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Zoom Foundation

Annual Giving
$63.2M
Grant Range
$100K - $1.0M

Zoom Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $63,196,700 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only grants)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,000,000+
  • Geographic Focus: National (USA), with emphasis on Connecticut
  • EIN: 06-1600601

Contact Details

Address: Greenwich, CT

Email: info@zoomfoundation.org

Phone: (203) 989-9044

Website: https://www.zoomfoundation.org/

Overview

The Zoom Foundation is a family foundation established in 2001 by Stephen and Susan Mandel to effect social change through philanthropy. Stephen Mandel is a hedge fund manager who founded Lone Pine Capital. The foundation controls $1.2 billion in assets and distributed $63.2 million in grants in 2024. The foundation focuses on partnering with exceptional leaders who employ entrepreneurial, innovative approaches to create sustainable impact in three key areas: education, environment, and democracy. The foundation routes the majority of its disbursements through donor-advised funds (particularly Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund), which allows them to distribute funds over time without public disclosure of ultimate recipients. In 2023, $58.4 million of $60.1 million went through donor-advised funds, making the foundation's specific grantmaking activity largely opaque to public view.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate structured grant programs with defined application cycles or fixed deadlines. Funding is provided through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships.

Grant Range: Tax filings suggest grants typically range from $100,000 to over $1 million.

Application Method: Invitation only / no public application process

Priority Areas

Education: The foundation invests in transformative and sustainable change efforts at the school, community, and system levels to ensure every child has access to a great public school education. The foundation focuses on education equity, particularly addressing Connecticut's achievement gap (noted as the greatest in the country). Known areas of support include:

  • Teach for America (Stephen Mandel contributed $25 million toward a $100 million endowment and serves on the national board)
  • Charter schools and charter school advocacy
  • Public school districts (including Bridgeport Public Schools)
  • Programs addressing dropout prevention and college access
  • Tutorial and development programs

Environment: The foundation supports science-based environmental policy and strategies to stop and reverse climate change. Investments focus on:

  • Policy change initiatives
  • Public awareness efforts
  • Local and national climate strategies

Democracy: The foundation invests in work that strengthens the resiliency and responsiveness of political institutions, including:

  • Supporting free and fair elections
  • Strengthening democratic institutions
  • Building a more just society through robust democracy

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals from organizations they are not already familiar with or have not pre-selected.

Governance and Leadership

Founders: Stephen and Susan Mandel (2001)

Stephen Mandel is a hedge fund manager who founded Lone Pine Capital. He serves on the board of directors of Teach for America and has been described by Inside Philanthropy as a "black box billionaire" due to his practice of routing foundation grants through donor-advised funds, which circumvents traditional disclosure requirements for private foundations.

Susan Mandel co-founded the foundation and shares philanthropic priorities focused on education reform and environmental conservation.

The foundation also operates the Lone Pine Foundation, a separate charitable entity that handles additional philanthropic activities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Zoom Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds or proposals from nonprofits.

Organizations can contact the foundation at info@zoomfoundation.org or (203) 989-9044, but should be aware that unsolicited inquiries are not accepted.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has a documented history of supporting organizations where the founders have direct board involvement (such as Teach for America, where Stephen Mandel serves on the national board). Previous Connecticut grantees include:

  • Fairfield County's Community Foundation
  • Faithacts for Education
  • Bridgeport Public Schools
  • Children's Aid

The foundation describes its approach as partnering with "exceptional leaders" who take entrepreneurial approaches to innovation, suggesting that leadership relationships and demonstrated innovative approaches may be factors in trustee discretionary grantmaking decisions.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. The foundation does not operate on fixed grant cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable—the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

In 2024, there was 1 documented award. In 2023, there were 3 documented awards (though the majority of funds were routed through donor-advised funds, making specific recipient tracking difficult).

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only funding model.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's closed application process and use of donor-advised funds, there is limited public information about what makes potential grantees successful. However, based on documented giving patterns:

Board Connections: Organizations where the Mandels have board involvement appear to receive significant support (e.g., Teach for America, where Stephen Mandel serves on the national board and contributed $25 million).

Connecticut Focus: The foundation has invested specifically in Connecticut organizations, particularly those addressing the state's educational achievement gap. Local grantees include Fairfield County's Community Foundation and Bridgeport Public Schools.

Entrepreneurial Leadership: The foundation's stated priority is partnering with "exceptional leaders who take an entrepreneurial approach to innovation," suggesting they value innovative, entrepreneurial organizational leadership.

Large-Scale Impact Potential: With grants ranging from $100,000 to over $1 million, the foundation appears to make substantial investments rather than numerous small grants, suggesting they seek organizations positioned for significant, sustainable impact.

Alignment with Stated Priorities: Known grantees align closely with the foundation's three focus areas: education equity, climate change mitigation, and democratic institution strengthening.

National Name Recognition: The Mandels have made "major investments in name-brand national nonprofits including Teach for America," suggesting preference for established organizations with proven track records.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Do not invest time in preparing applications—they will not be considered.
  • Relationship-Driven Funding: Grants appear to flow through board connections, strategic relationships, and trustee discretion rather than competitive application processes.
  • High Grant Amounts: When they do fund, grants are substantial ($100,000 to $1 million+), indicating they make significant investments in select organizations.
  • Donor-Advised Fund Strategy: The majority of disbursements ($58.4M of $60.1M in 2023) go through Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, making it difficult to track ultimate recipients and giving patterns.
  • Connecticut Connection: While national in scope, the foundation has demonstrated particular interest in Connecticut-based organizations and issues.
  • Education Reform Focus: The foundation's education investments favor charter schools, Teach for America, and system-level reform efforts rather than traditional public school programs.
  • Contact for Awareness Only: While you can contact info@zoomfoundation.org, do not expect this to result in funding—use it only to establish awareness if you have a compelling reason to believe your organization aligns with their strategic priorities.

References

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