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Fascitelli Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.3M
Grant Range
$1K - $0.3M

Fascitelli Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,345,150 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $18.26 million (2025)
  • Grant Range: $750 - $250,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York State
  • Founded: 1994
  • Application Process: No unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Address: 170 East End Avenue, Apt 17 A/B, New York, NY 10128

Alternative Address: PO Box 73, Bowling Green Station, New York, NY 10274-0073

Phone: 212-902-5822

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website.

Overview

The Fascitelli Family Foundation was established in 1994 by Michael D. Fascitelli, a prominent real estate and finance executive and former president and CEO of Vornado Realty Trust, and his wife Elizabeth Cogan Fascitelli, who had a distinguished 37-year career at Goldman Sachs where she served as partner and global chief operating officer of the Merchant Banking Division. With total assets of approximately $18.26 million and annual giving exceeding $3.3 million, the foundation operates as a private family foundation focused on education, health, youth development, and the arts. The foundation's education grantmaking significantly outpaces all other areas by a ratio of five to one, reflecting the family's deep commitment to educational institutions and access. The Fascitellis maintain a highly networked, relationship-based approach to philanthropy, with most grants going to institutions where family members serve on boards or have personal connections.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific application cycles. Instead, it makes strategic grants to preselected charitable organizations based on trustee discretion. Grant amounts range from $750 to $250,000, with total annual grantmaking of approximately $3.3 million.

Priority Areas

Education (Primary Focus)

  • Higher education institutions, particularly Dartmouth College and University of Rhode Island
  • Educational access and opportunity programs (e.g., Prep for Prep)
  • Private secondary education (e.g., De La Salle Academy)
  • Engineering and STEM education

Health & Mental Health

  • Children's mental health (Child Mind Institute - priority recipient)
  • Medical research institutions (Rockefeller University, Hospital for Special Surgery)
  • Health sciences research (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Arts & Culture

  • Major New York cultural institutions (Whitney Museum)
  • Arts education and access programs

Youth Development & Human Services

  • Youth opportunity programs
  • Educational equity initiatives (Prep for Prep)
  • Poverty alleviation (Robin Hood Foundation)

Environment

  • Environmental conservation and sustainability projects (limited funding)

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations without existing connections to the Fascitelli family
  • Unsolicited proposals from unknown organizations
  • International programs (focus is primarily New York State)
  • Religious organizations (not a documented priority)
  • Political organizations

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Michael D. Fascitelli - President and Board Member

  • URI Engineering graduate (Class of 1978, summa cum laude)
  • Former President and CEO of Vornado Realty Trust
  • Extensive board involvement including:
    • Rockefeller University Board of Trustees
    • Child Mind Institute Board
    • URI Foundation Board of Directors Executive Committee
    • Harvard Business School Board of Overseers
    • Urban Land Institute (Trustee and Director)
    • Past Chairman, Wharton Real Estate Center
  • Recipient of 2012 Child Advocacy Award for contributions to children's mental health
  • Major philanthropic commitments include $10 million to URI College of Engineering (Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering) and $2 million planned gift to ULI Foundation

Elizabeth Cogan Fascitelli - Treasurer and Board Member

  • Dartmouth College Class of 1980
  • Retired Goldman Sachs partner (1984-2020)
  • Former Global Chief Operating Officer, Merchant Banking Division at Goldman Sachs
  • Current board positions include:
    • Dartmouth College Board of Trustees
    • Child Mind Institute Board
    • Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Board
    • Partnership Schools
    • Perella Weinberg Partners
  • Co-leader of women-led fundraising initiatives at Dartmouth with eight-figure contribution commitments

Leadership Philosophy

Michael Fascitelli has stated: "The talent and innovation coming out of URI Engineering are undeniable," reflecting his commitment to supporting educational institutions that demonstrate excellence and impact. The couple's philanthropic approach emphasizes long-term institutional relationships and transformative gifts to organizations where they maintain deep personal engagement.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Fascitelli Family Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made through trustee discretion to organizations that have established relationships with the Fascitelli family, typically where Michael or Elizabeth serve on the board or have significant personal connections.

