Sol Goldman Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $8,766,266 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: $1,500 - $2,000,000
• Geographic Focus: National (primarily CA, CT, FL, GA, MA, MD, NJ, NY, TN, and Washington, D.C.)

Contact Details

Address:
Jane Goldman, Trustee
1185 Sixth Avenue, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10036

Phone: (212) 265-2280

Note: The trust does not have a public website or email listed.

Overview

The Sol Goldman Charitable Trust was established in 1988 and funded in 1990, bearing the name of legendary New York real estate mogul Sol Goldman, who at the time of his death in 1987 owned New York's largest private real estate empire of over 600 properties valued at $1 billion. The trust is currently managed by family members including Sol's daughter Jane Goldman, brother Allan Goldman, and Jane's husband Benjamin Lewis, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. With assets of approximately $70 million, the trust distributed $8.76 million in grants in 2023 across 35 awards. The trust maintains a notably low public profile, with an approach to grantmaking that emphasizes preselected charitable organizations, though recent tax filings suggest it may accept proposals. The family has demonstrated a willingness to support institutions beyond their native New York, as evidenced by their $10 million gift to Johns Hopkins for pancreatic cancer research after Jane's mother Lillian died from the disease in 2002.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Sol Goldman Charitable Trust does not operate formal grant programs with structured application cycles. Instead, it makes grants on a discretionary basis to organizations selected by the trustees.

• Discretionary Grants: $1,500 - $2,000,000 (invitation only/preselected organizations)

Priority Areas

1. Education (Major Priority)

   • Higher education institutions, particularly Yale University
   • Endowed professorships and scholarships
   • Educational facilities and programs
   • Examples: Yale Law School, Columbia University, Stuyvesant High School, Long Island University, NYU, Vanderbilt, Tulane

2. Health (Major Priority)

   • Medical research, particularly pancreatic cancer and Parkinson's disease
   • Health organizations and medical centers
   • Examples: Johns Hopkins University ($10 million for Pancreatic Cancer Research Center), Salk Institute ($1.5 million for MS research), Michael J. Fox Foundation, Mayo Clinic, Northwell Health

3. Jewish Causes (Major Priority)

   • Jewish organizations and cultural institutions
   • Examples: 92nd Street Y, Jewish Center of the Hamptons

4. Human Services and Arts (Secondary Priority)

   • Community development organizations
   • Cultural institutions
   • Examples: City Harvest, New York City Center, New York Botanical Garden

What They Don't Fund

While the trust does not publish explicit exclusions, there are no apparent restrictions based on geographic area, charitable fields, or kinds of institutions. However, given their focus on preselected organizations, they effectively do not fund organizations they have not already identified through their network and personal interests.

Governance and Leadership

Jane Goldman - Daughter of Sol and Lillian Goldman, trustee of the Sol Goldman Charitable Trust, and co-chair of Solil Management (the family's real estate firm). Jane has been instrumental in the family's health philanthropy, particularly establishing the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins after her mother's death from pancreatic cancer in 2002.

Allan Goldman - Son of Sol and Lillian Goldman, trustee, and co-chair of Solil Management. Allan was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which has influenced the family's support for Parkinson's research organizations like the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Benjamin H. Lewis - Jane Goldman's husband, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. As a trustee and Salk Institute board member, he directed a $1.5 million grant to Salk researchers for multiple sclerosis research.

Louisa Little - Trustee

Michael U. Lewis - Trustee

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation operates primarily through preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. However, there is conflicting information in recent sources suggesting the trust may accept proposals despite its low public profile.

For organizations that believe they align with the trust's interests:

• There is no formal application form
• Potential grantees must provide details on the purpose behind the grant
• Tax-exempt status verification is required
• Contact can be made through the mailing address or phone number listed above
• There are no submission deadlines

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the trust's giving patterns and trustee connections:

• Benjamin Lewis's medical connections: As a professor at Columbia University Medical Center and Salk Institute board member, medical research organizations in these networks have received support
• Yale University relationships: The Goldman family has deep ties to Yale, with Jane Goldman serving on various Yale boards and committees
• Personal health experiences drive major gifts: The trust's largest gifts have been motivated by family health experiences (Lillian's pancreatic cancer, Allan's Parkinson's disease)
• Board service creates pathways: Trustees' board memberships have directly led to grants (e.g., Benjamin Lewis directing $1.5 million to Salk Institute)

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. Given the discretionary nature of the trust's grantmaking and the involvement of trustees with other professional commitments, decision timelines likely vary significantly.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. With 35 grants made in 2023 and 41 in 2022, the trust maintains a relatively selective grantmaking approach focused on organizations already known to the trustees.

