The Wolfensohn Family Foundation concentrates its giving on Jewish communal life and institutions, primarily in New York. It provides large, unrestricted/general operating support to established Jewish organizations, including repeat grants to related family foundations and major community federations. The foundation’s giving is focused and institution-level rather than project-specific or geographically broad.
Wolfensohn Family Foundation’s recent giving is marked by large, repeat general contributions to a small circle of Jewish communal institutions. Two $600,000 grants went to Botwinick Wolfensohn Foundation in 2023 and 2024, both labeled general contribution, showing a strong pattern of sustained support rather than project-by-project funding. The foundation also made a $230,000 general-purpose grant to Uja-Federation of NY in 2025, continuing a relationship that includes prior support for federation-led emergency and survivor programs. Alongside those institutional grants, the foundation backs organizations serving Holocaust survivors, Jewish community services, and Jewish cultural life, with awards that range from six figures to more modest operating grants. Its recent activity also reaches into select research and climate-investing work, but the core of the portfolio remains centered on Jewish communal infrastructure and affiliated philanthropic vehicles. The pattern is institution-level, often unrestricted, and frequently tied to established organizations in New York and nearby communities.
A major strand of the foundation’s giving supports Jewish communal services and survivor assistance. In 2024, it gave $100,000 to Met Council for a Holocaust survivor food program, and in 2025 it added another $100,000 to Met Council for general purposes. The foundation also supported Jewish Family & Children’s Services in Waltham, Massachusetts with $85,000 in 2025 and $65,000 in 2024, the earlier grant split between Holocaust survivors and Family Table. Cultural programming is another clear area: Carnegie Hall received $75,000 in 2025, while Brooklyn Academy of Music received multiple grants across 2023 to 2025. The foundation also funded the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in both 2023 and 2024, including a 2023 gift tied to honoring a memory and attending the New York gala. In research and policy work, it gave $100,000 to Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and $50,000 to Sustainable Markets Foundation for the TransCap Initiative.
Typical grants are relatively concentrated in the middle of the range, with a p25 of $2,000, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $25,000. The recent list also includes a cluster of six-figure grants, indicating that a small number of institutions receive substantially larger awards. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Botwinick Wolfensohn Foundation, Uja-Federation of NY, Met Council, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which points to recurring support rather than one-off giving. The foundation’s pattern is heavily oriented toward general support and pledges, including general contribution, general purposes, and multi-year language in the recent grants. It also funds individuals and supports established organizations through repeated institutional relationships.
$2.4M
$49.4M
$1.3M
$2.9M
Most grants fall between $2K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
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.
Highly concentrated: very few, large grants (two grantees account for nearly all giving); repeats support to a related family foundation and major local federation; emphasis on general/unrestricted contributions rather than many small or project-specific awards.
Notable grantees: Botwinick Wolfensohn Foundation, UJA-Federation of New York
Most giving lands in New York: 65% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. New York City appears repeatedly, including Uja-Federation of NY, Carnegie Hall, and the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Other New York recipients include Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn and Westchester Jewish Community Services in White Plains. Outside New York, the foundation has recent grants to Waltham and Newton, Massachusetts; Memphis, Tennessee; Princeton, New Jersey; New Haven, Connecticut; and Arlington, Virginia. All recent grants in the provided data go to U.S. recipients.
The foundation backs Jewish communal institutions, Holocaust survivor services, cultural organizations, and selected research groups. Recent recipients include Uja-Federation of NY, Met Council, Jewish Family & Children’s Services, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, and Sustainable Markets Foundation.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple recent years, including Botwinick Wolfensohn Foundation in 2023 and 2024, Uja-Federation of NY in 2024 and 2025, Met Council in 2024 and 2025, and Brooklyn Academy of Music across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution is $2,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also shows larger awards, including multiple six-figure grants to selected institutions.
Grants are concentrated in New York, with 65% going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent New York recipients include organizations in New York City, Brooklyn, and White Plains, while smaller numbers go to Massachusetts, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Virginia.
