Morgan Stanley Foundation concentrates its giving on child- and family-focused basic needs and health, with large unrestricted or operational support to national partners that deliver food security and children’s health and mental-health services. Grants are sizable and strategic, aimed at expanding equitable access and strengthening organizational response capacity rather than many small, place-based projects. The foundation repeatedly funds established national nonprofits that address child welfare, pediatric health care, and youth mental-health/suicide-prevention work.
Morgan Stanley Foundation Inc repeatedly backs child and family health systems, with large grants aimed at food security, pediatric care, and youth mental health. Its recent giving shows a pattern of funding established national organizations that can move resources at scale: Feeding America received multi-year support for child and family hunger relief and operational response, while The Jed Foundation received major grants for youth mental health and suicide prevention. The foundation also supports hospitals and health systems that serve children, including NewYork-Presbyterian Fund Inc and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, alongside organizations focused on early intervention and community-based mental health care. Rather than funding many small, local projects, it concentrates on a narrower set of nonprofits with reach across multiple states and service systems. Recent grants also show interest in the upstream side of child well-being, including play equity, pediatric mental health education, and practical support for families and caregivers. The overall picture is of a funder that uses substantial grants to strengthen organizations already delivering direct services, clinical care, and infrastructure for children and adolescents.
In hunger-relief work, Morgan Stanley Foundation Inc gave Feeding America $1,880,000 in 2025 for expanding equitable access and operational response plans with a child and family focus, after prior grants of $1,942,500 in both 2023 and 2024. In youth mental health, The Jed Foundation received $1,899,956 in 2023 and $1,857,095 in 2024, showing sustained support for adolescent mental-health services. The foundation also funds pediatric mental-health capacity through the American Academy of Pediatrics, which received $261,810 in 2025 for the Pediatric Mental Health Education Center. Early intervention appears in a grant of $747,794 to Sesame Workshop for early intervening in young children’s mental health. Beyond clinical and education programs, the foundation backed Kaboom with $315,000 in 2025 for a partnership addressing playspace inequity.
Typical grants cluster in the low-thousands to mid-thousands, with a p25 of $1,500, a median of $2,000, and a p75 of $5,875, even though the recent-gifts list also includes much larger strategic awards. The pattern is repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including recurring grants to Feeding America, The Jed Foundation, Child Mind Institute Inc, Kaboom, Columbia University, Boston Children’s Hospital, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The foundation is a grantmaker only; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The recent record shows predominantly institutional grants rather than application-style microgrants.
$25.3M
$105.6M
$11.4M
$25.4M
Most grants fall between $2K and $6K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$6K
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Concentrated, large grants to a small number of national organizations; several multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar gifts with repeat funding for core grantees focused on operational capacity and scaling equitable access.
Notable grantees: Feeding America, NewYork-Presbyterian Fund Inc, The Jed Foundation
Giving is national, and every recent grant in the dataset went to a U.S. recipient. New York City is a frequent landing point, with grants to New York-Presbyterian Fund Inc, Columbia University, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Sesame Workshop, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and Child Mind Institute Inc. Other recurring recipient hubs include Chicago, Boston, Bethesda, Baltimore, and Atlanta. Texas is the top state by grant count, while 31% of grants go to recipients in New York state, indicating a substantial but not exclusive concentration in the foundation’s HQ state.
The foundation most often funds organizations serving children, adolescents, and families, especially in child health, pediatric systems, hunger relief, and youth mental health. Recent grants include support for food security, hospital and health-system programs, mental-health education, and early intervention for young children.
No. The grantmaking scope is national, and the recent grants list includes recipients in Chicago, Boston, Bethesda, Baltimore, Atlanta, San Francisco, Itasca, Providence, and New York City. New York state receives 31% of grants, but it is not the only geography in the portfolio.
The typical grant size is modest relative to the foundation’s largest awards: p25 is $1,500, median is $2,000, and p75 is $5,875. The recent record also includes larger strategic grants, including several in the $250,000 to $2,000,000 range.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated support to several organizations across multiple years, including Feeding America, The Jed Foundation, Child Mind Institute Inc, Kaboom, Columbia University, Boston Children’s Hospital, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
The clearest areas are child and family hunger relief, pediatric health care, youth mental health and suicide prevention, early childhood mental health, playspace equity, and pediatric mental-health education. Those themes appear across grants to Feeding America, hospital and university partners, Sesame Workshop, Kaboom, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $1,880,000 | 2025 | EXPANDING EQUITABLE ACCESS/OPERATIONAL RESPONSE PLANS - CHILD AND FAMILY FOCUS |
| SESAME WORKSHOP | NEW YORK, NY | $747,794 | 2025 | EARLY INTERVENING IN YOUNG CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH |
| THE BRIDGESPAN GROUP INC | BOSTON, MA | $372,000 | 2025 | STRATEGY CHALLENGE 2024 SUPPORT |
| KABOOM | BETHESDA, MD | $315,000 | 2025 | MORGAN STANLEY AND KABOOM!: PARTNERING TO ADDRESS PLAYSPACE INEQUITY |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS | ITASCA, IL | $261,810 | 2025 | PEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER |
| CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA | ATLANTA, GA | $250,000 | 2025 | NEVER SETTLE - A CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA |
| UCSF BENIOFF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | TACKLING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | EXPANDING COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS |
