The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust concentrates its giving on education and human services in the Northeast, providing sizable general operating support to a small number of organizations. Major recipients include a private liberal arts college, independent K–12 schools, a residential special‑needs school, a substance‑use treatment provider, and local immigrant integration services—indicating a focus on educational institutions and community health/well‑being.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a small portfolio of repeat grantees; awards are frequently general operating or "general use" support rather than narrowly restricted program grants, with multiple multi‑year or repeat grants to the same institutions.
The ZelnickBelzberg Charitable Trust gives large general-use grants to a relatively small set of organizations, with repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years. Two of the clearest examples are Wesleyan University, which received $500,000 in both 2024 and 2025, and Caron Foundation, which received $200,000 in 2023 and 2024 and $210,000 in 2025. That pattern shows a funder that is willing to renew support rather than spread dollars broadly across many one-time awards. Their recent grantmaking points to education and human services, especially institutions that can use flexible funding for operations and capacity. Alongside higher education and independent schooling, the trust has backed a residential special-needs school, a substance-use treatment provider, immigrant integration services, hospital care, and arts and civic institutions. The grants are often substantial enough to matter at the organizational level, such as $166,666 to Packer Collegiate Institute and $160,000 to Neighbors Link in 2024. The trust’s portfolio also includes recipients outside the Northeast, but the center of gravity remains with organizations in New York and nearby states. Across the recent grants list, the same names recur, suggesting an emphasis on ongoing relationships and general operating support rather than one-off project awards.
Education is a major part of the trust’s giving. Wesleyan University received $500,000 in 2024 and again in 2025 for general use, and Packer Collegiate Institute received $166,666 in 2025. Those awards sit alongside support for Riverview School, which received $180,281 in 2023 for general use. Human services and health are another clear thread. Caron Foundation received $210,000 in 2025 after prior awards of $200,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Northern Westchester Hospital also appears in the recent list with $100,000 in 2024 and $100,000 in 2025. The trust also funds community support organizations. Neighbors Link received $160,000 in 2024, $150,000 in 2025, and $100,000 in 2023 for general use, while Extended Family Solutions received $61,480 in 2025. These grants show support for local family, integration, and safety-net services.
Typical grants cluster in a wide spread, with a p25 of $1,382, a median of $4,050, and a p75 of $25,000, even though the recent list also includes six-figure awards. The trust is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Recipients recur across years: Wesleyan University, Caron Foundation, Neighbors Link, Porter's Call, NYC Ballet, Project Heal, Northern Westchester Hospital, and Rideback Rise all appear more than once, which points to continuing relationships and general operating support.
$2.2M
$1.5M
$4.5M
$2.2M
Most grants fall between $1K and $25K, with a median of $4K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$4K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 7% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Zelnickbelzberg Charitable Trust.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 179 | $5M | 99.4% |
| 2 | Canada |
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: Wesleyan University, Caron Foundation, Neighbors Link, Riverview School, Packer Collegiate Institute
Grantmaking is regional and heavily centered in New York. The top state by grant count is NY, while Connecticut accounts for 6% of grants. Recent recipients cluster in New York City and nearby suburbs, including Brooklyn, Mount Kisco, New York, Astoria, Hartsdale, Somers, and Hopewell Junction. Outside New York, grants also reached Massachusetts, New Jersey, Tennessee, Washington, DC, California, and Toronto, but those appear less often than the New York-area awards.
Recent grants go to private higher education, independent K–12 schools, residential and special-needs schooling, substance-use treatment, immigrant integration and family support, hospitals, and arts institutions. The recent list includes Wesleyan University, Packer Collegiate Institute, Riverview School, Caron Foundation, Neighbors Link, and Northern Westchester Hospital.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Wesleyan University at $500,000 in both 2024 and 2025, Caron Foundation at $200,000 in 2023 and 2024 and $210,000 in 2025, and Neighbors Link at $100,000 in 2023, $160,000 in 2024, and $150,000 in 2025.
The distribution is broad. The p25 is $1,382, the median is $4,050, and the p75 is $25,000. Recent awards also include larger operating grants, such as $500,000 to Wesleyan University and $210,000 to Caron Foundation.
