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J T Tai & Co Foundation Inc

Grant Range
$100K - $0.1M

J T Tai & Co Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Data not publicly disclosed
  • Total Assets: $100 million+
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Grant Range: Scholarship grants (amounts vary by institution)
  • Geographic Focus: National (USA)
  • Founded: 1983 (incorporated in Delaware)

Contact Details

Address: 18 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10065

Phone: 212-288-5242

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The J T Tai & Co Foundation Inc was established in 1983 by Jun Tsei Tai, a world-renowned dealer and collector of Chinese porcelain. With assets exceeding $100 million, the foundation focuses primarily on medical education through scholarship support at select universities. Since the founder's passing, YC Chen, Tai's business partner for more than 40 years, has maintained and overseen daily operations. The foundation has demonstrated long-term commitment to its beneficiaries, with some relationships spanning over two decades. Most notably, the foundation has contributed over $1 million in lifetime support to UMass Chan Medical School, making it the leading single donor to scholarships at that institution, and has supported hundreds of medical students at Georgetown University since 1993.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through invitation-only scholarship programs at preselected medical schools:

  • UMass Chan Medical School Scholarships: $100,000 annual gifts (as of FY22), supporting approximately 10 students per year. Over $1 million in lifetime contributions since 2000, benefiting nearly 250 medical students over 20+ consecutive years.

  • Georgetown University Medical School Scholarships: Active since 1993, supporting hundreds of medical students over approximately two decades.

Priority Areas

  • Medical education and medical student scholarships
  • Higher education
  • Healthcare

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. They appear to focus exclusively on medical education scholarships rather than other health or education initiatives.

Governance and Leadership

Founder: Jun Tsei Tai (deceased) - Shanghai-born antiques dealer and Chinese porcelain collector who established the foundation with a clear philosophy about supporting medical education.

Current Leadership: YC Chen - Business partner of Jun Tsei Tai for more than 40 years; maintains and oversees daily operations of the foundation.

Secretary: Victoria Hsu - Assistant Secretary

Founding Philosophy: Jun Tsei Tai believed that "one of the best ways to ensure quality medical care was to support medical students financially, making it possible for them to focus on their educational goals." According to YC Chen, Tai was passionate about supporting future physicians because he understood that healthcare needs transcend socioeconomic status, describing scholarships as "an important and effective way of helping people."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The J T Tai & Co Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded through established relationships with select medical schools, where the institutions themselves select scholarship recipients according to their own criteria. Individual students do not apply directly to the foundation.

Getting on Their Radar

Current leadership (YC Chen) values personal connections with scholarship recipients. Chen has stated: "Students come and visit, and we meet for lunch or have coffee. They will tell me about their lives, and I love that." This suggests the foundation's approach is highly relational rather than transactional.

For institutions seeking to establish a relationship with this foundation, note that their giving pattern shows:

  • Long-term commitments (20+ years with UMass Chan, 30+ years with Georgetown)
  • Focus on medical schools specifically
  • Preference for established, reputable institutions
  • Personal oversight and involvement from foundation leadership

Given the foundation's structure and approach, new institutional relationships would likely require personal connections with YC Chen and alignment with the foundation's core mission of supporting medical students.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with established institutional partners.

Success Rates

Not applicable for external applicants, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates exclusively with preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors characterize their approach:

Long-Term Partnership Model: The foundation demonstrates exceptional commitment to its chosen partners, maintaining relationships for 20-30+ years. This suggests they value stability and sustained impact over diversification.

Mission Clarity: The foundation has a very specific focus on medical student scholarships, driven by the founder's belief that supporting future physicians financially allows them to focus on education rather than debt.

Relational Approach: Current leadership (YC Chen) maintains personal relationships with scholarship recipients, meeting students for lunch or coffee and taking an interest in their lives beyond just financial support.

Student Impact Evidence: Recipients at UMass Chan have noted that the scholarships "go a long way to help reduce the cost of attendance" and enabled them to "explore specialties freely" without financial constraints affecting their choices.

Institutional Recognition: Dean Stephen Ray Mitchell at Georgetown noted that the foundation's support "allows students to focus more on careers of service and less on medical school debt," highlighting the foundation's success in achieving its stated mission.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Not Open to New Applicants: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications from organizations or individuals. They work exclusively with preselected charitable organizations.

  • Medical Education Focus: The foundation has a very narrow focus on medical school scholarships, particularly at established medical institutions. They do not appear to fund other health or education initiatives.

  • Long-Term Commitment: When the foundation does establish partnerships, they maintain them for decades (20+ years), suggesting they prefer depth over breadth in their giving.

  • Personal Touch: Despite being a substantial funder (assets over $100 million), the foundation maintains personal connections with scholarship recipients through its leadership.

  • Founder's Vision Continues: The foundation's current operations under YC Chen remain true to founder Jun Tsei Tai's original vision of supporting medical students to ensure quality healthcare.

  • Invitation-Only Model: For institutions not already in relationship with this foundation, pursuing funding would require establishing personal connections with foundation leadership, which appears to be highly selective and relationship-based.

  • No Public Grant List: The foundation's recent tax filings show "No Charitable Activities listed on Form 990 PF Part IX-A," suggesting their giving may be structured through ongoing commitments rather than annual competitive grants.

References

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