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The Central National-Gottesman Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.4M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.1M

The Central National-Gottesman Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2.4 million
  • Success Rate: N/A (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $100,000+ (average $12,488)
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Canada

Contact Details

Website: None (foundation has no public website) Phone: (914) 696-9000 (parent company) Email: info@cng-inc.com (parent company) Address: 3 Manhattanville Road, Purchase, NY 10577

Overview

The Central National-Gottesman Foundation (EIN: 133047546) is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1981 with assets of approximately $49.5 million as of 2024. The foundation distributes approximately $2.4 million annually to nearly 200 organizations across the United States and Canada. As the philanthropic arm of Central National-Gottesman Inc., a five-generation family-owned global supplier of pulp, paper, packaging, and related materials, the foundation focuses its giving on education, healthcare, vision impairment support, industry-related causes, and disaster relief. The foundation operates through trustee discretion and an employee-driven giving program that allows CNG divisions to support causes important to local communities where the company operates.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs but provides support through:

  • General Operating Support: $500 - $100,000+ to qualified nonprofits
  • Employee Scholarship Program: Educational scholarships for children of CNG employees
  • Disaster Relief Funding: $5,000 - $100,000 for emergency response
  • Employee-Driven Giving: Support for causes nominated by CNG divisions

Priority Areas

  • Higher education institutions
  • Healthcare organizations and hospitals
  • Vision impairment and blindness support services
  • Pulp, paper, and graphics industry education and charitable organizations
  • K-12 education programs
  • Community and economic development
  • Youth arts education programs
  • Disaster and emergency relief

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly documented, the foundation's grant patterns suggest they do not typically fund:

  • Individual requests (except employee scholarships)
  • Start-up organizations without established track records
  • Organizations outside the United States and Canada
  • Projects unaligned with company values or industry connections

Governance and Leadership

Kenneth L. Wallach - Chief Executive Officer

  • Executive Chairman of Central National Gottesman Inc.
  • Fourth generation of founding family
  • Harvard College and Harvard Law School graduate
  • Serves on boards of American Museum of Natural History, National Book Foundation, 92nd St. Y, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Andrew Wallach - President

  • President & CEO of Central National Gottesman Inc. (since 2015)
  • Fifth generation of founding family
  • Joined company in 1996, rising through executive ranks

Steven M. Eigen - Treasurer

  • Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of CNG (20+ years)

Howard Herman - Secretary

  • Senior Vice President and General Counsel of CNG

All foundation officers serve without compensation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion, employee recommendations, and existing relationships with organizations aligned with the foundation's priorities and the parent company's business operations.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's giving patterns and corporate structure, potential strategies include:

  • Building relationships with CNG employees who can nominate organizations through the employee-driven giving program
  • Connecting with organizations already funded by the foundation, particularly in the pulp and paper industry
  • Reaching out to foundation leadership through their other board service (American Museum of Natural History, National Book Foundation, 92nd St. Y, Lincoln Center)
  • Contacting the parent company directly at info@cng-inc.com to explain alignment with their philanthropic mission of "giving back to communities where they operate"
  • For organizations in the graphics, printing, or paper industries, connecting through industry associations where CNG has presence

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made on an ongoing basis through trustee discretion

Success Rates

Not available due to lack of public application process

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates without a public application process, organizations seeking support should focus on:

  • Industry Alignment: Organizations connected to the pulp, paper, packaging, or graphics industries have documented success, as seen with the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation and Forest Legacy Foundation
  • Geographic Proximity: Organizations in areas where CNG has business operations receive support through the employee-driven giving program
  • Established Track Record: The foundation consistently supports well-established organizations like the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  • Employee Connections: The foundation's employee-driven giving program allows CNG divisions to nominate local causes, making employee relationships valuable
  • Disaster Response: The foundation has shown responsiveness to major disasters, recently providing $100,000 for California wildfire relief
  • Mission Alignment: Focus on the company's stated belief in "the power of community" and commitment to "giving back to communities where they operate"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • The foundation is active and legitimate, making approximately 192 grants annually totaling $2.4 million
  • Without a public application process, relationship building is essential for consideration
  • Industry connections (pulp, paper, graphics) provide the strongest pathway to funding
  • The foundation responds quickly to disaster relief needs with substantial grants ($25,000-$100,000)
  • Employee connections through CNG's various divisions can lead to nominations through their employee-driven giving program
  • Leadership's involvement with major cultural institutions (Lincoln Center, American Museum of Natural History) suggests openness to arts and culture funding
  • Average grant size of $12,488 indicates willingness to fund both small and large projects

References

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