The Theodore J. Forstmann Charitable Trust concentrates its giving on children and education-focused interventions, especially scholarships, school-level support, and child welfare services. Grants are directed to organizations that expand educational access for low-income or vulnerable children (domestically and in developing countries) and to services that support family placement and adoption. The foundation shows a willingness to make large, multi-million dollar gifts to mission-aligned organizations and to fund both US-based service providers and international education programs.
Theodore J. Forstmann Charitable Trust’s largest recent gift went to Marys Meals USA Inc for general exempt purpose, part of a grantmaking pattern that repeatedly backs children’s education, school access, and child welfare organizations at substantial dollar levels. The trust’s recent support includes multi-million-dollar awards to Children’s Scholarship Fund and to Spence-chapin Services to Families and Children, alongside continued funding for New Alternatives for Children Inc. That mix points to a funder that concentrates on practical interventions for children and families rather than narrow program subgrants. The Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Tr C/o Bessemer Trust Company Na also shows a willingness to support organizations working across different settings: U.S. scholarship providers, adoption and family-placement services, and education initiatives tied to broader child development. Several recipients appear more than once across the recent grant list, suggesting ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. The trust’s portfolio includes organizations serving low-income students, children in foster care or adoption systems, and education programs operating in the U.S. and abroad. Its grants often arrive at six- and seven-figure levels, reflecting a philanthropic approach centered on institutional support for established nonprofits.
In scholarship and school-access work, the Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Tr C/o Bessemer Trust Company Na gave $3,065,000 in 2024 and $2,975,000 in 2023 to Children’s Scholarship Fund for general exempt purpose, then followed with $2,818,000 in 2025. In child welfare, the trust supported Spence-chapin Services to Families and Children with $2,236,677 in 2024 and $872,630 in 2025, and it gave New Alternatives for Children Inc $2,000,000 in 2023 and $750,000 in 2024. It also funded Partnership Schools with $1,368,640 in 2023, $822,000 in 2024, and $648,000 in 2025, showing steady support for school-management work. Education outside the U.S. also appears in the record. Marys Meals USA Inc received $3,350,000 in 2025, and the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation received $520,500 in 2024.
$10.2M
$15.8M
$831K
$10.5M
Most grants fall between $131K and $515K, with a median of $254K.
25th Percentile
$131K
Median
$254K
75th Percentile
$515K
Top 5 recipient countries by grant volume for Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Tr C/O Bessemer Trust Company Na.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 134 | $61.2M | 90.5% |
| 2 |
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Concentrated, high-value grants (multi-million dollar awards) to a small number of organizations; a mix of repeat funding for core grantees and one-off large commitments; focus on program-level general support rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: Children's Scholarship Fund, Mary's Meals USA, Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children, New Alternatives for Children, African Leadership Foundation
Typical grants cluster in the six-figure range: the 25th percentile is $131,250, the median is $254,111, and the 75th percentile is $515,375. The recent record also includes repeated awards to the same organizations over multiple years, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time support. The foundation is structured as a charitable trust and, across the available grant list, the awards are labeled for general exempt purpose. It does not make program-related investments and does not fund individuals.
Giving is national, with 92.4% of grants going to U.S. recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, and many awards land in New York City. Other recurring recipient locations include Los Angeles, Veron Beach, Bronx, Manhasset, Oakland, and Pine Ridge. Outside the U.S., the record includes recipients in Surry Hills and grants tied to institutions in Asia and Poland in the recipient-country distribution.
The recent record centers on children, education access, and child welfare. Grants go to scholarship organizations, school-support and school-management nonprofits, adoption and family-placement services, and education initiatives for children in the U.S. and abroad.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Children’s Scholarship Fund, Spence-chapin Services to Families and Children, New Alternatives for Children Inc, Partnership Schools, Crossover Mission, and Friends of Raising the Village Incorporated.
The grant-size distribution is fairly high: the 25th percentile is $131,250, the median is $254,111, and the 75th percentile is $515,375. The recent list also includes multiple grants above $1 million, showing a mix of mid-sized and larger awards.
