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Ivan Seidenberg Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$4.0M
Grant Range
$0K - $2.0M

Ivan Seidenberg Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,960,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $17,000,000 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $100 - $2,000,000
  • Number of Awards: 40 grants (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey; extends to other states
  • Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Ivan Seidenberg Foundation Inc
(Also known as The Seidenberg Family Foundation, Inc.)
23 Old Kings Highway South
Darien, CT 06820

Note: The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Ivan Seidenberg Foundation Inc was established in April 1994 as a private family foundation. Founded by Ivan Seidenberg, former Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications, and his wife Phyllis, the foundation focuses its grantmaking on education, health, arts and culture, and human services. With assets of $17 million and annual giving of approximately $4 million in 2023, the foundation made 40 grants that year. The foundation's philanthropic approach is deeply personal, driven by family connections and Ivan Seidenberg's background in technology and business leadership. Notable commitments include a $15 million gift to Pace University (Seidenberg's alma mater) and $16 million to New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital for pediatric gastrointestinal disorders, reflecting the family's personal connection to celiac disease. The foundation operates on a trustee-discretion model, with grants awarded to organizations with established relationships to the family.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published application processes. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to preselected organizations.

Grant Range: $100 - $2,000,000
Method: Trustee discretion, invitation only

Priority Areas

Higher Education

  • Strong focus on institutions with personal connections, particularly Pace University
  • Support for computer science, technology education, and scholarship programs
  • Recent funding to Columbia University, Hunter College Foundation, Weill Medical College, Stafford Scholarship Foundation

Health and Medical Research

  • Pediatric gastrointestinal disorders and celiac disease research (significant family interest)
  • Neurological conditions: Parkinson's disease, aphasia
  • Cancer research: pancreatic cancer (Lustgarten Foundation)
  • Autism spectrum disorder support
  • Mental health: National Alliance on Mental Illness
  • Genomic research: New York Genome Center

Arts and Culture

  • New York Hall of Science (Ivan Seidenberg serves as emeritus board chair)
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
  • New York City Center
  • Metropolitan Opera

Human Services and Community Development

  • United Way
  • WNET (public broadcasting)
  • Community support initiatives in the New York area

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's pattern indicates they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited grant requests
  • Organizations outside their established network
  • Projects without clear connections to New York/Northeast region (with rare exceptions)

Governance and Leadership

Ivan Seidenberg - Chairman of the Board
Former Chairman and CEO of Verizon Communications, Seidenberg is a Pace University alumnus who has maintained strong ties to education and technology sectors throughout his philanthropic work. He serves as Vice Chair of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (as of 2018) and Emeritus Board Chair of the New York Hall of Science.

Phyllis Seidenberg - Board Member
Co-founder of the foundation's philanthropic vision, particularly focused on health causes related to celiac disease, which affects their grandchildren.

Douglas Seidenberg - Board Member
Family member involved in foundation governance.

Lisa Agdern - Executive Director
Manages day-to-day operations of the foundation (compensation: $125,000 in 2023).

The foundation is managed as a family endeavor with no compensation for trustees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on:

  • Pre-existing relationships with the Seidenberg family
  • Organizations where trustees serve in leadership roles
  • Causes of personal significance to the family
  • Institutions with historical ties to Ivan Seidenberg's career and education

Getting on Their Radar

Board and Personal Connections The foundation's grants flow primarily through established relationships. Ivan Seidenberg's board service at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and the New York Hall of Science indicates these institutional connections can lead to funding relationships.

Geographic and Thematic Alignment Organizations in the New York area working in higher education, celiac disease research, or arts/culture that can demonstrate alignment with the Seidenberg family's documented interests may be positioned for introduction through mutual connections, though direct unsolicited outreach is not accepted.

Major Institutional Gifts The foundation's pattern shows significant gifts to major institutions (Pace University, New York-Presbyterian Hospital) where long-term relationships exist, suggesting that substantial commitments come from deep engagement rather than transactional relationships.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As grants are awarded by trustee discretion rather than through an application cycle, there are no fixed timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. The 40 grants awarded in 2023 represent preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's invitation-only model, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, analysis of their funding patterns reveals:

Personal Connection to Causes The foundation's giving is driven by personal experiences and connections. The $16 million commitment to pediatric gastrointestinal disorders directly relates to their grandchildren's celiac disease. This suggests the foundation responds to causes that have touched the family personally.

Institutional Relationships Matter Major gifts flow to institutions where Ivan Seidenberg has direct involvement: Pace University (alma mater and $15 million donor), NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (where he serves as Vice Chair), and New York Hall of Science (where he is emeritus board chair).

Education and Technology Priority Ivan Seidenberg's career in telecommunications and technology is reflected in the naming of Pace University's Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, indicating sustained interest in technology education.

Multi-Year Sustained Giving Rather than one-time grants, the foundation's pattern shows repeated support to core organizations, suggesting they value long-term partnerships over new relationships.

Northeast Geographic Focus While the foundation has given to organizations across multiple states, the concentration remains in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with particularly strong focus on New York City institutions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation operates entirely through trustee discretion and preselected organizations. Traditional grant writing approaches will not be successful.
  • Relationship-Driven Philanthropy: All significant grants trace to personal or institutional relationships with the Seidenberg family. Board service, personal connections, and institutional ties are the pathways to funding.
  • Family Mission Alignment: Causes must align with the family's documented interests: higher education (especially technology), celiac disease/pediatric GI health, major NYC arts institutions, and neurological research.
  • Substantial Capacity: With assets of $17 million and annual giving near $4 million, the foundation has made individual grants ranging from $100 to $2 million, indicating capacity for both major gifts and smaller grants.
  • Major Institutions Preferred: The foundation's largest grants support major established institutions (hospitals, universities, cultural organizations) rather than smaller grassroots nonprofits.
  • Long-Term Commitment Model: Evidence suggests the foundation prefers sustained relationships with repeated grants rather than constantly seeking new beneficiaries.
  • Northeast Focus with NYC Core: While grants extend beyond New York, the foundation's heart remains in NYC institutions and Northeast causes.

References

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