Vital Projects Fund Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $15,743,550 (2023)
Total Assets: $355,366,295
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation only)
Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
Grant Range: $10,000 - $2,705,000
Typical Grant: $25,000 - $150,000
Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, California, and District of Columbia

Contact Details

Location: New York, NY
EIN: 133711340

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and has not published public contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

Established in 1992 and funded in 2006, Vital Projects Fund Inc was created from the estate of stockbroker Horace W. Goldsmith and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The foundation distributed half of its net assets to Vital Projects Fund Inc on January 1, 2006. Led by President David F. Menschel, a Yale Law School graduate and former attorney at the Innocence Project, the fund manages over $355 million in assets and consistently disburses around $15-17 million annually through approximately 132 grants. The foundation is particularly known for its support of criminal justice reform and death penalty abolition efforts, alongside significant funding for arts and culture, education, health, human services, and international development. As David Menschel has stated, "We oppose the death penalty and give grants to help end it."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Vital Projects Fund operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs with published guidelines. Grants typically range from $25,000 to $150,000, though awards can be as low as $10,000 or as high as $2.7 million for priority initiatives.

Application Method: Invitation only - no public application process

Priority Areas

Criminal Justice Reform:

Death penalty abolition (primary focus)
Criminal justice policy reform
Mass incarceration issues
Parole and sentencing reform
Civil rights and legal advocacy

Arts and Culture:

Performing arts organizations
Museums and cultural institutions
Contemporary art

Health:

Hospital support
HIV and AIDS initiatives
Health-related programs

Education:

Higher education institutions
Educational access and equity

Human Services:

Programs supporting people with disabilities
Social service organizations

International Development:

Global humanitarian efforts

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Organizations not already on the foundation's radar or without established relationships are unlikely to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

David F. Menschel - President, Director, and Treasurer
David Menschel is a left-of-center defense lawyer, Yale Law School graduate, and former attorney at the Innocence Project. He is best known as a staunch advocate for death penalty abolition and has led the fund's focus on criminal justice reform. He is based in Portland, Oregon, and is the son of the late Robert B. Menschel.

Board of Directors:

Jay Rivilin - Director
Lauren E. Menschel - Director
Richard L. Menschel - Director (brother of late Robert B. Menschel)
Ronay Menschel - Director
Marianne Sammarco - Director

Foundation History: Robert B. Menschel (d. 2022) served as chairman of the board and was a senior director at Goldman Sachs. His brother Richard L. Menschel was chairman of the related Charina Fund. Both brothers were awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2015 for their philanthropic work.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Vital Projects Fund Inc only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The foundation identifies and selects grant recipients through trustee discretion and existing relationships within their focus areas.

Organizations cannot submit applications or letters of inquiry unless specifically invited to do so by the foundation's leadership.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded through trustee discretion on a rolling basis throughout the year to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. In 2023, the foundation made 132 grants totaling $15.7 million.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - only preselected organizations receive funding.

Recent Grant Recipients

2023 Grant Recipients (selected examples):

Proteus Fund: $2,705,000 (general support) - largest grant awarded
New York Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical School: $675,000 (general support)
Civil Rights Corps: $560,000 (general support)
Louisiana Parole Project Inc: $500,000 (general support)
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art: General support

Other Notable Recipients:

Abolitionist Law Center
Drug Policy Alliance
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Make the Road
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and ACLU Foundation
ACLU chapters in Colorado, Delaware, and Montana
Brennan Center for Justice
Syracuse University ($1 million+)
Museum of Modern Art ($1 million+)
Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1 million+)

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates by invitation only, success factors relate to organizational alignment and visibility rather than application quality:

Alignment with Foundation Priorities: Organizations working on death penalty abolition, criminal justice reform, and progressive criminal justice policy appear to be the highest priority based on David Menschel's stated focus: "We oppose the death penalty and give grants to help end it." Recent grants demonstrate strong support for legal advocacy organizations, policy reform groups, and direct service providers in the criminal justice space.

Demonstrated Impact: The foundation supports established organizations with track records in their respective fields, from major cultural institutions like MoMA and the Metropolitan Museum of Art to specialized advocacy groups like the Civil Rights Corps and Louisiana Parole Project.

Geographic Connection: While the foundation supports work across the United States, there appears to be concentration in New York (foundation's home state), California, and Washington, D.C., with additional support in states with active death penalty abolition efforts.

Progressive Policy Alignment: The foundation has been described as supporting "left-of-center advocacy," and grant recipients reflect progressive approaches to criminal justice, civil rights, and social policy.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant-seeking methods. They identify and select recipients through trustee discretion.
Criminal justice focus is paramount: Death penalty abolition and criminal justice reform represent the foundation's core mission under David Menschel's leadership.
High grant amounts possible: While median grants are around $74,000, the foundation has demonstrated willingness to make transformative gifts up to $2.7 million for aligned organizations.
Relationship-driven grantmaking: With 132 grants distributed annually, the foundation maintains ongoing relationships with a portfolio of organizations rather than responding to applications.
Dual focus areas: The foundation balances significant support for criminal justice reform with substantial funding for arts, culture, and education institutions.
Long-term institutional support: Many grants appear to be for "general support," suggesting the foundation values organizational sustainability over project-specific funding.
Elite institutional partnerships: The foundation has given million-dollar+ grants to prestigious institutions like Syracuse University and major New York museums, alongside grassroots advocacy organizations.

References

Research conducted December 22, 2025