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James And Merryl Tisch Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$18.1M
Grant Range
$3K - $8.8M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $18,075,166 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $8,800,000
  • Geographic Focus: New York City (primarily)

Contact Details

Address: 655 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Overview

The James and Merryl Tisch Foundation Inc. was established in 1992 by James S. Tisch, President and CEO of Loews Corporation, and his wife Dr. Merryl H. Tisch, an educator and civic leader. The foundation is a private family foundation with EIN 13-3693587. In 2023, the foundation distributed $18,075,166 in grants, making 9 awards. The foundation keeps a low profile and operates through a selective, invitation-only grantmaking approach. Their giving primarily centers around New York City, focusing on education, youth services, Jewish causes, the arts, health care, and policy organizations. The Tisches are known for making transformational gifts to major New York institutions, with individual gifts ranging from a few thousand dollars to tens of millions. James Tisch serves as chairman of WNET and is a board member of the New York Public Library, while Merryl Tisch is Chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees and formerly served as Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published criteria or application processes. Instead, grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to preselected charitable organizations.

Priority Areas

Education: The foundation's strongest priority, reflecting Merryl Tisch's background as an educator with a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Funding includes K-12 schools, higher education institutions, literacy programs, and education policy organizations.

Jewish Causes: Significant support for Jewish schools, social service agencies, and cultural institutions, including major gifts to Jewish Communal Fund (approximately $8.8 million in recent grants).

Arts and Culture: Support for major cultural institutions, particularly public media and museums. Notable gifts include $15 million to create Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center and support for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Health Care: Substantial funding for medical institutions, with emphasis on cancer care. Major gifts include $60 million (2021) to establish the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center and $40 million (2008) to create the Tisch Cancer Institute.

Youth and Children's Services: General support for organizations serving children and youth development.

Policy and Research: Support for think tanks and policy organizations including the Manhattan Institute, Citizens Budget Commission, The Hudson Institute, and the Washington Institute.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. All grants are made to preselected organizations, typically institutions with which the Tisches have existing relationships through board service or longstanding philanthropic engagement.

Governance and Leadership

James S. Tisch: President and CEO of Loews Corporation, a diversified company co-founded by his father Larry Tisch. He serves on numerous boards including:

  • Chairman of the Board of WNET (parent of WNET Channel 13 and WLIW Channel 21)
  • Board of Directors of The New York Public Library
  • Federal Reserve Bank of New York (director)
  • Mount Sinai Hospital (board member)
  • Council on Foreign Relations (member)

Dr. Merryl H. Tisch: Educator and civic leader with degrees from Barnard College (BA), New York University (MA), and Teachers College, Columbia University (EdD). She began her career teaching first-graders at Ramaz School and B'nai Jeshurun School in 1977. Her leadership roles include:

  • Chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees (current)
  • Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents (2009-2016)
  • Board member of Barnard College
  • Board member of the Dalton School
  • Board member of the Graduate School of Education's Board of Overseers at the University of Pennsylvania
  • Co-chairperson of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty
  • Board member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the International Rescue Committee

During her tenure as Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, Merryl Tisch stated: "Standards, accountability and innovation will be the watchwords of this Board and the State Education Department. As Chancellor, I will insist that we continue to raise standards for all of our children and hold every school district accountable for their results, while providing the support necessary to get that done."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The 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 the Tisches have established relationships, typically through:

  • Board membership or trusteeship
  • Long-standing philanthropic partnerships
  • Personal connections to the organization's mission
  • Prior grantee relationships

Getting on Their Radar

The Tisches' grantmaking is driven by their board service and deep personal involvement with organizations in New York City. Key strategies observed from their giving patterns:

Board Connections: Many of the foundation's largest grants go to organizations where James or Merryl Tisch serve on the board. James is chairman of WNET (which received $15 million for studios) and serves on the New York Public Library board (which received $20 million for education programs). Merryl serves on the boards of Barnard College, the Dalton School, and the Metropolitan Museum, all of which have received support.

Educational Institutions: Organizations in the education sector, particularly those focused on literacy, K-12 education reform, and Jewish education, align strongly with Merryl's background and interests. She taught at Ramaz School, which has received foundation support.

Policy Organizations: James has supported think tanks and policy organizations including the Manhattan Institute, Citizens Budget Commission, New York Council of Defense Lawyers, The Hudson Institute, and the Washington Institute.

Major New York Institutions: The Tisches concentrate their giving in New York City and support anchor institutions in healthcare (Mount Sinai), culture (Metropolitan Museum, WNET), and education (New York Public Library, universities).

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking, decisions are made at the trustees' discretion rather than through periodic review cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

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

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, success in securing funding depends entirely on:

Established Relationships: Virtually all grants appear to go to organizations where the Tisches have direct involvement through board service, prior philanthropy, or personal connections.

Alignment with Personal Passions: The foundation's giving closely reflects the personal interests and professional backgrounds of James and Merryl Tisch:

  • Merryl's education doctorate and career as an educator drive substantial education funding
  • James's role at Loews and board positions at major New York institutions inform arts and policy giving
  • Both trustees' commitment to Jewish causes results in significant support for Jewish organizations

Transformational Scale: The Tisches are known for major, naming-level gifts that have transformational impact. Recent examples include:

  • $60 million to Mount Sinai for the Tisch Cancer Center (2021)
  • $20 million to New York Public Library for education programs (2017)
  • $15 million to WNET for studios at Lincoln Center (2013)
  • $40 million to Mount Sinai for the Tisch Cancer Institute (2008)

New York City Focus: Nearly all funding goes to New York-based organizations, with particular concentration in Manhattan.

Mission-Driven Leadership: Merryl Tisch's quote about education standards and accountability suggests the foundation values organizations with clear metrics for success and strong leadership. She stated: "We cannot turn our backs on our students at a time when the world is demanding more from them – more skills, more knowledge, more problem-solving."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not a foundation for unsolicited proposals. The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Do not submit cold applications.

  • Board-level relationships are essential. The pattern of grantmaking shows that major grants go to organizations where the Tisches serve on boards or have deep personal involvement.

  • Education sector organizations have the strongest alignment, particularly those focused on literacy, education reform, K-12 education, higher education, and Jewish education, reflecting Merryl Tisch's professional background.

  • Think transformational, not incremental. Recent major gifts range from $15 million to $60 million for naming opportunities and transformational projects at major institutions.

  • New York City is the primary geographic focus, with virtually all grants benefiting New York-based organizations or programs serving New York residents.

  • Jewish causes receive substantial support, including Jewish schools where Merryl taught, Jewish social service agencies, and the Jewish Communal Fund.

  • Multi-year relationships precede major gifts. The foundation's largest grants go to organizations with which the Tisches have had long relationships, often spanning decades.

References

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