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Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.9M

Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,888,269 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $127,060,453 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly by organization
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, with support for Israel-based organizations

Contact Details

Foundation Name: Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation Inc
EIN: 11-3502781
Location: New York, NY
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation
Tax-Exempt Since: March 2000

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information for grant applications.

Overview

The Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation was established in 1999 by Harvey Kaylie, founder of Mini-Circuits (a Brooklyn-based RF and microwave components manufacturer), and his wife Gloria Kaylie. The foundation supports organizations involved in education, health, cancer research, human services, support for individuals with disabilities, and Jewish causes. From 2011 through 2016, the foundation donated more than $30 million to charitable causes. Harvey Kaylie, who rose from poverty in Brooklyn to become a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, passed away in May 2018 at age 80. He was recognized as a "Microwave Legend" by the trade publication "Microwaves and RF." The foundation continues to operate as a family foundation under the leadership of Gloria Kaylie and their daughter Alicia Kaylie Yacoby, maintaining the family's commitment to strategic philanthropy focused on education, healthcare, and supporting vulnerable populations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a private family foundation without formal grant programs or public application cycles. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of directors to preselected charitable organizations.

Historical giving data indicates the foundation has made substantial multi-year commitments to major institutions, with annual charitable disbursements of approximately $2.9-7.9 million in recent years.

Priority Areas

Education

  • Higher education institutions, particularly City College of New York/CUNY
  • Jewish day schools and yeshivas (Yeshiva University, Yeshiva Har Torah)
  • Entrepreneurship education and innovation programs

Healthcare & Medical Research

  • Cancer research initiatives
  • Major medical centers (Weill Cornell Medical Center, Rambam Medical Center in Haifa)
  • Specialized rehabilitation facilities in Israel

Services for Individuals with Disabilities

  • Camp Kaylie at OHEL Children's Home and Family Services (named for the founders)
  • Beit Issie Shapiro
  • ALEH Negev
  • The Feuerstein Institute

Human Services

  • Emergency medical services (American Friends of United Hatzalah)
  • Children and family services
  • Social service organizations serving vulnerable populations

Jewish & Community Organizations

  • Synagogues (Great Neck Synagogue, Hampton Synagogue, Chabad of Great Neck)
  • Israeli charities and institutions
  • Holocaust remembrance initiatives
  • Jewish cultural and educational programs

What They Don't Fund

As a foundation that only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, the foundation does not fund:

  • Unsolicited grant requests from unknown organizations
  • Individual scholarship requests
  • For-profit ventures
  • Political organizations or campaigns

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership (as of 2024):

  • Gloria Kaylie - Director (widow of founder Harvey Kaylie)
  • Alicia Kaylie Yacoby - President, Treasurer, and Director (daughter of Harvey and Gloria Kaylie)
  • Daniel Yacoby - Secretary and Director
  • Shira Yacoby - Director

All officers serve in unpaid positions, consistent with family foundation governance practices.

About the Founder: Harvey Kaylie (1938-2018) graduated from City College's School of Engineering in 1960 with an electrical engineering degree, working full-time while attending college to support his mother and brothers. He founded Mini-Circuits in 1968 with an ambitious goal to manufacture RF and microwave products at substantially lower cost than the market offered. Harvey served on the boards of Weill Cornell Medical College, City College 21st Century Foundation, Yeshiva Har Torah, and Camp Kaylie at OHEL. He received honorary doctorates from CCNY (2012), University of South Florida (2012), and Yeshiva University (2013).

Harvey Kaylie's Philosophy on Giving: In discussing his $3 million gift to establish the Kaylie Prize for Entrepreneurship at CCNY, Harvey stated: "Many City College engineering students aspire to careers as entrepreneurs, and the idea of this prize is to encourage, teach and provide them with the opportunity to experience real-world entrepreneurial challenges."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation has explicitly indicated 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 the board's philanthropic priorities and pre-existing relationships with recipient organizations. The foundation operates as a classic private family foundation where giving decisions are made internally by the board of directors.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's documented giving patterns, organizations that have received support share these characteristics:

Pre-existing Personal Connections: The foundation's giving reflects the Kaylie family's personal affiliations:

  • Organizations where Harvey Kaylie served on boards (Weill Cornell Medical College, City College 21st Century Foundation, Yeshiva Har Torah, OHEL)
  • Institutions the family personally attended or were connected to (CCNY, Yeshiva University)
  • Synagogues and Jewish organizations in communities where the family resided (Great Neck, Hampton)

Named Recognition: The foundation has made transformational gifts that resulted in named recognition:

  • Camp Kaylie at OHEL Children's Home and Family Services (camp named for the founders)
  • The Kaylie Prize for Entrepreneurship at CCNY ($3 million endowment)
  • InnoLab entrepreneurship laboratory at CCNY

Board Member Connections: Alicia Kaylie Yacoby serves on the Board of Directors of United Hatzalah, one of the foundation's major beneficiaries, and founded Our6Million, a Holocaust remembrance organization. This suggests the foundation may support organizations where board members have direct involvement.