Yes. The country distribution shows 110 U.S. grants, or 92.4% of the total. The remaining grants are distributed across Asia, Poland, and one entry coded SF in the recipient-country data.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| Australia |
| 9 |
| $2.8M |
6.1% |
| 3 | South Africa | 2 | $642K | 1.4% |
| 4 | Poland | 2 | $500K | 1.4% |
| 5 | Israel | 1 | $250K | 0.7% |
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 PASADENA WALDORF SCHOOL | ALTADENA, CA | $1,550,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SPENCE-CHAPIN SERVICES TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $1,296,842 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NEW ALTERNATIVES FOR CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $794,400 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION FOUNDATION | SURRY HILLS, NE | $672,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SISTERS OF LIFE | SUFFERN, NY | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| HOMELESS CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY | INDIAN RIVER SHORES, FL | $355,714 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| THE BRIDGE GOLF FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $350,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| DUNATOS REMEDIAL SCHOOL | SKITLAND, CA | $310,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SCHOOL ON WHEELS INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $300,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CROSSOVER MISSION | VERO BEACH, FL | $300,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| YOUNG EISNER SCHOLARS | INGLEWOOD, CA | $300,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PROYECTO PASTORAL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CARITAS JERUSALEM | JERUSALEM, JE | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NSW FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE INC | BONDI JUNCTION, NE | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ADVENTURES IN LEARNING | MANHASSET, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ROCKING THE BOAT INC | BRONX, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $205,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SERIOUSFUN CHILDRENS NETWORK | WESTPORT, CT | $166,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CHILDCARE RESOURCES OF INDIAN RIVER INC | VERO BEACH, FL | $158,952 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PENNY'S FLIGHT FOUNDATION INC | LOCUST VALLEY, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY INC | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $99,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| YOUTH SAILING FOUNDATION OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY | VERO BEACH, FL | $83,333 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| THE LEARNING TREE CULTURAL CENTER INC | BRONX, NY | $73,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CATHOLIC ACADEMY OF BRIDGEPORT | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $70,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CHILDREN FIRST FOUNDATION | NORTH MELBOURNE, VI | $62,970 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| WINCHESTER COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER CHANCE | WINCHESTER, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| FOUNDATION FOR ARIB1B RESEARCH | CHEVY CHASE, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MARYS MEALS USA INC | BLOOMFIELD, NJ | $3,350,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CHILDREN'S SCHOLARSHIP FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $2,818,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SPENCE-CHAPIN SERVICES TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN | NEW YORK, NY | $872,630 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| AFRICAN LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $820,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| FRIENDS OF RAISING THE VILLAGE INCORPORATED | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ADVENTURES IN LEARNING | MANHASSET, NY | $697,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CROSSOVER MISSION | VERO BEACH, FL | $684,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SUMMER SEARCH | OAKLAND, CA | $650,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS | NEW YORK, NY | $648,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SISTERS OF LIFE | SUFFERN, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| THE PASADENA WALDORF SCHOOL | ALTADENA, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ROCKING THE BOAT INC | BRONX, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION FOUNDATION | SURRY HILLS, NE | $353,500 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PROYECTO PASTORAL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SCHOOL ON WHEELS INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CHILDCARE RESOURCES OF INDIAN RIVER INC | VERO BEACH, FL | $276,326 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| YOUNG EISNER SCHOLARS | INGLEWOOD, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UNITED FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN | LOS ANGELES, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| HOUR CHILDREN | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| BREAKTHROUGH NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| PEF ISRAEL ENDOWMENT | NEW YORK, NY | $232,050 | 2025 | GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE |
AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$672,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
SISTERS OF LIFE
$500,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
DUNATOS REMEDIAL SCHOOL
$310,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
SCHOOL ON WHEELS INC
$300,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
CARITAS JERUSALEM
$250,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
NSW FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE INC
$250,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
ADVENTURES IN LEARNING
$250,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION
$205,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
PENNY'S FLIGHT FOUNDATION INC
$100,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
THE LEARNING TREE CULTURAL CENTER INC
$73,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
CATHOLIC ACADEMY OF BRIDGEPORT
$70,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
CHILDREN FIRST FOUNDATION
$62,970GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
WINCHESTER COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER CHANCE
$50,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
FOUNDATION FOR ARIB1B RESEARCH
$50,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
ADVENTURES IN LEARNING
$697,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
SUMMER SEARCH
$650,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS
$648,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
SISTERS OF LIFE
$500,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$353,500GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
SCHOOL ON WHEELS INC
$300,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE
BREAKTHROUGH NEW YORK
$250,000GENERAL EXEMPT PURPOSE