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The Derfner Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.6M
Grant Range
$3K - $1.5M

The Derfner Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,555,000 (2022)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $1,525,000
  • Typical Grant: $25,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York area, occasional national giving
  • Total Grants: 58 awards (2022)

Contact Details

The foundation does not maintain a website and does not provide public contact information for unsolicited applications.

Location: New York, NY
EIN: 13-3661341

Overview

Established in 1992 by the late Harold Derfner and his wife Helen, The Derfner Foundation is a private family foundation that has been supporting charitable organizations for over three decades. With annual giving of approximately $6.6 million (2022), the foundation primarily focuses on Jewish causes, health, education, arts, and human services. The foundation is currently steered by Harold Derfner's son, Peter Derfner, and longtime family friend and Derfner Management executive Jay Lieberman. Most donations remain in the New York area, although the foundation occasionally gives to established national organizations that align with the family's interests. The foundation maintains a low profile and operates through trustee discretion rather than public application processes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate structured grant programs with formal applications. Instead, funding is distributed through trustee discretion to pre-selected organizations.

Grant Range: $2,500 - $1,525,000
Typical Grant Size: $25,000
Application Method: Invitation only / no public application process

Priority Areas

The Derfner Foundation primarily funds:

  • Jewish Causes: Including federations, synagogues, and Jewish cultural institutions
  • Health & Medical Research: Particularly surgery departments, rehabilitation research, and hospital facilities
  • Education: Including schools and educational institutions
  • Arts & Culture: Museums and cultural organizations
  • Human Services: Organizations serving vulnerable populations

What They Don't Fund

The foundation only makes contributions to pre-selected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds or proposals.

Major Beneficiaries

The foundation has developed long-term relationships with several institutions, providing ongoing and significant support:

  • Hebrew Home at Riverdale: Harold Derfner served on the board for more than five decades. The Derfners established the Derfner Judaica Museum at this institution and provided the lead gift for "Helen's Terrace," a 25,000 square foot outdoor space
  • Mount Sinai Department of Surgery: Annual gifts of millions of dollars, including a $6 million donation in 2019 to name the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery suite
  • Kessler Foundation: Support for the Derfner-Lieberman Laboratory for Regenerative Rehabilitation Research

Past Grantees

According to available records, past grantees have included:

  • UJA Federation of New York
  • Riverdale Country School
  • NY Foundation for the Arts
  • Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty
  • Hospital for Special Surgery
  • American Museum of Natural History
  • CUNY's Borough of Manhattan Community College

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership:

  • Peter Derfner: Son of founder Harold Derfner, current trustee
  • Jay Lieberman: Longtime family friend and Derfner Management executive, trustee

Founder: Harold Derfner (deceased) and his wife Helen Derfner established the foundation in 1992. Harold served on the board of Hebrew Home at Riverdale for more than five decades, demonstrating deep, long-term commitment to organizations he supported.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Derfner Foundation explicitly states that it only makes contributions to pre-selected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds or proposals. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on the family's philanthropic interests and established relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's giving pattern suggests that relationships and board connections are key to receiving funding. Specific strategies observed:

  • Long-term institutional relationships: The foundation demonstrates decades-long commitment to certain institutions (e.g., Hebrew Home at Riverdale, Mount Sinai)
  • Board connections: Harold Derfner's 50+ year board service at Hebrew Home at Riverdale exemplifies how trustee involvement can lead to major philanthropic support
  • Family and professional networks: Jay Lieberman's dual role as Derfner Management executive and foundation trustee suggests business and professional connections matter
  • Established track record: Past grantees tend to be well-known, established institutions rather than emerging organizations

Organizations seeking funding would benefit from cultivating relationships within New York's Jewish philanthropic community and the networks associated with Derfner Management and the foundation's existing beneficiary organizations.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only nature of funding, decision timelines are determined on a case-by-case basis by trustees.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications. The foundation made 58 grants in 2022, all to pre-selected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, analysis of their giving patterns reveals what the foundation values:

Alignment with Family Interests:

  • Strong preference for Jewish causes and institutions
  • Health and medical research, particularly in surgery and rehabilitation
  • Educational institutions with demonstrated excellence
  • Arts and cultural organizations, especially museums

Institutional Characteristics:

  • Established, reputable organizations with proven track records
  • New York-based institutions (primarily)
  • Organizations where trustees or family members have personal connections
  • Institutions offering opportunities for naming recognition and legacy building

Relationship-Based Funding:

  • The foundation's largest gifts go to organizations with deep, multi-generational family connections
  • Board service and personal involvement precede major gifts
  • Professional and business networks play a role in funding decisions

Major vs. Annual Giving:

  • The foundation makes both transformational gifts ($1+ million) and smaller annual support grants ($2,500-$25,000)
  • Multi-year, sustained giving to priority institutions
  • Willingness to fund capital projects (e.g., Helen's Terrace, named facilities)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant proposals; all funding is invitation-only
  • Relationship-driven: Success requires personal connections to trustees, board members, or the Derfner Management network
  • Long-term commitment model: The foundation demonstrates decades-long loyalty to chosen institutions rather than spreading funds widely
  • Jewish focus: Jewish causes and institutions receive priority, though the foundation also supports secular health, education, and arts organizations
  • New York concentration: Most grants stay within the New York area, particularly institutions in or near Riverdale/Bronx
  • Board service leads to major gifts: Harold Derfner's pattern of deep board involvement preceding major philanthropy suggests this is the pathway to transformational support
  • Established institutions preferred: Track record, reputation, and institutional stability matter; emerging organizations unlikely to receive funding without personal connections

References

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