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The Meyer Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.0M
Grant Range
$100K - $0.6M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,975,000 - $3,020,000
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $600,000
  • Geographic Focus: New York, NY

Contact Details

Address: New York, NY 10020

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Meyer Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1986 and based in New York City. With assets of approximately $56 million, the foundation distributes between $2.85 million and $3 million annually through a small number of strategic grants (typically 7-8 per year). Led by President and Trustee Vincent Meyer, Vice President Elizabeth Meyer, and Secretary Francois Voss, all of whom serve voluntarily without compensation, the foundation operates with no full-time staff. The foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations, focusing its support on established nonprofits working in civil rights, education, scientific research, and social justice within New York.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Meyer Foundation does not have named grant programs but makes substantial grants through trustee discretion:

  • Typical Grant Size: $100,000 - $600,000
  • Annual Grant Making: 7-8 grants per year
  • Application Method: Invitation only / preselected organizations

Priority Areas

Based on recent grants (2023-2024), the foundation supports:

  • Civil Rights and Justice: Support for organizations advancing constitutional rights, criminal justice reform, and civil liberties (Innocence Project, Center for Constitutional Rights, ACLU)
  • Scientific Research: Medical and scientific research institutions (The Rockefeller University)
  • International Philanthropy: Support for charitable initiatives through intermediary organizations (PEF Israel Endowment Funds Inc)
  • Education: Higher education and educational nonprofits
  • Human Services: Organizations serving individuals, families, and communities in New York

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made to preselected charitable organizations identified by the trustees.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Vincent Meyer - President and Trustee (volunteer)
  • Elizabeth Meyer - Vice President (volunteer)
  • Francois Voss - Secretary (volunteer)

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with all trustees serving without compensation. There are no full-time employees, reflecting a highly selective, relationship-based grantmaking approach managed directly by the family trustees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Meyer Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have established relationships or have identified through their own research and networks.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's pattern of supporting prominent, established New York-based organizations working in civil rights, scientific research, and social justice, organizations seeking to be considered might:

  • Demonstrated Track Record: The foundation's 2024 grant recipients (Innocence Project, ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, The Rockefeller University) are all nationally recognized organizations with substantial histories and proven impact. Organizations would need similar levels of establishment and recognition.

  • New York Presence: All documented grants have gone to organizations located in New York, NY, suggesting geographic proximity and connection to the New York philanthropic community may be relevant.

  • Substantial Operating Capacity: With grants ranging from $100,000 to $600,000, recipients are organizations capable of managing significant funding and demonstrating measurable outcomes.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, as the foundation operates through trustee discretion rather than scheduled grant cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not have an application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their grantmaking patterns reveals:

Organizations the Foundation Supports:

  1. Established, High-Impact Organizations: Recent grantees include:

    • Innocence Project ($600,000) - leading criminal justice reform organization
    • The Rockefeller University ($600,000) - prestigious research institution
    • Center for Constitutional Rights ($500,000) - civil and human rights litigation organization
    • ACLU ($450,000) - major civil liberties organization

  2. Focus on Systems Change: The foundation's support for organizations working on constitutional rights, criminal justice reform, and civil liberties suggests an interest in systemic solutions rather than direct services.

  3. Consistent Support Levels: The foundation makes a small number of large grants rather than many small grants, indicating they prefer to make meaningful contributions to fewer organizations.

  4. New York Connection: All documented grants have been to New York-based organizations, suggesting either geographic preference or the influence of the trustees' local networks.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications; it identifies and selects grantees through trustee discretion
  • Substantial Grant Sizes: When the foundation does give, grants are significant, ranging from $100,000 to $600,000, with a median around $400,000
  • Focus on Established Organizations: All documented grantees are nationally recognized institutions with proven track records
  • Civil Rights and Justice Emphasis: Recent grants suggest particular interest in organizations working on criminal justice reform, constitutional rights, and civil liberties
  • Limited Annual Grantmaking: With only 7-8 grants per year totaling approximately $3 million, this is a highly selective funder
  • New York Geographic Focus: All recent grants have been to New York-based organizations
  • Relationship-Based Philanthropy: As a family foundation with volunteer trustees and no staff, grantmaking appears to be driven by personal knowledge and established relationships rather than formal processes

References

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