| THE JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL | BALTIMORE, MD | $250,000 | 2025 | CRISIS ASSESSMENT, LINKAGE, AND MANAGEMENT (CALM) PROGRAM CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT (CSU) |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2025 | COREY GRIFFIN HOUSE |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $249,941 | 2025 | INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS |
| CHILD MIND INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $245,595 | 2025 | 2024-25 INTERGENERATIONAL STRESSORS SURVEY |
| CENTER FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH | SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | CENTER FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH |
| OUR MINDS MATTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | AN INNOVATIVE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM IN TEEN CENTERS |
| UPSTREAM EDUCATION INC | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | UPSTREAM FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES |
| GIVE US THE FLOOR | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTING LGBTQ YOUTH IN DISTRESS VIA THE SUPPORTIVE GROUP CHAT PROGRAM |
| AMAL ALLIANCE INC | NEW CASTLE, DE | $100,000 | 2025 | TRAVELING COLORS: MOBILE LEARNING & WELLNESS |
| SIFMA FOUNDATION FOR INVESTOR EDUCATION FIE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| GODS LOVE WE DELIVER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RIVERSIDE PARK CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | RIVERSIDE PARK CONSERVANCY CORPORATE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM |
| NEW YORK CARES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF NEW JERSEY INC | HILLSIDE, NJ | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRIENDS OF GREEN CHIMNEYS | BREWSTER, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| ONLY MAKE BELIEVE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | 2024 ONLY MAKE BELIEVE CORPORATE VOLUNTEERISM |
| FEEDING WESTCHESTER INC | ELMSFORD, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | NOURISHING PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS |
| CHRISTIAN HERALD ASSN INC DBA THE BOWERY MISSION | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| COVENANT HOUSE | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | COVENANT HOUSE NEW YORK - GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| OUTSTANDING RENEWAL ENTERPRISES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | STEWARDSHIP OF EAST RIVER PARK AND TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK |
| RISE AGAINST HUNGER | RALEIGH, NC | $25,000 | 2025 | RISE AGAINST HUNGER ENGAGES MORGAN STANLEY VOLUNTEERS INTHE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER |
| YOUTH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | THE MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL NONPROFIT COLLABORATIVE (MS INC) |
| BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL INC | MIAMI, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| STUDENT SPONSOR PARTNERSHIP INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | STUDENT SPONSOR PARTNERS GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| HENRY STREET SETTLEMENT | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS AND VOLUNTEERISM |
| READ AHEAD INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF GREATER NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | TEEN PROGRAMMING SUPPORT |
| NEW YORK COMMON PANTRY | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| GREENWICH HOUSE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| UNION SETTLEMENT ASSOCIATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | UNION SETTLEMENT GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| FRESH AIR FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| PROSPECT PARK ALLIANCE INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | FY24 PROSPECT PARK ALLIANCE + MORGAN STANLEY PARTNERSHIP |
| BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF NEW YORK CITY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | WORKPLACE MENTORING PROGRAM |
| WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | WITS WORKPLACE MENTORING PROGRAM |
| ENCORE COMMUNITY SERVICES | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF HUDSON COUNTY | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| READ TO A CHILD INC | WELLESLEY, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | READ ALOUD MENTORING PROGRAM |
| LIVING CLASSROOMS FOUNDATION INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | 2024 VOLUNTEER INCENTIVE GRANT |
| VOLUNTEER SERVICE BUREAU OF WESTCHESTER INC DBA VOLUNTEER NEW YORK | TARRYTOWN, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | MORGAN STANLEY AND VOLUNTEER NEW YORK! EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT 2024 |
| CHILDRENS VILLAGE INC | DOBBS FERRY, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATIONS |
EXPANDING EQUITABLE ACCESS/OPERATIONAL RESPONSE PLANS - CHILD AND FAMILY FOCUS
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
$261,810PEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA
$250,000NEVER SETTLE - A CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA
TACKLING THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$250,000EXPANDING COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS
CRISIS ASSESSMENT, LINKAGE, AND MANAGEMENT (CALM) PROGRAM CRISIS STABILIZATION UNIT (CSU)
BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$250,000COREY GRIFFIN HOUSE
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
$249,941INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE CLINICAL OUTCOMES FOR DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS
CENTER FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH
$100,000CENTER FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH
UPSTREAM EDUCATION INC
$100,000UPSTREAM FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES
SUPPORTING LGBTQ YOUTH IN DISTRESS VIA THE SUPPORTIVE GROUP CHAT PROGRAM
AMAL ALLIANCE INC
$100,000TRAVELING COLORS: MOBILE LEARNING & WELLNESS
RIVERSIDE PARK CONSERVANCY CORPORATE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
ONLY MAKE BELIEVE INC
$30,0002024 ONLY MAKE BELIEVE CORPORATE VOLUNTEERISM
OUTSTANDING RENEWAL ENTERPRISES INC
$30,000STEWARDSHIP OF EAST RIVER PARK AND TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK
RISE AGAINST HUNGER ENGAGES MORGAN STANLEY VOLUNTEERS INTHE FIGHT AGAINST HUNGER
YOUTH INC
$25,000THE MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL NONPROFIT COLLABORATIVE (MS INC)
FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY
$25,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
FRESH AIR FUND
$20,000GENERAL OPERATIONS
FY24 PROSPECT PARK ALLIANCE + MORGAN STANLEY PARTNERSHIP
LIVING CLASSROOMS FOUNDATION INC
$20,0002024 VOLUNTEER INCENTIVE GRANT
MORGAN STANLEY AND VOLUNTEER NEW YORK! EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT 2024