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St Giles Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.4M

St Giles Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,400,000 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $38,700,000 (2024)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: Information not publicly available
  • Number of Awards: 6 awards in 2024, 7 awards in 2023
  • Geographic Focus: National (US)
  • Type: Private grantmaking foundation

Contact Details

Address: 485 Madison Avenue, Suite 734, New York, NY 10022

Phone: 212-338-9001

Website: www.stgilesfoundation.org

EIN: 11-1630806

Overview

The St Giles Foundation, established in 1979, represents the continuation of a legacy that began in 1891 when Sister Sarah, an Episcopalian nun, founded the House of St. Giles the Cripple in Brooklyn—one of the country's first hospitals dedicated to orthopedic care and treatment for children. After operating a 100-bed facility and the second largest outpatient clinic among children's orthopedic hospitals in America, the organization closed its hospital in 1978 following the decline in polio cases due to widespread vaccination. The foundation reorganized as a charitable foundation to continue its mission of serving disabled children while broadening its focus across "a far broader spectrum of juvenile diseases and disabilities than ever before."

With total assets of $38.7 million as of March 2024, the foundation distributed $1,400,000 in grants during 2024. The foundation prides itself on its lean administrative structure and dedication of volunteer leaders, having had only six presidents in over a century of service.

Funding Priorities

Grant Focus Areas

The foundation gives primarily for:

  • Children's hospitals and pediatric medical centers
  • Organizations serving people with disabilities, particularly youth
  • Medical sciences, with special interest in children's orthopedics
  • Pediatric orthopedic research through partnership with POSNA (Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America)

Known Grant Programs

St. Giles Young Investigator Award (through POSNA partnership)

  • Supports young investigators in pediatric orthopedic research
  • Available to POSNA members with 5 years or less of membership and less than 5 years of practice
  • Funding may include travel to centers of excellence to learn new techniques and skills
  • Recipients have included researchers at major institutions such as Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)

Historical Grant Recipients

Historical grants (documented from the foundation's early years) have supported:

  • Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center
  • Children's Hospital at Stanford
  • Various pediatric research initiatives
  • Medical research and equipment purchases
  • Facility construction and improvements
  • Endowed professorships
  • Seed funding for new programs

Governance and Leadership

President: Richard T. Arkwright (compensation: $219,025 as of 2024)

Other Officers: The foundation maintains a board consisting of a treasurer, vice president, secretary, and trustees (each compensated at $11,500 annually)

Leadership Continuity: The foundation has had only six presidents over its 100+ year history, demonstrating remarkable stability and continuity in leadership.

Administrative Philosophy: The foundation emphasizes its "lean administrative structure and the dedication of its volunteer leaders."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private foundation, St. Giles Foundation operates primarily through trustee discretion. Grant decisions are made by the board of trustees based on their strategic priorities and knowledge of organizations working in their focus areas.

The foundation made 6 grants in 2024 and 7 grants in 2023, indicating selective grantmaking to a limited number of recipients annually.

Getting on Their Radar

Note: The foundation's partnership with POSNA (Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America) provides one structured pathway for pediatric orthopedic researchers through the St. Giles Young Investigator Award. Researchers interested in this specific award should:

  • Become active members of POSNA
  • Monitor POSNA's grant application cycles (typically LOI submission in fall, full applications in December)
  • Visit POSNA's awards and grants page at posna.org/research-innovation/awards-grants

For the foundation's direct grantmaking outside of the POSNA partnership, grants appear to be awarded through existing relationships and trustee initiative rather than through unsolicited applications.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation operating on trustee discretion, decision timelines are determined internally by the board.

Financial Information

Revenue Sources (2024 Fiscal Year)

  • Investment Income: Primary source of revenue
    • Dividends: $528,105 (37.2%)
    • Asset sales: $853,596 (60.1%)
    • Interest: $13,316 (0.9%)
  • Contributions: $24,629 (1.7%)
  • Total Revenue: $1,420,000

Grantmaking Activity

  • Charitable Disbursements (2024): $1,710,000
  • Total Expenses (2024): $1,400,000

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Mission Alignment is Critical: The foundation has maintained a consistent focus since 1891 on orthopedic care and disabilities affecting children. Any potential approach should demonstrate clear alignment with this historic mission.

  • Research Partnership Pathway: For pediatric orthopedic researchers, the POSNA St. Giles Young Investigator Award represents the most accessible pathway to foundation support.

  • Private Foundation Structure: Without a public application process, the foundation awards grants based on trustee discretion and existing relationships. Organizations are unlikely to receive funding through unsolicited proposals.

  • Selective Grantmaking: With only 6-7 grants made annually totaling $1.4 million, the foundation supports a very limited number of organizations each year, suggesting significant due diligence and relationship-building precede awards.

  • Legacy Focus: The foundation's transition from operating a hospital to grantmaking was driven by a desire to continue serving disabled children "across a far broader spectrum of juvenile diseases and disabilities than ever before"—indicating openness to various approaches within the pediatric disability space.

  • Lean Operations: The foundation's emphasis on minimal administrative overhead suggests a focus on maximizing grant impact over institutional infrastructure.

  • Long-term Commitment: Historical patterns show support for major pediatric medical centers and research institutions, suggesting preference for established organizations with strong track records.

References

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