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Jaffe Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.7M
Grant Range
$25K - $0.3M

Jaffe Foundation - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $672,519 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Grant Range: $25,000 - $250,000
  • Geographic Focus: Northeast United States (primarily CT, NY, MA, NJ)
  • Total Assets: $11.2 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 80 E Market St Suite 300, Corning, NY 14830-2722

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website, email, or phone listing for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Jaffe Foundation is a private family foundation established in February 1997 and based in Corning, New York. With total assets of $11.2 million as of 2023, the foundation distributed $672,519 in grants that year across nine organizations. The foundation has experienced substantial growth, with assets increasing approximately 528% from 2011 to 2023. The foundation operates without paid staff and is managed by family members Douglas Jaffe (President), David M Jaffe (Treasurer/Secretary), and Kristin Heavey (Director). The foundation focuses primarily on educational institutions, health research, and youth-serving organizations throughout the Northeast region. The foundation's grantmaking has grown significantly over recent years, from $190,783 in 2019 to $672,519 in 2023.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Jaffe Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. All grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to preselected organizations.

Grant Range: $25,000 - $250,000
Median Grant: $50,964
Application Method: Invitation only (no public application process)

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns (2017-2023), the foundation supports:

  • Higher Education: Universities and colleges (Columbia University, Bennington College, Rutgers University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Kent State University)
  • Health Research: Women's health research initiatives at Yale
  • Youth Development: Early childhood and youth-serving organizations (Friends Center for Children)
  • General Operating Support: Most grants provide unrestricted general support rather than project-specific funding

Geographic Focus

The foundation concentrates grantmaking in the Northeast United States, with recipients primarily located in:

  • Connecticut (Guilford, New Haven)
  • New York (New York City, Corning area)
  • Massachusetts (Worcester)
  • Additional recipients in New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont, Florida, and Maryland

What They Don't Fund

No explicit exclusions are published, but grantmaking history shows focus on established educational and health institutions rather than grassroots organizations, international projects, or capital campaigns.

Governance and Leadership

Officers (all serve with zero compensation):

  • Douglas Jaffe, President
  • David M Jaffe, Treasurer/Secretary
  • Kristin Heavey, Director

The foundation operates as a family foundation with no paid staff. Decision-making authority rests with the three trustees, who select grant recipients based on their own discretion and relationships.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

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

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified or with which they have established relationships. There is no application portal, no proposal deadlines, and no formal review process for external applicants.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's grantmaking patterns, organizations that have received funding share certain characteristics:

Established Educational Institutions: The foundation has a demonstrated preference for universities and colleges, particularly those with connections to the Northeast. Major recipients include Columbia University ($250,000 in 2021), Bennington College ($353,000 total across recent years), and technical institutes like Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Research Institutions: The foundation has supported specialized research programs, particularly the Women's Health Research at Yale initiative, suggesting interest in medical and health research at established institutions.

Community Organizations with Track Records: Non-educational recipients like Friends Center for Children appear to be well-established organizations with proven impact in youth services.

The foundation's trustees appear to make decisions based on personal knowledge of organizations and their leadership. Organizations seeking to build awareness might consider whether they have connections to Corning, NY or to the educational and research institutions the foundation already supports.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded at trustee discretion without a formal application timeline.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - there is no formal application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, analysis of funded organizations reveals preferences:

Strong Institutional Reputation: All funded organizations are well-established with proven track records. The foundation does not appear to fund start-ups or emerging organizations.

Educational Focus: The majority of grants support institutions of higher education, suggesting the trustees value formal educational advancement and research.

Unrestricted Support: Most grants provide general operating support rather than project-specific funding, indicating the foundation trusts recipient organizations to allocate funds where most needed.

Geographic Connection to Northeast: While based in Corning, NY, the foundation's grants concentrate in the broader Northeast corridor, particularly Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.

Personal Connections Matter: As a family foundation without published guidelines, personal relationships with trustees likely play the determining role in grant selection.

Multi-Year Relationships: Several organizations (Bennington College, Friends Center for Children) have received multiple grants over the years, suggesting the foundation values ongoing relationships with proven partners.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation awards grants exclusively to preselected organizations
  • Family foundation discretion - the three trustees make all decisions without formal review processes
  • Educational institutions dominate - universities and colleges represent the largest share of grantmaking
  • Median grant of ~$51,000 - most grants fall in the $25,000-$100,000 range, with occasional larger awards up to $250,000
  • Northeast geographic focus - virtually all recipients are located in CT, NY, MA, and nearby states
  • General operating support preferred - unrestricted grants are more common than project-specific funding
  • Relationship-based grantmaking - personal connections to trustees and multi-year partnerships appear critical to receiving support

References

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