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The Morris And Alma Schapiro Fund

Annual Giving
$8.2M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $8,173,951 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, with some national scope
  • Total Assets: $102,378,588 (2024)

Contact Details

The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation is based in New York, NY.

EIN: 13-6089254

Overview

The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund was established in 1956 by Morris Abraham Schapiro (1903-1996), a prominent investment banker and chess master, and his wife Alma B.C. Schapiro, a painter. Morris Schapiro headed M.A. Schapiro & Company and led some of the banking industry's largest mergers. The foundation reflects the couple's lifelong commitment to the arts, education, and healthcare, with total assets of approximately $102 million and annual grant distributions of over $8 million. In 2024, the foundation made 78 awards across various sectors. The fund has a particular connection to the visual and performing arts, historic preservation, and education institutions, especially those in New York. Recent major commitments include a seven-figure gift to the Corporation of Yaddo, which supports the artists' community in Saratoga Springs, and establishing the endowment for the Alma Schapiro Prize at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-selected grants with no formal application programs. Grant amounts range significantly:

  • Small grants: $5,000-$20,000 for specific projects
  • Mid-level grants: $20,000-$100,000 for multi-year support
  • Major grants: $100,000-$1,000,000+ for capital campaigns and endowments

Application method: Invitation only, no public application process.

Priority Areas

Arts and Culture (Primary focus)

  • Visual arts, particularly painting and classical art traditions
  • Performing arts including theater, dance, and ballet
  • Museums and art museums
  • Arts education programs
  • Historic preservation and architectural conservation
  • Support for artist communities and residencies

Education

  • Higher education institutions, particularly in New York
  • Private K-12 schools
  • Chess education programs (reflecting Morris Schapiro's chess mastery)
  • Scholarship programs, including inner-city education initiatives

Healthcare

  • Hospital care and in-patient medical services
  • Medical education and research

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, making it effectively inaccessible to organizations without existing relationships. No specific exclusions are published, but funding patterns show a focus on established New York institutions rather than startup organizations or grassroots initiatives.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The foundation is governed by family members and close associates, all serving without compensation:

  • Barnaby Schapiro - Trustee (family member)
  • Jon Schapiro - Trustee (family member)
  • Marion Schapiro - Trustee (family member)
  • Daniel Schapiro - Vice President (son of Morris and Alma, neurologist and clinical instructor at Icahn School of Medicine)
  • Jacob Collins - Trustee (noted painter, connected to family)
  • Linda Schapiro Collins - Trustee (family member)
  • Rufus Collins - Trustee
  • Stephen J. Paluszek - Trustee

The family-centered governance structure reflects the founders' intention to maintain close oversight of the fund's philanthropic mission, ensuring grants align with Morris and Alma's original vision for supporting arts, education, and healthcare.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion, typically to organizations with which the foundation has pre-existing relationships or connections.

The foundation does not maintain a website, published guidelines, or application forms. All grants are initiated by the trustees rather than through external applications.

Getting on Their Radar

The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund makes grants to organizations connected to the family's interests and networks. Based on research, specific pathways include:

Connection to the Arts Community: Given Alma B.C. Schapiro's background as a painter and the foundation's strong support for visual arts, connections through the classical arts community may be relevant. The foundation supports the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, Yaddo artists' community, and has established the Alma B.C. Schapiro Residency for a Woman Painter at Yaddo.

Columbia University Network: Morris Schapiro was a major donor to Columbia University (funding Schapiro Hall dormitory and the Morris A. Schapiro Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research). Organizations with Columbia connections or introduced through Columbia networks may have better access.

Chess Community: Morris Schapiro was a chess master who led Columbia's chess team to four national championships. The foundation supports Chess in the Schools, suggesting chess-related educational programs may attract attention.

Historic Preservation Sector: Recent grants to New York Landmarks Conservancy suggest relationships in the historic preservation field may lead to funding opportunities.

Current Grantee Introductions: Organizations with relationships to current beneficiaries (such as New York City Ballet, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Second Stage Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, NYU Langone Medical Center) may be able to facilitate introductions.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates by invitation only through trustee discretion, success is based on relationship building and alignment with the founders' legacy interests rather than competitive application quality. Organizations most likely to receive funding share these characteristics:

Alignment with Founders' Passions

  • Visual arts, particularly painting and classical traditions (honoring Alma's artistic legacy)
  • Chess and strategic thinking programs (honoring Morris's chess mastery)
  • Support for women in the arts (evidenced by the Alma B.C. Schapiro Residency for a Woman Painter)
  • Classical architecture and historic preservation
  • Higher education, especially in New York

Institutional Credibility The foundation primarily supports well-established institutions with strong reputations. Past grantees include major New York cultural institutions like New York City Ballet, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden, as well as prestigious educational institutions.

Long-term Relationships Multi-year grants (such as the three-year, $105,000 grant to New York Landmarks Conservancy) suggest the foundation values sustained relationships with grantees rather than one-time gifts to unfamiliar organizations.

Connection to New York The vast majority of grants support New York-based organizations, particularly those serving all five boroughs or having statewide impact.

Family and Trustee Connections With family members comprising most of the board, personal connections to the Schapiro family or their close associates are significant factors in funding decisions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited proposals accepted: This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications. Do not submit proposals without an invitation.
  • Relationship-driven grantmaking: All funding flows through existing relationships with trustees, family members, or current grantees. Focus on networking within their sphere of influence.
  • Arts, education, and health alignment: Ensure your organization aligns with one of these three core areas, with strongest emphasis on visual arts, performing arts, and education.
  • Established institutions favored: The foundation supports credible, established organizations rather than startups or emerging groups. Strong institutional history and governance are essential.
  • New York focus: Geographic proximity to New York, particularly programs serving New York communities, significantly increases relevance to the fund's mission.
  • Classical and traditional arts: The foundation shows particular interest in classical architecture, traditional painting, and established art forms rather than experimental or contemporary movements.
  • Think multi-year: Recent grants show the foundation is willing to make multi-year commitments to organizations with which they have strong relationships, rather than solely one-time gifts.

References

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