The Tow Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so a cold proposal is unlikely to be considered and the first step is to find a route to someone who can bring your work to its attention.
- Its stated themes are arts and culture, higher education, civic engagement, equity and justice, and medicine and public health, and it favours bold ideas and community-led solutions, so judge fit against those areas.
- Its filing shows most grants in New York and Connecticut, but no geographic focus is stated, so do not assume the area rules you out.
- A modest request fits its usual pattern: half of its 704 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fell between $2,500 and $200,000, a typical band rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was $1,600,000.
- Repeat funding is strong, with 87% of grant dollars to organisations in the filing going to groups it had funded in an earlier filing, which suggests that existing relationships matter a great deal.
Overview
The Tow Foundation is a US private foundation based in New Canaan, CT.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Tow Foundation promotes wellness and access to opportunities so individuals and communities can thrive. Grounded in Connecticut and New York, it supports visionary leaders and nonprofit organisations serving historically marginalised populations, helping people contribute to their communities and advancing conditions for healthy, joyous lives. It invests in innovative programmes and reform across arts and culture, higher education, civic engagement, equity and justice, and medicine and public health. Its approach is collaborative: it treats grant recipients as partners, backs bold people and untested ideas, and elevates community leaders and organisations working on community-led solutions.
Themes
- Arts and culture
- Higher education
- Civic engagement
- Equity and justice
- Medicine and public health
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York and Connecticut.
How to apply
In the RFP-described Innovation Fund process, selected applicants were invited to submit a more detailed second-round application requiring additional information and documentation.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 704 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Innovation Fund applicants were asked to demonstrate a track record advancing youth mental health and well-being and explore innovative solutions with potential for transformative impact.
- Innovation Fund applicants were expected to support communities or populations facing barriers to mental health and well-being support.
- Innovation Fund applicants were asked to introduce their work, show alignment with the Fund's priorities and describe anticipated impact.
- Innovation Fund grantees were expected to join two update calls each year and submit a final written report.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations The Tow Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 213 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · The initiative in radiotheranostics$1,600,0002024 tax year
- New York Genome Center · The center of excellence in womens clinical genomic healthcare$1,400,0002024 tax year
- Nys For The Relief Of Ruptured & Crippled Maintaining The Hospital For Spec · Precision medicine and tissue regeneration in autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases$1,240,0002024 tax year
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · The tow initiative in computational immuno-oncology$1,200,0002024 tax year
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts · West project capital campaign$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program · Donor advised fund contribution$600,0002024 tax year
- Norwalk Hospital Association · The claire tow intensive care unit$600,0002024 tax year
- Columbia University in the City of New York · Ai & journalism research$500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Teresa Law — Director
- Susan Ransden — Assistant Secretary
- Scott Schneider — Treasurer
- Olivia Tow — Director
- Molly Tow — Director
- Leonard Tow — Chairman
- Hope Jackson — Director
- Frank Tow — Vice President
- Emily Tow — President
- David Tobias — Assistant Treasurer
- Benjamin Jackson — Director
- Andrew Tow — Vice President
- Amy Lefkof — Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $33,758,340 | $20,933,995 | $380,256,227 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $31,079,753 | $23,936,247 | $403,543,339 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $31,686,056 | $26,245,585 | $416,205,581 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Tow Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@towfoundation.org
- New Canaan, CT
- towfoundation.org
Applying to The Tow Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@towfoundation.org
- New Canaan, CT
- towfoundation.org