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Joyce & Irving Goldman Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$8.7M
Grant Range
Up to $2.0M00
00

Joyce & Irving Goldman Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $8,733,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $229 million (2024)
  • Number of Grants: 158 awards (2023)
  • Average Grant Size: ~$55,000
  • Geographic Focus: United States (strong emphasis on New York)
  • Application Method: Letter of Inquiry (LOI) only - invitation to full proposal

Contact Details

Address: 417 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016

Phone: (212) 624-4910

Email: jigff@jigff.org

Website: https://jigff.org

Grantee Portal: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=jigff

Overview

The Joyce & Irving Goldman Family Foundation was established in 1984 by Irving Goldman, a second-generation immigrant and successful New York real estate entrepreneur who, along with his brother Sol, became one of the largest private landowners in the New York metro area. The foundation was created years after the death of Irving's wife Joyce from breast cancer, honoring her memory through philanthropy. Now led by Irving and Joyce's three children—Dorian Goldman Israelow, Lloyd Goldman, and Katja Goldman Sonnenfeldt—the foundation has distributed over $160 million through approximately 2,300 grants to more than 300 organizations since its inception. With assets of $229 million as of 2024, the foundation focuses on making "a measurable difference, of lasting value, on important issues affecting the fundamental quality of human lives." The foundation's work reflects Irving Goldman's core values of merit, character, industriousness, and giving others opportunities for achievement, with an emphasis on transmitting charitable traditions across generations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants in three active program areas:

1. Jewish Life

  • Focus on building a vibrant, diverse Jewish community
  • Emphasis on innovative programs for young adult engagement
  • Support for interfaith family initiatives and Holocaust education
  • No specified grant range published

2. Health (CURRENTLY CLOSED TO NEW APPLICANTS)

  • Breast cancer cure/eradication advocacy and research
  • Medical education and community health in Israel's Negev region
  • Humanism in medicine
  • Women's health
  • Note: The foundation is not currently accepting new proposals in healthcare, breast cancer, patient care, or work in Israel

3. Sustainable Agriculture

  • Increasing local farm food in New York City institutions
  • Preserving working farms and farmland in New York State
  • Training and technical assistance for farmers
  • Food access for school-age children and food-insecure families
  • Farm and food advocacy at state and national levels
  • No specified grant range published

Priority Areas

Jewish Life:

  • Innovative Jewish engagement models for young adults
  • Interfaith family programming (e.g., 18Doors)
  • Jewish service and social justice (e.g., Avodah, Anti-Defamation League)
  • Jewish arts and culture (e.g., Reboot, Moment Magazine)
  • Holocaust education and memory (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum)
  • Emerging spiritual communities (e.g., Lab/Shul, OneTable)
  • Jewish agricultural connections (Jewish Farmers Network, Adamah)

Sustainable Agriculture:

  • Farm preservation in Suffolk County and Hudson River Valley
  • Business and agricultural training for farmers
  • Farm-to-institution programs (especially NYC schools)
  • Food literacy education for schoolchildren and families
  • Agricultural advocacy organizations
  • Technical assistance for northeastern farms and food businesses

Health (closed to new applicants):

  • Breast cancer patient support and cure research
  • Medical education in Israel's Negev region
  • Humanistic medical care systems
  • Women's healthcare access

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations serving communities outside of the United States
  • Projects outside their three program areas
  • Unsolicited full proposals (LOI required first)
  • Currently: No new proposals in health, breast cancer, patient care, or work in Israel

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Dorian Goldman Israelow - Director, President

Lloyd Goldman - Director, Treasurer (Managing Trustee)

Katja Goldman Sonnenfeldt - Director, Secretary

The Goldman siblings took leadership of the foundation following their father Irving's death in 1995. Lloyd Goldman continues the family's real estate business (BLDG Management) alongside his philanthropic work. The family has been deeply involved with organizations like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum since its earliest days.

Staff

Benjamin P. Binswanger - Executive Director ($346,538 compensation, 2024)

Phuong Lan R. Tonthat - Grants Manager & Program Officer ($106,302 compensation, 2024)

Kit Man G. Chan - Program Officer ($102,516 compensation, 2024)

Foundation Philosophy

Irving Goldman's guiding principles, which continue to shape the foundation's approach:

  • Emphasis on merit and character: "individuals who demonstrated industriousness and strength of character deserved opportunities for achievement"
  • Family as a learning institution, drawing from Talmudic wisdom about intergenerational teaching
  • The foundation as a "lasting legacy" transmitting charitable traditions across generations
  • Core values: "strength of character, courage, integrity, an independent and entrepreneurial spirit, and a deep commitment to giving others a chance in life"

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation uses a two-stage application process:

  1. Letter of Inquiry (LOI) - Submit through online portal only at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=jigff

    • LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis
    • No other submission method accepted

  2. Full Proposal - By invitation only

    • Invitations to submit full grant proposals are made only to organizations whose LOIs demonstrate strong alignment with programmatic goals
    • The foundation does not accept unsolicited full proposals

Important: The foundation states it "does not accept unsolicited grant proposals or meeting requests," meaning initial contact must be through the LOI system, and in-person meetings are by invitation only.

Eligibility

  • Must be a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
  • Must serve communities within the United States
  • Work must align with one of the three active program areas (Jewish Life, Sustainable Agriculture, or Health - though Health is currently closed)
  • Organizations outside these focus areas will not be considered

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates on a rolling LOI basis rather than fixed deadlines.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published on the foundation's website. Organizations are encouraged to contact the foundation directly for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Values

Based on the foundation's history and stated priorities, successful applications likely demonstrate:

  1. Alignment with Core Values: Organizations that embody merit, character, industriousness, and creating opportunities align with Irving Goldman's founding philosophy

  2. Innovation and Emerging Models: The foundation supports cutting-edge approaches, particularly in Jewish engagement (Lab/Shul, OneTable, At the Well, Dayenu) and sustainable agriculture

  3. Young Adult Focus: Particularly in Jewish Life, programs providing "young adults with innovative and exciting opportunities to engage in Jewish life" are prioritized

  4. New York Connection: While the foundation supports national work, there's a strong emphasis on New York-based initiatives, especially in sustainable agriculture (NYC institutions, Suffolk County, Hudson River Valley)

  5. Measurable Impact: The foundation's mission emphasizes making "a measurable difference, of lasting value," suggesting they value concrete outcomes and evaluation

  6. Systems-Level Change: Support for advocacy organizations (American Farmland Trust, National Young Farmers Coalition, Anti-Defamation League) indicates interest in policy and structural change alongside direct service

Current Grantee Examples

Jewish Life: Adamah (since 2009), Reboot (since 2006), OneTable (since 2015), Avodah, 18Doors, Lab/Shul, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Birthright Israel, JCC Manhattan, PJ Library

Sustainable Agriculture: Amber Waves Farm, FoodCorps, Urban School Food Alliance, American Farmland Trust, Glynwood, National Young Farmers Coalition, Jewish Farmers Network

Health: National Breast Cancer Coalition, Ben-Gurion University (Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School - $2 million matching grant announced October 2025)

Strategic Considerations

  • The foundation has supported some grantees for many years (Adamah since 2009, Reboot since 2006), indicating they value long-term partnerships
  • Recent additions to the portfolio (At the Well in 2024, Dayenu in 2022) show they continue to identify emerging organizations
  • The 27-year partnership with Ben-Gurion University's medical school (named after Joyce and Irving Goldman) demonstrates capacity for major, sustained commitments to signature partnerships
  • With 158 grants totaling $8.7 million in 2023, the average grant is approximately $55,000, though this includes both small and large awards

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • LOI is your only entry point: You must submit a strong Letter of Inquiry through the online portal—no unsolicited proposals, phone calls, or meeting requests are accepted

  • Geographic focus matters: While the foundation supports some national initiatives, New York-based work (especially NYC and the Hudson River Valley/Suffolk County for agriculture) receives strong emphasis

  • Innovation attracts support: The foundation consistently backs emerging models and cutting-edge approaches, particularly for engaging young adults in Jewish life and building sustainable food systems

  • Long-term partnerships are valued: Many grantees have received support for 10+ years, suggesting the foundation invests in ongoing relationships rather than one-time grants

  • Health program is currently closed: Do not submit LOIs for breast cancer, healthcare, patient care, or work in Israel—focus on Jewish Life or Sustainable Agriculture only

  • Alignment with family values is key: Demonstrate how your work embodies character, merit, entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities—values that were central to the foundation's creation

  • Think systems-level change: The foundation supports both direct service and advocacy/policy work, with an emphasis on lasting, measurable impact

References

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