Most grants go to recipients in New York, which is the top state by grant count. Connecticut, the HQ state, accounts for 6% of grants. Recent New York recipients include Brooklyn, Mount Kisco, New York, Astoria, Hartsdale, Somers, and Hopewell Junction.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 1 |
| $50K |
0.6% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wesleyan University | Middleton, CT | $500,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Caron Foundation | New York, NY | $210,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Packer Collegiate Institute | Brooklyn, NY | $166,666 | 2025 | General Use |
| Neighbors Link | Mount Kisco, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| NYC Ballet | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Third Way Institute | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Northern Westchester Hospital | Mount Kisco, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Blue Path Service Dogs | Hopewell Junction, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Porter's Call | Franklin, TN | $66,667 | 2025 | General Use |
| Project Heal | Brooklyn, NY | $65,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Extended Family Solutions | Somers, NY | $61,480 | 2025 | General Use |
| The Breakthrough Fund | Hartsdale, NY | $55,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Rideback Rise | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| American Museum of the Moving Image | Astoria, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| United Israel Appeal | Toronto, On | $50,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Bedford Historical Society | Bedford, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Mount Sinai Hospital | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| The New York Society Library | New York, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Harvey School | Katonah, NY | $15,600 | 2025 | General Use |
| Horizons National | Westport, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Black Theatre United | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| NEXT for Autism | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| National Forest Foundation | Missoula, MT | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Dunelm USA | Denver, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Beit Ruth | Jericho, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Snack & Friends | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| NYU Langone Medical Center | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Ridgebury Riders | Ridgefield, CT | $10,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| New Yorkers For Children | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Bedford Playhouse | Bedford, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Council on Foreign Relations | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Children's Museum Of Manhattan | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Success Academy Charter Schools | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Central Synagogue | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| American Friends of Shalva | New York, NY | $3,600 | 2025 | General Use |
| The Fresh Air Fund | New York, NY | $3,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| Hidden Water | New York, NY | $3,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| SlamT1D | Williston, VT | $3,000 | 2025 | General Use |
| Challenged Athletes Foundation | San Diego, CA | $2,613 | 2025 | General Use |
| Portland Community Squash | Portland, ME | $2,574 | 2025 | General Use |
| Green Chimneys | Brewster, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| Hebrew Charter School Center | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| Osborne Association | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| Destination 393 | Bedford Hills, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| 92nd Street Y | New York, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | General Use |
| Matan | New York, NY | $1,854 | 2025 | General Use |
| Understood For All | New York, NY | $1,800 | 2025 | General Use |
| The Chick Mission | New York, NY | $1,800 | 2025 | General Use |
| New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children | New York, NY | $1,500 | 2025 | General Use |
Wesleyan University
$500,000General Use
Caron Foundation
$210,000General Use
NYC Ballet
$150,000General Use
General Use
Blue Path Service Dogs
$75,000General Use
Porter's Call
$66,667General Use
Project Heal
$65,000General Use
Extended Family Solutions
$61,480General Use
The Breakthrough Fund
$55,000General Use
United Israel Appeal
$50,000General Use
Bedford Historical Society
$25,000General Use
The New York Society Library
$20,000General Use
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
$20,000General Use
Harvey School
$15,600General Use
Horizons National
$10,000General Use
Dunelm USA
$10,000General Use
Beit Ruth
$10,000General Use
NYU Langone Medical Center
$10,000General Use
Ridgebury Riders
$10,000General Use
Council on Foreign Relations
$5,000General Use
Central Synagogue
$5,000General Use
American Friends of Shalva
$3,600General Use
The Fresh Air Fund
$3,500General Use
Hidden Water
$3,500General Use
SlamT1D
$3,000General Use
Challenged Athletes Foundation
$2,613General Use
Green Chimneys
$2,500General Use
Osborne Association
$2,500General Use
Destination 393
$2,500General Use
92nd Street Y
$2,500General Use
Matan
$1,854General Use
Understood For All
$1,800General Use
New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
$1,500General Use