← Back to US Funders Directory

James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.9M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.3M

James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,943,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $216.4 million (2024)
  • Number of Grants: 37 awards (2023)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $300,000
  • Typical Grant: $10,000
  • Geographic Focus: East Coast, primarily New York
  • Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

Location: New York, NY
EIN: 133922199

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited proposals for funding.

Overview

Established in 1996 by James Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co., and his wife Judith Kent, the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation is a private family foundation based in New York. With total assets of $216.4 million as of 2024, the foundation contributed $4,943,000 in grants during 2023 across 37 awards. The foundation has shown significant growth in its grantmaking activity, increasing from $320,000 in grants in 2016 to $5.8 million in 2017, demonstrating the couple's increasing philanthropic commitment. Managed by Judith Kent, who has deep experience in education and social services, the foundation focuses on education, youth development, health, and social services, with a particular emphasis on New York-based organizations. The foundation's giving centers around the East Coast and reflects the couple's long-standing commitment to educational equity and community development.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not maintain formal grant programs with published guidelines. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees and typically support organizations with which the Dimons have existing relationships or connections.

Grant Size: Grants in recent years have ranged from $5,000 to $300,000, with the most common grant being $10,000.

Priority Areas

Education & Youth Development (Primary Focus)

  • K-12 education programs, particularly in New York
  • Youth development and arts education programs
  • Community schools and educational equity initiatives
  • College and university support

Examples of supported organizations:

  • Big Picture Learning (Providence, Rhode Island) - supporting student-driven, real-world education
  • The Dreamyard Project (Bronx) - arts-based pathways to equity and opportunity for Bronx youth
  • National Center for Community Schools - which Judith Kent helped establish in the early 1990s
  • YS Dance Program

Health & Medical Care

  • Hospital care and in-patient medical facilities
  • Disease-specific programs (e.g., Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute)
  • Medical research and healthcare centers

Examples of supported organizations:

  • Columbia University Medical Center
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute

Arts & Culture

  • Arts programming, particularly for youth
  • Cultural organizations

Social Services

  • Family services
  • Child welfare
  • Community development programs
  • Goddard Riverside Community Center

Higher Education

  • Support for the couple's alma maters and other universities
  • Tulane University (Judith Kent's undergraduate institution)
  • Harvard Business School (where both earned MBAs and met)
  • Columbia University (Teacher's College and Barnard)
  • Wake Forest University
  • Northwestern University School of Law

Special Initiatives

  • Recent grants have included Ukrainian relief efforts and the Hope Ahead campaign

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publish a list of exclusions. However, the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, which effectively limits funding to organizations known to the trustees or their network.

Governance and Leadership

Founders/Trustees:

  • James Dimon: Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. since 2006. Previously served in leadership roles at Bank One, Citigroup, and American Express. Holds a BA from Tufts University and MBA from Harvard Business School.

  • Judith Kent Dimon: Co-manager of the foundation with extensive background in education and organizational psychology. She earned her undergraduate degree from Tulane University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she met Jamie Dimon. She also holds a master's degree in organizational psychology from the Catholic University of America. In the early 1990s, she helped establish the National Center for Community Schools, which has facilitated the development of over 15,000 community school adaptations nationally and internationally.

The foundation is managed as a private family foundation, with grantmaking decisions made by the trustees based on their philanthropic interests and existing relationships.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding.

Grants are made based on the trustees' discretion and typically go to organizations with which the Dimons have existing relationships, connections through their professional and personal networks, or initiatives they have identified independently.

Getting on Their Radar

Judith Kent's National Center for Community Schools connection: Given Judith Kent's foundational role in establishing the National Center for Community Schools in the early 1990s, organizations working in the community schools model or educational equity space that have connections to this network may have pathways to the foundation's attention.

JPMorgan Chase corporate connections: As CEO of JPMorgan Chase, James Dimon has extensive networks in the business, finance, and nonprofit sectors. Organizations that have relationships with JPMorgan Chase's corporate social responsibility programs or that serve in communities where JPMorgan has significant operations may be better positioned.

East Coast education and youth organizations: The foundation's giving history shows a clear preference for East Coast organizations, particularly in New York, with emphasis on K-12 education and youth development. Organizations in this geographic and programmatic space that demonstrate innovative approaches to educational equity may attract trustee interest.

Higher education connections: The couple's support for multiple universities (Harvard Business School, Tulane, Columbia, Wake Forest, Northwestern) suggests that organizations connected to these institutions or their alumni networks may have better access.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis without a formal application timeline.

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 this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, the foundation's funding patterns reveal clear preferences:

Geographic Focus: The foundation's giving centers around the East Coast, particularly New York. Organizations based in or serving New York communities are most frequently supported.

Education as Priority: Tax filings and grant history indicate that education is the top priority, with K-12 groups in New York in the best position for funding. The foundation particularly values:

  • Student-centered, real-world education approaches (as evidenced by support for Big Picture Learning)
  • Arts-based pathways to equity (as seen with Dreamyard Project support)
  • Community schools model (reflecting Judith Kent's personal commitment to this approach)

Youth Development Focus: The foundation consistently supports initiatives that create pathways to equity and opportunity for young people, particularly through education and arts programming.

Program and Operating Support: The foundation provides both program-specific support (YS dance program, Wendy Novak Diabetes Institute, Ukrainian relief efforts) and general operating support, suggesting flexibility in funding structure based on organizational needs.

Long-term Commitment: The foundation's support for organizations like Big Picture Learning and National Center for Community Schools suggests a preference for sustained relationships rather than one-time grants.

Connection to Personal Interests: The couple's support of their alma maters and Judith Kent's direct involvement in establishing the National Center for Community Schools demonstrates that personal connection and passion are important factors in funding decisions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Networking and existing connections to the Dimons or their professional/philanthropic networks are essential.

  • Education is the primary focus: K-12 education programs, particularly those serving New York communities and demonstrating innovative approaches to educational equity, align best with the foundation's priorities.

  • Judith Kent's influence is significant: Her background in organizational psychology and her role in establishing the National Center for Community Schools shapes the foundation's approach to education and youth development funding.

  • Geographic preference: East Coast organizations, especially those based in New York, receive the majority of funding.

  • Relationship-based grantmaking: The foundation's invitation-only approach means that building relationships with the trustees, their networks, or organizations they already support is the only viable path to funding.

  • Growth trajectory: The foundation's giving has grown significantly (from $320,000 in 2016 to over $4.9 million in 2023), suggesting expanding philanthropic activity and potentially more grant opportunities for organizations within their network.

  • Flexible funding approach: The foundation provides both program-specific grants and general operating support, ranging from $5,000 to $300,000, with flexibility in grant structure.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory