUFELD FUND
HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$300,000NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS PURSUING STEM
FRIENDS OF OFANIM
$100,000ENDOWMENT FUND
INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING
NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL DONATION
STEM KIDS NYC
$250,000ENDOWMENT FUND
ADL FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL DONATION
INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING
FRIENDS OF YASHAR L'CHAYAL INC
$100,000DIRECT SUPPORT THRU HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS FOR SOLDIERS IN THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCE
ADL FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL DONATION
NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL DONATION
STEM KIDS NYC
$500,000ENDOWMENT FUND
ADL FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL DONATION
INDUSTRIAL PRACTITIONER PROGRAM IN CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING
IQRA FUND
$100,000GENERAL DONATION
NATIONAL ADRENAL DISEASES FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL DONATION