Geographic and Cultural Alignment: The foundation shows particular interest in:

  • New York-based organizations, especially in Brooklyn, Great Neck, and surrounding areas where the family lived and worked
  • Israeli organizations, particularly in healthcare and services for individuals with disabilities
  • Jewish educational and religious institutions

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation making grants to preselected organizations, there are no published application deadlines or decision timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so there is no success rate for external applicants.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept initial applications from organizations outside their preselected network.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analyzing their giving patterns reveals what the foundation values:

Sustained Multi-Year Relationships: Major recipients like OHEL Children's Home and Family Services, American Friends of United Hatzalah, Yeshiva University, and Weill Cornell Medical Center have received support over multiple years, suggesting the foundation prefers ongoing partnerships over one-time grants.

Focus on Impact for Vulnerable Populations: The foundation's most significant commitments support:

  • Children with special needs (Camp Kaylie, ALEH Negev, Beit Issie Shapiro, The Feuerstein Institute)
  • Healthcare access and emergency medical services (United Hatzalah, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Rambam Medical Center)
  • Educational opportunity for underserved students (CCNY scholarships and entrepreneurship programs)

Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Harvey Kaylie's background as an entrepreneur who built Mini-Circuits from a startup in his Brooklyn apartment informed the foundation's interest in fostering innovation. The $3 million Kaylie Prize for Entrepreneurship provides "angel round" venture funding to CCNY engineering students with promising electronic hardware inventions.

Educational Excellence and Access: The foundation has supported institutions that provide educational opportunities to students from diverse economic backgrounds, reflecting Harvey's own experience working full-time while attending City College to support his family.

Jewish Values and Community: The foundation consistently supports Jewish educational institutions, synagogues, and Israel-based charities, reflecting the family's commitment to Jewish continuity and community.

Healthcare and Medical Research: With major support to Weill Cornell Medical Center, Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, and cancer research initiatives, the foundation demonstrates commitment to advancing medical care and research.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals and only funds preselected organizations. Do not attempt to apply unless specifically invited.

  • Family Foundation Model: Giving decisions are made internally by the Kaylie family board based on personal connections, values, and philanthropic priorities established by founders Harvey and Gloria Kaylie.

  • Relationship-Based Philanthropy: All documented recipients have clear connections to the Kaylie family through geography (New York/Great Neck area), board service, institutional affiliation, or shared values (Jewish community, special needs, entrepreneurship).

  • Transformational Giving Preference: The foundation has made major multi-million dollar commitments (such as the $3 million CUNY gift) and named facilities (Camp Kaylie), suggesting they prefer significant, high-impact gifts over numerous small grants.

  • Continuity After Founder's Death: Despite Harvey Kaylie's passing in 2018, the foundation continues active grantmaking under Gloria Kaylie and daughter Alicia Kaylie Yacoby's leadership, maintaining the founder's philanthropic vision.

  • Strategic Focus Areas: Organizations working in education (especially entrepreneurship), healthcare/medical research, services for individuals with disabilities, emergency medical services, and Jewish causes align with the foundation's documented priorities.

  • New York and Israel Geographic Focus: The foundation shows strong preference for organizations in the New York metropolitan area and Israel, particularly programs serving these communities.

References

  1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation Inc (EIN: 113502781). Form 990-PF filings 2020-2024. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/113502781

  2. InfluenceWatch - The Harvey and Gloria Kaylie Foundation. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/the-harvey-and-gloria-kaylie-foundation/

  3. Jewish Telegraphic Agency - "Philanthropist Harvey Kaylie, 80" (June 12, 2018). Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.jta.org/2018/06/12/ny/philanthropist-harvey-kaylie-80

  4. City College of New York - "Harvey Kaylie '60 EE" Alumni Profile. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/engineering/harvey-kaylie-60-ee

  5. City College of New York - "CCNY Alumnus Harvey Kaylie, '60, Endows Entrepreneurship Contest" (2010). Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/news/harvey-kaylie-endows-entrepreneurship-contest

  6. Grantmakers.io - Harvey and Gloria Kaylie Foundation Inc Profile. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/113502781-harvey-and-gloria-kaylie-foundation-inc/

  7. Candid Foundation Directory - Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation Inc. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=KAYL003

  8. OHEL Children's Home and Family Services - "Support Camp Kaylie." Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.ohelfamily.org/camp-kaylie-donations/

  9. Cause IQ - Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation organizational profile. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/harvey-gloria-kaylie-foundation,113502781/

  10. Microwave Journal - "Mini-Circuits Mourns the Passing of Founder, Harvey Kaylie" (June 6, 2018). Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.microwavejournal.com/articles/30482-mini-circuits-mourns-the-passing-of-founder-harvey-kaylie

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