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Kohlberg Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$9.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $2.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $9.6 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $2,500,000
  • Average Grant: $420,583
  • Geographic Focus: National (USA), with emphasis on Northeastern United States
  • Important Note: Foundation will close in 2025

Contact Details

Address: 84 Business Park Dr 304, Armonk, NY 10504

Website: https://kohlbergfoundation.org/

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

Overview

The Kohlberg Foundation Inc. was established in 1989 by private equity pioneer Jerome Kohlberg Jr. and his wife Nancy Kohlberg as a family foundation. With over $207 million in assets, the foundation has distributed approximately $9.6 million annually in recent years across three primary categories: health and medical research, education, and the environment. Both founders have since passed away (Jerome in 2015, Nancy in 2022), and honoring their wishes, the foundation will close its doors in 2025. The foundation's approach has been characterized as having an "unfettered, roll-up-your-sleeves quality" that emphasizes moving things ahead. Notable recent areas of focus include prison reform, long-term legacy grants for HBCUs, civic engagement through support for policy think tanks and legal advocacy, sustainable foodways, and local land conservation in the Northeastern United States.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee discretion rather than formal grant programs. Grants generally range from $10,000 to $100,000, though exceptional grants as large as $2.5 million have been awarded. The foundation made 24 awards totaling $9,573,416 in 2023.

Priority Areas

Health and Medical Research

  • Integrative medicine research
  • Disease research
  • Human health initiatives
  • Support for academic medical institutions

Education

  • Support for law schools and legal centers
  • Journalism programs
  • Higher education institutions including HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
  • Veterans educational programs

Environment

  • Sustainable foodways and local food systems
  • Local land conservation in the Northeastern United States
  • Marine conservation and shellfish restoration
  • Environmental research and advocacy

Civic Engagement and Democracy

  • National policy think tanks
  • Legal advocacy organizations
  • Prison reform initiatives
  • Civic engagement organizations

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and only funds preselected charitable organizations. As a result, organizations without existing relationships with the foundation or its trustees are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation was founded by Jerome Kohlberg Jr., co-founder of private-equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company, and his wife Nancy Kohlberg. Both founders have passed away, and the foundation is being wound down according to their wishes, with closure planned for 2025.

The Kohlbergs were known for their quiet and generous support of charitable and community activities, both nationally and particularly on Martha's Vineyard, where they had strong personal connections.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Kohlberg Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have identified or with which they have pre-existing relationships.

While some sources mention that the foundation "accepts one-page letters of inquiry on an ongoing basis," the foundation's official stance is that it does not accept unsolicited requests, suggesting that any inquiry process is reserved for organizations already known to the foundation.

Given that the foundation is closing in 2025, it is extremely unlikely that new organizations will be considered for funding at this stage.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Decisions are made by trustees on an ongoing basis for preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only model. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so there is no public success rate data.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable. Organizations are selected by trustees rather than through an application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Kohlberg Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and is closing in 2025, there are limited opportunities for new organizations to receive funding. However, based on the foundation's track record, the following factors have characterized successful grantees:

Organizational Profile

  • Larger, established research organizations and academic institutions have been primary recipients
  • Small research organizations have found it difficult to secure funding
  • National policy organizations and prominent legal advocacy groups have been successful recipients

Mission Alignment

  • Organizations working in the foundation's three core areas: health and medical research, education, and environment
  • Projects related to sustainable foodways and land conservation in the Northeast
  • Civic engagement and democracy initiatives, particularly those focused on justice and reform
  • Programs supporting HBCUs and veterans

Geographic Connection

  • Strong preference for Northeastern United States
  • Special connection to Martha's Vineyard organizations (Island Grown Initiative, Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group, Great Pond Foundation, Biodiversity Works)
  • National organizations with significant policy impact

Past Successful Grantees Include:

  • Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
  • Indivisible Civic Engagement
  • Alliance for Justice
  • ProPublica
  • Young Invincibles
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Teatown Lake Reservation
  • Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Maryland Baltimore
  • Veterans Legal Center at University of San Diego Law School
  • Swarthmore College

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Foundation is closing in 2025 - Limited to no opportunities for new organizations to receive funding at this stage
  • No public application process - The foundation only funds preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests
  • High-capacity organizations preferred - Typical grantees are larger research institutions, academic organizations, and prominent national policy groups
  • Significant grant range - While most grants fall between $10,000-$100,000, the foundation has made grants as large as $2.5 million for the right opportunity
  • Three core areas - All funding falls within health and medical research, education, or environment, with recent emphasis on civic engagement and democracy
  • Geographic focus - Strong preference for Northeastern United States, particularly Martha's Vineyard connections
  • "Roll-up-your-sleeves" approach - The foundation values practical, action-oriented projects that "move things ahead"

References

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