The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern Foundation concentrates its giving on institutional, mission-support grants to higher-education and major cultural/health organizations. Large, repeat awards favor medical schools and universities, with a secondary emphasis on arts (film) and mindfulness/mental‑health programming. Grants are typically unrestricted “support of the organization’s mission,” indicating a preference for core funding to established institutions rather than project-specific or grassroots funding.
Concentrated, large-scale grants with multiple repeat awards to a small set of institutional grantees; predominantly mission‑support/unrestricted funding rather than many small or new grantee investments.
The Aaron and Betty Lee Stern Foundation’s largest recent award was $250,000 to Weill Cornell Medical College for support of the organization’s mission, and that pattern points to a funder that favors established institutions with recurring, unrestricted backing. Medical education and academic medicine sit near the center of the grant record, alongside repeated support for major New York cultural organizations and a smaller set of higher-education and community-based recipients. The foundation has given the same institutions in multiple years, including Weill Cornell Medical College, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Film at Lincoln Center, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Public Theater. Those repeat awards suggest an ongoing relationship rather than one-off project funding. Larger grants tend to go to universities and medical centers, while arts, synagogue, and civic beneficiaries appear at lower amounts. The wording attached to the grants is consistently “support of the organization’s mission,” which indicates general support rather than restricted program funding. Recent awards also show a mix of New York recipients and a smaller number of organizations in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.
Medical research and academic medicine are a clear priority. The foundation gave $131,000 in 2025 to Weill Cornell Medical College for support of the organization’s mission, following a $250,000 award in 2024 and a $125,000 award in 2023. Higher education also receives consistent backing: the University of Pennsylvania received $75,000 in 2024, $70,000 in 2025, and $70,000 in 2023, while Columbia University received $25,000 in both 2024 and 2025. Arts funding is another recurring theme. Film at Lincoln Center received $100,000 in 2024 and $125,000 in 2025, and The Public Theater received $25,000 in 2023 and 2024. The foundation also supports mindfulness and mental-health-related work through the David Lynch Foundation, which received $150,000 in 2023 and $125,000 in 2025. Community and faith-based organizations appear as well, including Uja Federation of New York and Park Ave Synagogue.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $25,000, with a lower quartile of $8,500 and an upper quartile of $72,500. The recent record includes both larger institutional awards and smaller operating grants such as $5,000 to $15,000. Recipients often reappear across multiple years, which suggests continuing support rather than isolated gifts. The foundation is a private family foundation with assets of $2,997,675 and annual grants of $1,734,000. The grant language is consistently unrestricted, using “support of the organization’s mission.”
$1.7M
$3M
$152K
$643K
Most grants fall between $9K and $73K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$73K
About 20% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: Weil Cornell Medical College, University of Pennsylvania, David Lynch Foundation, Film at Lincoln Center, University of Nebraska Foundation
Grantmaking is regional and heavily centered in New York, which accounts for the top share of recipient locations. New York City appears frequently, including grants to institutions in New York, NY. Outside New York, the record includes Philadelphia, PA; Hanover, NH; Lincoln, NE; Providence, RI; Greenwich, CT; New Haven, CT; and Hamden, CT. Recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state, Connecticut, make up 20% of grants.
The record is concentrated in higher education, academic medicine, and major cultural institutions. Recent grants include medical colleges, university foundations, film and theater organizations, and a small number of mindfulness, synagogue, and community groups, all described as support of the organization’s mission.
The grant-size distribution is centered at $25,000, with a lower quartile of $8,500 and an upper quartile of $72,500. Recent awards range from smaller $5,000 and $6,000 gifts to six-figure grants above $100,000.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Weill Cornell Medical College, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Film at Lincoln Center, the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Public Theater, and the David Lynch Foundation. That pattern points to ongoing relationships.
Its top recipient state is New York, and the recent grant list is dominated by New York City organizations. Connecticut also appears in the record, including Greenwich, New Haven, and Hamden, and recipients in Connecticut represent 20% of grants.
The grant descriptions consistently use the phrase “support of the organization’s mission.” That wording indicates general support rather than project-specific awards in the recent record.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEIL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $131,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $70,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| BRUNSWICK SCHOOL | GREENWICH, CT | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| PARK AVE SYNAGOGUE | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| SQUASH HAVEN | NEW HAVEN, CT | $7,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| CONTRIBUTIONS LESS THAN 5000 | NEW YORK, NY | $6,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB | GREENWICH, CT | $5,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WEIL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $75,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| THE PUBLIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| THE PAPER BAG PLAYERS | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| GENERATION SOS | WESPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| SQUASH HAVEN | NEW HAVEN, CT | $5,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WEIL CORNELL MEDICAL C | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | $90,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $70,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| UJA FEDERATION OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| THE PUBLIC THEATER | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| SQUASH HAVEN | NEW HAVEN, CT | $10,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| GREENWICH SPECIAL OLYMPICS | HAMDEN, CT | $5,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
| CONTRIBUTIONS LESS THAN 5000 | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION |
WEIL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE
$131,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
$125,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION
$125,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$70,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$50,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
BRUNSWICK SCHOOL
$50,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
PARK AVE SYNAGOGUE
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
$15,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
SQUASH HAVEN
$7,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
CONTRIBUTIONS LESS THAN 5000
$6,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WEIL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE
$250,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
$100,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$75,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
THE PUBLIC THEATER
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
$15,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
THE PAPER BAG PLAYERS
$10,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
GENERATION SOS
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
SQUASH HAVEN
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION
$150,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WEIL CORNELL MEDICAL C
$125,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION
$90,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$70,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
UJA FEDERATION OF NEW YORK
$35,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
THE PUBLIC THEATER
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
$15,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
SQUASH HAVEN
$10,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
GREENWICH SPECIAL OLYMPICS
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
ROBIN HOOD FOUNDATION
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION
CONTRIBUTIONS LESS THAN 5000
$5,000SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION