The Thomas R. Kline Foundation concentrates almost all of its giving on legal education and higher-education institutions in Pennsylvania, making very large institutional gifts to create or support law-school programs and related academic priorities. Grants are highly targeted and appear tied to naming/strategic investments in law schools rather than broad community philanthropy. The foundation funds repeat institutional partners and focuses on strengthening legal training and institutional capacity at a few select universities.
Extremely concentrated: very few, very large grants focused on a small set of repeat grantees (multi-million-dollar, institution-level gifts rather than many small awards).
The Thomas R Kline Foundation’s giving is anchored by very large general-support grants to Pennsylvania universities, especially Duquesne University. The foundation awarded Duquesne $10,235,123 in 2024 and $5,245,227 in 2023, followed by another $1,488,715 in 2025, showing a sustained institutional relationship rather than a one-time award. Its other major education grant in the recent record went to Drexel Kline School of Law, which received $1,162,875 in 2024 and another $20,000 in 2025. The pattern points to concentrated support for law schools and related higher-education institutions in Pennsylvania, with grants structured as general support. The recipient list also includes smaller awards to organizations tied to the same local network, such as Thomas Jefferson University and Hillel at Drexel, indicating that the foundation’s work extends beyond a single campus while staying closely centered on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh institutions. Across the recent grants shown here, the funder appears to favor selected organizations and repeat beneficiaries over broad dispersal.
Legal education is the clearest thread in the recent grant record. Drexel Kline School of Law received $1,162,875 in 2024 and $20,000 in 2025, both labeled general support. In higher education more broadly, Thomas Jefferson University received $100,000 in 2023, extending the foundation’s institutional focus beyond one law school. The foundation also supports campus-linked Jewish student and community life in Philadelphia: Hillel at Drexel received $18,000 in 2024, and Society Hill Synagogue received $20,572 in 2023. Outside education, the recent record includes grants to M Night Shyamalan Foundation for $15,000 in 2024 and $10,000 in 2025, showing that the foundation does make some smaller awards beyond its core university pattern.
The recent grants show a wide spread in size, from a p25 of $5,567 to a median of $15,000 and a p75 of $75,192. At the top end, the foundation makes seven-figure institutional grants; at the lower end, it also issues smaller general-support awards in the five-figure and low-thousands range. Recurrence is visible in the recipient list: Duquesne University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Drexel Kline School of Law appears in 2024 and 2025. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. All recent grants shown are organization-level general support.
$1.5M
$33.6M
$13.7M
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $6K and $75K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$75K
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Notable grantees: Duquesne University, Duquesne University School of Law, Drexel Kline School of Law (Drexel University)
Giving is heavily concentrated in Pennsylvania, which accounts for 84% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Philadelphia appears frequently among recipients, including Drexel Kline School of Law, Thomas Jefferson University, Hillel at Drexel, The Arlen Specter US Squash Center, Maccabi USA, and Wxpn. Pittsburgh is also a major recipient city through Duquesne University. Outside Pennsylvania, the recent record includes New York, NY and West Deptford, NJ, but all grants in the dataset go to US recipients.
The recent grants are concentrated in organizations tied to higher education and law, especially Pennsylvania universities and law schools. The record also includes smaller general-support grants to synagogues, student life organizations, cultural groups, and a few other local nonprofits.
Yes. Duquesne University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Drexel Kline School of Law appears in 2024 and 2025. Maccabi USA and The Arlen Specter US Squash Center also recur in the recent grant list.
The grant-size distribution is broad: the p25 is $5,567, the median is $15,000, and the p75 is $75,192. That sits alongside much larger institutional awards, including seven-figure grants to universities.
Pennsylvania is the main geography in the recent record, accounting for 84% of grants. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the most visible recipient cities, with Philadelphia appearing repeatedly across education, student-life, synagogue, and media grants.
The recent record centers on endowed or general support for law schools in Pennsylvania, institutional capacity-building for university law programs, and major philanthropic support for regional higher education. Smaller grants also reach related local organizations in Philadelphia and nearby areas.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $1,488,715 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DREXEL KLINE SCHOOL OF LAW | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| M NIGHT SHYAMALAN FOUNDATION | NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MACCABI USA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,235,123 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DREXEL KLINE SCHOOL OF LAW | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,162,875 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ARLEN SPECTER US SQUASH CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,384 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HILLEL AT DREXEL | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $18,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| M NIGHT SHYAMALAN FOUNDATION | NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AGUADAS ISRAEL CONGREGATION | HAZELTON, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $9,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WXPN | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MACCABI USA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MISSING BOLTS PRODUCTIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,245,227 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $20,572 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ART GUILD | WEST DEPTFORD, NJ | $6,134 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ARLEN SPECTER US SQUASH CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,551 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
$1,488,715GENERAL SUPPORT
DREXEL KLINE SCHOOL OF LAW
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
M NIGHT SHYAMALAN FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MACCABI USA
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
$10,235,123GENERAL SUPPORT
DREXEL KLINE SCHOOL OF LAW
$1,162,875GENERAL SUPPORT
THE ARLEN SPECTER US SQUASH CENTER
GENERAL SUPPORT
HILLEL AT DREXEL
$18,000GENERAL SUPPORT
M NIGHT SHYAMALAN FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AGUADAS ISRAEL CONGREGATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION
$9,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WXPN
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MACCABI USA
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MISSING BOLTS PRODUCTIONS INC
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
$5,245,227GENERAL SUPPORT
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOCIETY HILL SYNAGOGUE
$20,572GENERAL SUPPORT
ART GUILD
$6,134GENERAL SUPPORT
THE ARLEN SPECTER US SQUASH CENTER
$1,551GENERAL SUPPORT