Reapplication Policy

No formal reapplication policy is published. Organizations that have received funding in the past appear to receive ongoing support (e.g., Yale University has received multiple gifts over the years).

Application Success Factors

Given the trust's approach to grantmaking through preselected organizations:

• Personal connection to trustees is essential - The most significant grants have been driven by personal experiences of the trustees, such as the $10 million gift to Johns Hopkins following Lillian Goldman's death from pancreatic cancer
• Excellence attracts support - The Goldman family demonstrated "vision and selflessness" by going beyond their native New York to Johns Hopkins because they sought out the leading pancreatic cancer research group
• Institutional prestige matters - Major recipients include Yale, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Salk Institute, and other nationally recognized organizations
• Board connections open doors - Benjamin Lewis's role as a Salk Institute trustee led to a $1.5 million grant directed by him for MS research
• Long-term relationships valued - Yale has received multiple gifts over the years, including endowed professorships and scholarships
• Clear mission alignment required - The trust's focus areas—education, health, and Jewish causes—are well-defined
• Capacity for major projects important - Grant amounts ranging up to $2 million suggest interest in substantial initiatives with transformative impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is not a funder for cold applications - The trust explicitly states it makes contributions to preselected organizations
• Relationship-building is essential - Success comes through trustee connections, board relationships, or existing partnerships
• Personal connection matters - The trust's largest gifts have been motivated by personal experiences of the trustees
• Think big - With grants ranging to $2 million and a history of transformational gifts, the trust supports substantial projects
• Excellence attracts support - The Goldman family will support best-in-class organizations even without prior connections
• Focus areas are clear - Education, health, and Jewish causes are priorities; organizations outside these areas unlikely to receive funding
• Geographic flexibility exists - While based in New York, the trust funds institutions across multiple states when seeking excellence

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Sol Goldman Charitable Trust (EIN 13-3577310). Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133577310. Accessed February 4, 2026.

2. Inside Philanthropy. "Sol Goldman Charitable Trust." Available at: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/new-york-grants/sol-goldman-charitable-foundation. Accessed February 4, 2026.

3. Inside Philanthropy. "The Goldman Siblings: How a Billionaire Real Estate Family Gives." May 24, 2018. Available at: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2018-5-24-the-goldman-billionaires-how-a-prominent-real-estate-family-gives. Accessed February 4, 2026.

4. Instrumentl. "Sol Goldman Charitable Trust | New York, NY | 990 Report." Available at: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/sol-goldman-charitable-trust. Accessed February 4, 2026.

5. Grantmakers.io. "Sol Goldman Charitable Trust Profile." Available at: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/133577310-sol-goldman-charitable-trust/. Accessed February 4, 2026.

6. Salk Institute for Biological Studies. "Salk scientists receive $1.5 million from Sol Goldman Charitable Trust to research multiple sclerosis treatments." January 2023. Available at: https://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-scientists-receive-1-5-million-from-sol-goldman-charitable-trust-to-research-multiple-sclerosis-treatments/. Accessed February 4, 2026.

7. Johns Hopkins Pathology. "The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center." Available at: https://pathology.jhu.edu/pancreas/sol-goldman-center. Accessed February 4, 2026.

8. Yale Giving. "The Goldman Funds: Jane Goldman Continues a Family Legacy of Giving." Available at: https://giving.yale.edu/news/goldman-funds-jane-goldman-continues-family-legacy-giving. Accessed February 4, 2026.

9. Wikipedia. "Sol Goldman." Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Goldman. Accessed February 4, 2026.

10. Cause IQ. "The Sol Goldman Charitable Trust | New York, NY." Available at: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-sol-goldman-charitable-trust,133577310/. Accessed February 4, 2026.