The Daniel E And Joyce G Straus Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $4,131,909 (2023 tax year)
• Foundation Assets: $77,257,601
• Grant Range: $100 - $4,000,000
• Geographic Focus: New York, New Jersey, and Maryland (based on grant patterns)
• Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Address: Fort Lee, NJ

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Daniel E And Joyce G Straus Family Foundation was established in 1996 as a private family foundation supported by Daniel E. Straus, founder and CEO of CareOne LLC, a major healthcare company operating nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the northeastern United States. With assets totalling $77.3 million and annual giving of approximately $4.1 million, the foundation focuses on higher education, Jewish agencies and temples, and human services organisations. The foundation operates as a traditional private family foundation, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organisations identified by the trustees. Daniel E. Straus, an Orthodox Jew who graduated from Columbia University and NYU School of Law, has a strong track record of philanthropy both through this foundation and through direct charitable activities with his company CareOne.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate formal grant programmes with published guidelines. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to preselected organisations.

Grant Activity (per 990-PF filings):

• 2023: $4,131,909 in grants paid
• 2022: $3,288,856 in grants paid
• 2021: $2,780,398 in grants paid

Grant Range: Awards typically range from $100 to $4,000,000

Priority Areas

Based on their tax filings and public information, the foundation gives primarily to:

• Higher Education: Universities and educational institutions, particularly those with connections to the Straus family (Columbia University, NYU)
• Jewish Organisations: Jewish agencies, temples, and community organisations
• Human Services: Organisations providing social services and support
• Healthcare-Related Causes: Organisations aligned with the healthcare sector

Geographic Focus

Primary giving areas (based on recent 990-PF records):

• New York
• New Jersey
• Maryland

What They Don't Fund

As the foundation only makes contributions to preselected organisations, they effectively do not fund:

• Unsolicited applications from any organisation
• Organisations outside their established network
• Organisations outside their geographic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Daniel E. Straus - Founder and primary supporter of the foundation

Daniel E. Straus is a prominent business executive, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, real estate developer, and philanthropist. Born to an Orthodox Jewish family, he earned a B.A. in political science from Columbia University and a J.D. from NYU School of Law. He practised law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison before co-founding Multicare Companies Inc. in 1984 with his brother Moshael. In 1999, he founded CareOne LLC, which now operates over 50 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the northeastern United States.

Straus's philanthropic activities extend beyond the family foundation. He has been recognised as Humanitarian of the Year by Make-A-Wish New Jersey and has led significant fundraising efforts, including raising over $1.3 million for The CareOne Cancer Fund and $1.7 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in 2016. He donated substantial funds to NYU School of Law for The Straus Institute for the Advanced Study of Law.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation has explicitly stated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are awarded based on trustee discretion to organisations that have been pre-identified by the family and trustees. There is no application portal, no application deadlines, and no process for submitting proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's giving is highly relationship-driven and focused on causes personally meaningful to the Straus family. Based on available information about the foundation's approach:

Pre-existing Relationships: The foundation appears to support organisations where the Straus family has established connections, including:

• Educational institutions where family members attended (Columbia University, NYU)
• Jewish community organisations in their geographic area
• Healthcare and human services organisations in the New York/New Jersey region

Trustee Connections: Organisations with which the trustees have personal involvement through board service or other leadership roles are more likely to be considered.

CareOne Connection: Given Daniel Straus's role as CEO of CareOne, organisations that have relationships with CareOne or serve populations aligned with the healthcare company's mission may have indirect connections to the foundation.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion without a formal application or review cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there is no application process. Organisations receive funding through:

1. Pre-existing relationships with the Straus family or trustees
2. Alignment with family priorities: Higher education (especially Columbia and NYU), Jewish organisations, and human services
3. Geographic connection: Organisations based in or serving New York, New Jersey, and Maryland
4. Personal involvement: Organisations where the Straus family serves on boards or has leadership involvement
5. Demonstrated impact: Organisations with proven track records in their fields

The foundation operates in the traditional private family foundation model where funding decisions are made based on the personal philanthropic interests of the donor family rather than through a competitive application process.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted: This foundation exclusively funds preselected organisations. There is no point in submitting an unsolicited proposal.
• Relationship-driven giving: All funding appears to stem from personal connections to the Straus family and their established charitable interests.
• Focus on Jewish causes and higher education: Organisations in these sectors, particularly those in the NY/NJ area, form the core of the foundation's giving.
• Substantial grant range: Awards can range from small grants to multi-million dollar commitments, suggesting flexible funding based on organisational needs and relationships.
• Healthcare sector alignment: Given Daniel Straus's role in the healthcare industry through CareOne, organisations serving similar populations or missions may align with the foundation's interests.
• Orthodox Jewish community ties: The Straus family's connection to the Orthodox Jewish community influences their philanthropic priorities.
• Stable giving pattern: The foundation has consistently increased its annual giving over recent years, indicating ongoing commitment to their charitable mission.

References

1. Cause IQ - Daniel E. and Joyce G. Straus Family Foundation Profile
2. Grantmakers.io - The Daniel E and Joyce G Straus Family Foundation Profile
3. Instrumentl - The Daniel E And Joyce G Straus Family Foundation 990 Report
4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Daniel E And Joyce G Straus Family Foundation
5. Candid Foundation Directory - The Daniel E and Joyce G Straus Family Foundation
6. Wikipedia - Daniel E. Straus
7. Daniel E. Straus Official Website - The spirit of innovation
8. The Jewish Standard - The spirit of innovation