Getting on Their Radar

Board Connections: Both Michael and Elizabeth Fascitelli serve on numerous nonprofit boards. Organizations where either serves as a trustee or director have significantly higher likelihood of receiving support. Current board affiliations include:

  • Child Mind Institute (both serve on board - documented priority recipient)
  • Rockefeller University (Michael serves as trustee - documented recipient)
  • Dartmouth College (Elizabeth serves as trustee - documented recipient with eight-figure commitments)
  • Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Elizabeth serves on board)
  • University of Rhode Island Foundation (Michael serves on board - received $10 million gift)

Sector Events and Initiatives: The Fascitellis are active in specific philanthropic communities:

  • Children's mental health advocacy (Michael received 2012 Child Advocacy Award from Child Mind Institute)
  • Real estate and urban development philanthropy (Urban Land Institute leadership)
  • Higher education advancement, particularly engineering and women's initiatives
  • New York cultural institutions

Documented Approaches:

  • The foundation has supported Michael's alma mater URI with a transformative $10 million gift for engineering
  • Elizabeth has led women-focused fundraising efforts at her alma mater Dartmouth
  • Both prioritize children's mental health through sustained support of Child Mind Institute where they serve as board members
  • The family supports educational access through organizations like Prep for Prep that align with their equity values

Strategic Considerations: According to Inside Philanthropy, "Grantseekers will have an uphill battle here and need to seriously network." The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile with no website, suggesting a preference for private, relationship-based philanthropy rather than broad outreach.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through trustee discretion without formal application cycles.

Success Rates

Not available - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - unsolicited applications are not accepted.

Application Success Factors

Since the Fascitelli Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there is no traditional "application success" pathway. However, research reveals clear patterns in their philanthropic decision-making:

Family Board Service is Critical: Analysis of documented grants shows that nearly all major recipients have at least one Fascitelli family member on their board. Organizations like Child Mind Institute, Rockefeller University, Dartmouth College, URI, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory all have Michael or Elizabeth (or both) serving as trustees.

Education Dominates by 5:1 Ratio: Inside Philanthropy reports that "the Foundation's education grantmaking out-funds all others five to one." Organizations in education, particularly those focused on access and excellence, align with the foundation's strongest priority.

Mental Health for Children is a Documented Passion: Michael received the 2012 Child Advocacy Award specifically for "transformative philanthropic contributions to the cause of children's mental health." The couple's board service at Child Mind Institute and consistent support demonstrates this is a core priority.

Transformative vs. Transactional: The Fascitellis have made eight-figure commitments to Dartmouth (Elizabeth's leadership of fundraising) and a $10 million gift to URI (naming the Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering). Their approach favors substantial, naming-level gifts over broad distribution of smaller grants.

New York Focus: The foundation primarily funds New York State organizations, with occasional support for alma mater institutions outside the state. Geographic alignment with New York increases relevance.

Long-Term Institutional Relationships: According to Inside Philanthropy, "Most support goes to family affiliated institutions." Recipients like Rockefeller University, Hospital for Special Surgery, Whitney Museum, and Robin Hood Foundation represent New York's premier institutions where sustained relationships exist.

Notable Recipients for Pattern Analysis:

  • Prep for Prep (educational access and equity)
  • De La Salle Academy (private secondary education)
  • Robin Hood Foundation (poverty alleviation in NYC)
  • Hospital for Special Surgery (medical excellence)
  • Whitney Museum (New York cultural institution)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted - This foundation operates exclusively through trustee-directed grantmaking to preselected organizations. There is no application portal, deadline, or formal process available to organizations without existing Fascitelli family connections.

  • Board service is the primary pathway - Nearly all documented grants go to organizations where Michael or Elizabeth Fascitelli serve as trustees or directors. Building a board relationship is essential.

  • Education funding outpaces all other areas 5:1 - If your organization works in education, particularly higher education, educational access, or STEM/engineering, you align with their dominant funding priority.

  • Children's mental health is a core passion - Michael's 2012 Child Advocacy Award and the couple's sustained board service and funding of Child Mind Institute demonstrates this is a deeply personal priority beyond typical philanthropy.

  • Think transformative, not transactional - The foundation makes major gifts ($10 million to URI, eight-figure commitments to Dartmouth) rather than distributing many small grants. Position requests accordingly if relationship develops.

  • New York geography matters - Primary focus is New York State institutions, with exceptions made for family alma mater institutions (URI, Dartmouth). Geographic alignment significantly increases relevance.

  • Relationship timeline is measured in years, not months - As Inside Philanthropy notes, "Grantseekers will have an uphill battle here and need to seriously network." This is a long-term cultivation prospect requiring sustained relationship building with family members through sector engagement, not a near-term funding opportunity.

References

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