The Kohlberg Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Kohlberg Foundation's three main categories are health and medical research, education and the environment, and its grants also extend to civic participation work such as voting rights, election integrity and voter education, as well as higher education in prison, scholarships and journalism training, so organisations in these fields are the best match.
- Think in terms of a request between $5,000 and $750,000, the range that covers about eight in ten of its grants, with $100,000 a realistic mid-point for a typical ask.
- It funds only preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so cold applications are not the way in; those without an existing connection should not apply.
- Giving is heavily repeat-based, with three-quarters of its grant dollars in the latest filing going to organisations also funded in the two years before, suggesting a relationship-led approach where prior contact matters more than a fresh application.
- No geographic focus is stated, so location is not itself a barrier to being considered.
Overview
The Kohlberg Foundation is a US private foundation based in Armonk, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Kohlberg Foundation says its philanthropy reflects founders Jerome and Nancy Kohlberg, and identifies health and medical research, education, and the environment as its three main categories. It describes those categories as a focus for nearly three decades. Grant purposes in the filings include democracy policy work, voting rights, election integrity and voter education, as well as higher education in prison, scholarships, and journalism training. Its recorded giving therefore includes organisations working on civic participation and access to education, alongside the fields it identifies as priorities. Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations.
Themes
- Health and medical research
- Education
- Environment
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, Oregon, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
How to apply
It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 146 grants to organisations were $100,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 8%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to organisations The Kohlberg Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 34% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 13 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $250k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- National Philanthropic Trust · 2024 payout to sibling daf's - for andrew kohlberg$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund · 2024 payout to sibling daf's - for pamela kohlberg$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund · 2024 payout to sibling daf's - for james a kohlberg$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund · 2024 payout to sibling daf's - for karen davis calico cat fund$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Indivisible Civic Engagement · General support - 2025 501c3 operations$500,0002024 tax year
- Brennan Center for Justice · General support - jk/nsk legacy gifts$500,0002024 tax year
- Sponsors · Legacy gift for permanent reserve 2024$250,0002024 tax year
- Nova Institute for Health · Program support$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Nancy McCabe — President and Treasurer
- Les Fagen — Vice President
- Jennifer Magnone — Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $21,049,890 | $18,776,537 | $210,490,602 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $11,923,085 | $9,573,416 | $225,496,054 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $12,082,677 | $10,300,000 | $227,364,456 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Kohlberg Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Armonk, NY
- kohlbergfoundation.org
Applying to The Kohlberg Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Armonk, NY
- kohlbergfoundation.org