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David Berg Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$3.4M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.8M
00

David Berg Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,443,588 (2023)
  • Average Grant Size: $48,501
  • Total Grants Awarded: 71 (2023)
  • Assets: $92,563,422
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Israel (with emphasis on New York and Israeli institutions)
  • Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Website: https://bergfoundation.org

Leadership:

  • Michele C. Tocci, President and Director
  • William D. Zabel, Treasurer and Director

Important Note: The David Berg Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

Overview

The David Berg Foundation was established in 1994 by David Berg (1904-1999), a real estate lawyer, developer, art collector, and philanthropist who graduated from Harvard Law School. With assets of approximately $92.6 million, the foundation distributed $3.4 million in grants during 2023 across 71 awards. The foundation's mission is to strengthen Jewish institutions, improve quality of life for the underserved, provide greater access to cultural treasures, and increase engagement with Jewish values for wide audiences. The foundation focuses on high-capacity nonprofit organizations working in Jewish history preservation, cultural institutions, legal services, combating antisemitism, and Jewish community assistance. David Berg, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island in 1904, built a successful career spanning nearly 70 years, developing shopping centers, apartment buildings, and hotels including Regency Towers in New York City and Harbor Towers in Boston.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through five main program areas without separate application streams:

Museums, Exhibitions & Publications: Support for conservation of Jewish artifacts, manuscripts, texts and art; exhibitions about Jewish culture and heritage; and advancement of Jewish museums and libraries. Notable grants include $750,000 to the Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot for the "Jewish Centers of Antiquity: Babylonia and the Land of Israel" gallery (2016), and $2.5 million for the David Berg Rare Book Room at the Center for Jewish History.

Archives, Libraries & Scholarship: Support for digitization of rare manuscripts and historical materials, scholarly research and fellowships, and conservation efforts. The foundation has supported the National Library of Israel's digitization efforts and the Library of Congress Hebrew collection being published online.

Combating Antisemitism: Funding for education, policy initiatives, and security for synagogues and Jewish institutions.

Legal Services: Support focused on law school clinics and non-profit organizations providing free civil legal services to low-income and underserved communities, with priority to those serving Jewish communities. Over eight years, the foundation funded nearly 100 David Berg Public Interest Fellows at Touro Law Center, with grants such as $48,000 in 2014.

Jewish Community Assistance: Support for elderly and indigent Jewish communities, kosher food services, food rescue programs, palliative care initiatives, aid for the blind, and services for the Haredi Jewish community.

Priority Areas

  • Preservation and digitization of Jewish historical documents and artifacts
  • Holocaust education and survivor support
  • Civil legal services for victims of elder abuse and domestic violence
  • Support for agunot (Jewish women unable to obtain religious divorce)
  • Law school clinics in Israel and the United States
  • Jewish museums and cultural institutions
  • Services for elderly, disabled, and indigent populations
  • Immigration history
  • Restoration of synagogue buildings
  • Restitution of Jewish communal property

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their preselected portfolio
  • Unsolicited proposals
  • Projects not aligned with Jewish values or communities

Governance and Leadership

Michele C. Tocci serves as President and Director of the David Berg Foundation. She oversees the foundation's grantmaking across all program areas and continues David Berg's philanthropic legacy.

William D. Zabel serves as Treasurer and Director, providing financial oversight for the foundation's approximately $92.6 million in assets.

The foundation operates with a selective approach, focusing on "high-capacity nonprofit organizations" that can effectively advance its mission of strengthening Jewish institutions and serving vulnerable populations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The David Berg Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states on its website: "The David Berg Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals."

Grants are made to preselected charitable organizations chosen by the foundation's leadership and board of directors. The foundation proactively identifies and invites organizations that align with its strategic priorities rather than accepting applications from the general public.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's board to pre-selected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the David Berg Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, success in receiving funding depends on factors outside the traditional application process:

Being Pre-Selected: The foundation chooses its grantees based on strategic alignment with its mission. Organizations that have received funding typically are:

  • High-capacity nonprofit organizations with proven track records
  • Institutions working in Jewish history preservation, cultural advancement, or legal services
  • Organizations serving vulnerable Jewish communities (elderly, indigent, Holocaust survivors)
  • Major Jewish cultural institutions (museums, libraries, archives)
  • Law school clinics providing civil legal services to underserved communities

Alignment with Founder's Vision: David Berg's personal interests continue to guide the foundation's priorities. He was particularly interested in:

  • Museums and cultural institutions
  • Immigration history
  • Restoration of synagogue buildings
  • Restitution of Jewish communal property
  • Services for the indigent and elderly
  • Supporting the State of Israel

Institutional Relationships: Organizations that have received funding often have:

  • Long-standing relationships with the foundation
  • Connections to Jewish institutional networks
  • Demonstrated capacity to preserve and make accessible Jewish historical materials
  • Track records of serving vulnerable populations within Jewish communities

Examples of Recent Grantees:

  • Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot (major exhibitions)
  • Center for Jewish History (permanent galleries and exhibitions)
  • National Library of Israel (digitization and exhibition spaces)
  • Touro Law Center (public interest fellowships)
  • NYU Grossman School of Medicine (David Berg Foundation Fellowship for Geriatric Medicine)
  • Library of Congress (Hebrew collection digitization)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, so traditional grant writing strategies do not apply
  • Invitation-Only Model: Funding is directed to preselected organizations chosen by the foundation's leadership
  • Focus on High-Capacity Organizations: The foundation prioritizes established, high-capacity nonprofit organizations with proven track records
  • Jewish Values Central: All funding aligns with strengthening Jewish institutions, preserving Jewish history and culture, or serving Jewish communities
  • Major Institutional Grants: While the average grant is $48,501, the foundation has made significant six-figure and seven-figure grants to major institutions for capital projects and endowments
  • Legal Services Priority: Strong emphasis on civil legal services for vulnerable populations, particularly through law school clinics
  • Long-Term Relationships: The foundation appears to maintain ongoing relationships with core grantee organizations (e.g., nearly 100 fellows funded at Touro Law over eight years)

References

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