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Leonard & Hilda Kaplan Charitable Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.5M
Grant Range
$25K - $0.0M

Leonard & Hilda Kaplan Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $516,000-$619,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $30,000+ (based on recent grants)
  • Geographic Focus: Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts (primarily New Bedford area)
  • Total Assets: $11.2 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 1 Citizens Plaza, 9th Floor, Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (774) 206-8300
EIN: 04-6528085
Website: Not available

Overview

The Leonard & Hilda Kaplan Charitable Foundation was established in July 1986 as a private grantmaking foundation based in Providence, Rhode Island. With total assets of $11.2 million and annual grantmaking of approximately $516,000-$619,000, the foundation supports youth-focused educational and enrichment programs primarily in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. The foundation's grantmaking portfolio emphasizes transformative educational opportunities, summer programs, scholarships, and arts education for young people. In 2023, the foundation made 26 grants totaling $516,000, continuing a strong pattern of consistent philanthropic support—since 2016, the foundation has awarded 186 individual grants totaling $4,755,500. The foundation derives its income primarily from investment dividends and capital gains rather than contributions, ensuring a sustainable funding base for its charitable activities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation supports educational and enrichment programs for youth through discretionary grants:

  • General Operating Support: $25,000 - $30,000 (provides unrestricted funding for organizational operations)
  • Summer Programs: $30,000 (specifically for summer camperships and educational enrichment)
  • Specialized Programs: Variable amounts (supports transformative teacher training, teen initiatives, digital arts labs, summer artmobile programs, and scholarships)

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant recipients and funding focus areas:

  • Youth Education: Tuition-free schools and educational programs serving economically-disadvantaged students
  • Summer Enrichment: Camperships and summer programs providing educational and recreational opportunities
  • Special Education: Programs serving children with developmental and learning needs
  • Arts Education: Digital arts labs and summer artmobile programs
  • Teacher Development: Transformative teacher training initiatives
  • Scholarships: Educational scholarships for students in need

Known Recent Grant Recipients (2023):

  • Meeting Street ($30,000 for general funding) - serves over 7,000 children and families annually through early childhood programs and schools
  • Nativity Preparatory School New Bedford ($30,000 for summer camperships) - tuition-free middle school for boys from economically-disadvantaged families in Greater New Bedford
  • Sweet Dream Makers ($25,000 for general funding)

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available. As a private foundation focused on youth education and enrichment, funding outside these areas may be limited.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a small board of trustees:

  • Todd Eisenberg, Trustee
  • George Robinson, Trustee

Both trustees serve without compensation, consistent with the foundation's private, family foundation structure. No public statements or quotes from the trustees regarding funding priorities are available.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private foundation, the Leonard & Hilda Kaplan Charitable Foundation appears to make grants through trustee discretion and direct identification of beneficiaries. The foundation does not maintain a public website or published application guidelines.

Grants are awarded based on trustees' knowledge of and relationships with beneficiary organizations. The foundation's grantmaking pattern suggests trustees have established relationships with organizations serving youth in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, particularly in the Providence and New Bedford areas.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation making discretionary grants, decision timelines likely vary based on trustee meeting schedules and organizational fiscal year considerations.

Success Rates

Not available. Given the foundation's small size and discretionary grantmaking approach, success rates for unsolicited requests are likely very low.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. Organizations that have received funding may have better prospects for continued support based on the foundation's pattern of supporting specific institutions.

Application Success Factors

Given the private nature of this foundation and limited public information, the following factors are inferred from their grantmaking patterns:

Geographic Focus: The foundation demonstrates clear preference for organizations in Rhode Island (particularly Providence) and southeastern Massachusetts (particularly New Bedford), suggesting trustees have personal or professional connections to these regions.

Youth-Centered Mission: All documented grants support organizations serving children and youth, particularly those from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds. Organizations with strong track records serving vulnerable youth populations align with the foundation's demonstrated priorities.

Educational Excellence: Grant recipients like Nativity Preparatory School (tuition-free middle school) and Meeting Street (serving 7,000 children annually) demonstrate scale, impact, and commitment to educational equity.

Summer Programming: The foundation's specific support for "summer camperships" suggests interest in preventing summer learning loss and providing enrichment opportunities during out-of-school time.

Multi-Year Relationships: The foundation's consistent annual grantmaking to a relatively small number of organizations (26 grants in 2023) suggests preference for ongoing relationships rather than one-time grants.

Arts and Innovation: Support for digital arts labs and summer artmobile programs indicates interest in creative, innovative approaches to youth engagement.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Private Foundation Structure: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and makes grants through trustee discretion
  • Geographic Concentration: Focus on Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA areas suggests trustees have deep roots or connections in these communities
  • Youth Education Priority: All documented grants support educational programs for children and youth, particularly from low-income families
  • Relationship-Based Grantmaking: Grant recipients likely have direct connections to trustees or are well-known in the Rhode Island/southeastern Massachusetts nonprofit community
  • Modest Grant Sizes: Recent grants range from $25,000-$30,000, suggesting the foundation prefers supporting multiple organizations rather than making large individual grants
  • Summer Focus: Specific interest in summer programming and camperships presents a niche opportunity for organizations with strong summer enrichment programs
  • Sustainable Operations: The foundation's investment-based income model and consistent annual grantmaking suggest long-term sustainability and commitment to ongoing philanthropic support

References

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