Yes. Recent grants include $100,000 to Met Council for a Holocaust survivor food program, $60,000 to Uja-Federation of NY for Holocaust survivors, and $100,000 to Uja-Federation of NY for the Israel Emergency Fund.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UJA-FEDERATION OF NY | NEW YORK, NY | $230,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| KAVOD | MEMPHIS, TN | $104,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| MET COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| AFIPO | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| YALE PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION | NEW HAVEN, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY | PRINCETON, NJ | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF GREATER CONEY ISLANDPAID THROUGH UJA | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| RARE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES | WALTHAM, MA | $85,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| YAD CHESSED | NEWTON, MA | $82,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CARNEGIE HALL | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| POLLYLABS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| SOROKA MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HARMONY LABS | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ANTHOS HOME INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| WESTCHESTER JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICESPAID THROUGH UJA | WHITE PLAINS, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GRAND TETON MUSIC FESTIVAL | JACKSON HOLE, WY | $45,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| UJA-FEDERATION OF NY | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CONGREGATION AHAVAS ISRAEL | BROOKLYN, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF JACKSON HOLE | JACKSON, WY | $36,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BANG ON A CAN | BROOKLYN, NY | $32,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE IMPACT - TRANSCAP INITIATIVE | NEW YORK, NY | $26,250 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| YM-YWHA OF BORO PARKPAID THROUGH UJA | BROOKLYN, NY | $26,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BREAKING GROUND | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE KNIGHTS | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| WOMEN IN NEED | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| THE KNIGHTS | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| JFS CENTRAL NEW JERSEY | ELIZABETH, NJ | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| PRIZMAH CENTER FOR JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CLIMATE MUSEUM | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CONGREGATION BAITH ISRAEL ANSHEI EMES | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY ISRAEL | NEW YORK, NY | $22,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| NETZACH EDUCATIONAL NETWORKPAID THROUGH UJA | BROOKLYN, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CONGREGATION AHAVAS ISRAEL | BROOKLYN, NY | $18,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| COLEL CHABAD | BROOKLYN, NY | $18,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GANN ACADEMY | WALTHAM, MA | $18,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ZAKA | BROOKLYN, NY | $18,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| GRACE CHURCH SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CHABAD AT HARVARD | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CENTER FOR HUMANE TECHNOLOGY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BREAKTHROUGH T1D FORMERLY JDRF | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $13,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| ORIGINAL MUSIC WORKSHOP DBA NATIONAL SAWDUST | BROOKLYN, NY | $12,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| URBAN OCEAN LAB - MULTIPLIER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $12,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| CHABAD OF LONG ISLAND CITY | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| HANNAH SENESH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL | BROOKLYN, NY | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY | WALTHAM, MA | $11,500 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
| WASSAIC PROJECT | WASSAIC, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSES |
MET COUNCIL
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
AFIPO
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
YALE PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GENERAL PURPOSES
JEWISH COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF GREATER CONEY ISLANDPAID THROUGH UJA
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
RARE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS
$100,000GENERAL PURPOSES
YAD CHESSED
$82,000GENERAL PURPOSES
POLLYLABS FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
SOROKA MEDICAL CENTER
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICESPAID THROUGH UJA
$50,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CONGREGATION AHAVAS ISRAEL
$40,000GENERAL PURPOSES
BANG ON A CAN
$32,500GENERAL PURPOSES
THE IMPACT - TRANSCAP INITIATIVE
$26,250GENERAL PURPOSES
YM-YWHA OF BORO PARKPAID THROUGH UJA
$26,000GENERAL PURPOSES
BREAKING GROUND
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
THE KNIGHTS
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
THE KNIGHTS
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
JFS CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CONGREGATION BAITH ISRAEL ANSHEI EMES
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSES
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY ISRAEL
$22,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CONGREGATION AHAVAS ISRAEL
$18,000GENERAL PURPOSES
COLEL CHABAD
$18,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GANN ACADEMY
$18,000GENERAL PURPOSES
ZAKA
$18,000GENERAL PURPOSES
GRACE CHURCH SCHOOL
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSES
CHABAD AT HARVARD
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSES
BREAKTHROUGH T1D FORMERLY JDRF
$13,000GENERAL PURPOSES
URBAN OCEAN LAB - MULTIPLIER
$12,500GENERAL PURPOSES
CHABAD OF LONG ISLAND CITY
$12,000GENERAL PURPOSES
WASSAIC PROJECT
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSES