The Gray Foundation concentrates its giving almost exclusively on education, splitting major support between higher education (notably the University of Pennsylvania) and urban K–12/education opportunity work in New York City (NYC KIDS RISE). Its grants are very large and highly concentrated — repeat multi-grant relationships with a very small number of organizations — suggesting strategic, high-impact investments rather than broad small-dollar philanthropy. The foundation appears to prioritize scalable educational programs and institutional support (research, scholarships, program expansion) in Northeastern urban and academic settings.
Gray Foundation C/o the Ayco Company Lp’s recent giving is defined by repeated, very large commitments to a small set of education and biomedical institutions, especially The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and NYC Kids Rise Inc. The pattern is not broad or scattershot: one university account alone appears across multiple years and multiple grant amounts, while NYC Kids Rise Inc receives several $5 million grants, including a $5,023,200 award in 2025. The foundation also supports higher education partners such as Harvard University, New York University, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania, alongside research and clinical organizations including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. Named grant purposes point to a mix of institutional support, scholarships, cohort-based aid, and research infrastructure, including Gray Scholars, NYC Scholars Cohort, Basser Interception Center, BRCA Research, and a Neurosurgery Chair. Across the record, the foundation’s work reads as concentrated, strategic support for New York-centered education efforts and major academic medical research programs.
Education is a core theme, with large awards to NYC Kids Rise Inc in Long Island City for exempt-purpose support and to United Negro College Fund Inc for the NYC Scholars Cohort. Higher education support is also visible in grants to The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for Gray Scholars and to New York University for a Neurosurgery Chair. On the research side, the foundation backed Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for the ATLAS Project & Team Science and Massachusetts General Hospital for BRCA Research. It also gave major support to Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, underscoring a strong preference for established academic and medical institutions rather than smaller operating nonprofits.
Typical grant size is sizable: p25 is $25,000, median is $50,000, and p75 is $132,250, but the recent record shows many gifts far above those levels. The foundation’s pattern is highly concentrated and recurring, with the same organizations appearing across multiple years, especially The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, NYC Kids Rise Inc, New York University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Massachusetts General Hospital. It is a regular funder and makes grants to individuals, but the recent list is dominated by institutional awards rather than open application-style grants.
$45.5M
$83.4M
$82M
$49.3M
Most grants fall between $25K and $132K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$132K
About 70% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Gray Foundation C/O the Ayco Company Lp.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 858 | $198.5M | 99.5% |
| 2 | Canada |
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Highly concentrated giving: very large gifts split between two repeat grantees (5 grants each), indicating deep, strategic relationships rather than many small or geographically dispersed awards.
Notable grantees: THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, NYC KIDS RISE INC
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 858 grants to U.S. recipients and 4 to Canadian recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, and 70% of grants go to recipients in that state. Recent recipient cities include Philadelphia, Long Island City, New York, Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, showing a strong Northeast concentration. The record also includes a small number of grants to Canadian recipients, but the distribution is otherwise centered in New York and nearby academic hubs.
The foundation gives mainly to universities, research hospitals, and education nonprofits. Recent recipients include The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, NYC Kids Rise Inc, New York University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, and the United Negro College Fund Inc.
The clearest themes are K-12 and college-access education, plus biomedical and academic research. Named purposes include NYC Scholars Cohort, Gray Scholars, Basser Interception Center, BRCA Research, ATLAS Project & Team Science, and Neurosurgery Chair.
The reported grant-size distribution is p25 at $25,000, median at $50,000, and p75 at $132,250. The recent grants list also shows much larger awards, including multiple grants in the millions to universities, schools, and research institutions.
Giving is concentrated in New York. Recipients in New York state account for 70% of grants, and the top state by grant count is NY. Recent recipient locations include Long Island City and New York, alongside Philadelphia, Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville.
Yes. The data shows repeated multi-year support to several institutions, including The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, NYC Kids Rise Inc, New York University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Massachusetts General Hospital. This indicates a recurring, relationship-based pattern rather than one-off gifts.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 4 |
| $499K |
0.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $13,899,358 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| NYC KIDS RISE INC | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $5,023,200 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| HARVARD UNIVERSITY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,841,590 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,124,778 | 2025 | NYC SCHOLARS COHORT |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $2,104,383 | 2025 | ATLAS PROJECT & TEAM SCIENCE |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $1,135,439 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| MGH (MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL) | SOMERVILLE, MA | $1,129,612 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $1,010,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $1,000,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER | BRONX, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | SCHOOL BASED HEALTH PROGRAMS |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | NEUROSURGERY CHAIR |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $976,025 | 2025 | BRCA MICROBIOME PROJECT |
| ASPHALT GREEN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $800,000 | 2025 | MAKING WAVES |
| MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION TOURS |
| VILLAGE ACADEMIES NETWORK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | PRE-K PROGRAMS |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $501,000 | 2025 | ENGAGE SCHOLARSHIP |
| BARD COLLEGE | ANNANDALEONHUDSON, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AT BARD BRONX |
| JOHN JAY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | CUSP PLEDGE |
| MACAULAY HONORS COLLEGE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $303,771 | 2025 | ADVANCE EQUITY IN HONORS EDUCATION |
| HUNTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | GRAY FELLOWSHIP |
| THE NETHERLAND-AMERICA FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | ANNE FRANK HOUSE |
| EXPANDED SCHOOLS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | CITYWIDE TUTORING |
| BRONX CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | BRONX, NY | $226,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTING FIELD TRIPS |
| HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | SUMMER PREMED INTERNSHIP GRANT |
| BROOKLYN COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | BROOKLYN COLLEGE CANCER CENTER |
| ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| EAST HARLEM TUTORIAL PROGRAM INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PLEDGE |
| JED FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | NYC SCHOOLS |
| RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| NY PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS | NEW YORK, NY | $175,000 | 2025 | EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS |
| BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $153,907 | 2025 | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH |
| SPONSORS FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| PREP FOR PREP | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA | VANCOUVER | $138,050 | 2025 | ATLAS PROJECT |
| METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $130,000 | 2025 | TEENS TAKE THE MET |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $125,540 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| FUND FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | BRONX, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM |
| ARIZOU DBA PROJECT BASTA | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | DISCOVERY ACCESS |
| LET'S WIN PANCREATIC CANCER FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| HILLEL-FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CAMPUS LIFE | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| TRANSCEND INC | HASTINGSONHUDSON, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | BROOKLYN STEAM |
| STUDENT LEADERSHIP NETWORK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE BOUND INITIATIVE NYC |
| JOSEPH SLIFKA CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE AT YALE | NEW HAVEN, CT | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | DALLAS, TX | $100,000 | 2025 | COUNCIL FOR A CAUSE |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY | BRONX, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | CAREER LATTICE PROGRAM |
| FOUNDATION FOR CITY COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
| HARLEM RBI INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. |
THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$13,899,358TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
NYC KIDS RISE INC
$5,023,200TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
$2,841,590TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND INC
$2,124,778NYC SCHOLARS COHORT
DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE
$2,104,383ATLAS PROJECT & TEAM SCIENCE
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$1,135,439TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
MGH (MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL)
$1,129,612TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$1,010,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
MAYO CLINIC
$1,000,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER
$1,000,000SCHOOL BASED HEALTH PROGRAMS
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
$1,000,000NEUROSURGERY CHAIR
YALE UNIVERSITY
$976,025BRCA MICROBIOME PROJECT
ASPHALT GREEN INC
$800,000MAKING WAVES
MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE
$750,000EDUCATION TOURS
VILLAGE ACADEMIES NETWORK INC
$750,000PRE-K PROGRAMS
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$501,000ENGAGE SCHOLARSHIP
BARD COLLEGE
$500,000BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AT BARD BRONX
JOHN JAY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$500,000CUSP PLEDGE
MACAULAY HONORS COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$303,771ADVANCE EQUITY IN HONORS EDUCATION
HUNTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$300,000GRAY FELLOWSHIP
THE NETHERLAND-AMERICA FOUNDATION
$250,000ANNE FRANK HOUSE
EXPANDED SCHOOLS INC
$250,000CITYWIDE TUTORING
BRONX CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
$226,000SUPPORTING FIELD TRIPS
HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY FUND INC
$200,000SUMMER PREMED INTERNSHIP GRANT
BROOKLYN COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$200,000BROOKLYN COLLEGE CANCER CENTER
ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION
$200,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
EAST HARLEM TUTORIAL PROGRAM INC
$200,000HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PLEDGE
JED FOUNDATION
$200,000NYC SCHOOLS
RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
$175,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$175,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
$175,000EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS
BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
$153,907SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
SPONSORS FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY INC
$150,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
PREP FOR PREP
$150,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
$138,050ATLAS PROJECT
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
$130,000TEENS TAKE THE MET
CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC
$125,540TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
TEACH FOR AMERICA INC
$125,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
FUND FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$125,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
$125,000COLLEGE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM
ARIZOU DBA PROJECT BASTA
$100,000DISCOVERY ACCESS
LET'S WIN PANCREATIC CANCER FOUNDATION
$100,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
HILLEL-FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CAMPUS LIFE
$100,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
TRANSCEND INC
$100,000BROOKLYN STEAM
STUDENT LEADERSHIP NETWORK INC
$100,000COLLEGE BOUND INITIATIVE NYC
JOSEPH SLIFKA CENTER FOR JEWISH LIFE AT YALE
$100,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
$100,000COUNCIL FOR A CAUSE
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY
$100,000CAREER LATTICE PROGRAM
FOUNDATION FOR CITY COLLEGE
$100,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
HARLEM RBI INC
$100,000TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION.