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Joseph & Sylvia Slifka Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$1.2M
Grant Range
$125K - $0.2M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,187,500 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $16.6 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $125,000 - $200,000 (recent grants)
  • Number of Grants: 25 awards (2024)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, NY
  • Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: New York, NY 10017
Foundation Type: Private Family Foundation
Tax Status: 501(c)(3), tax-exempt since March 1987
EIN: 13-6106433

The foundation does not have a public website or application portal. It is a member of Philanthropy New York.

Overview

The Joseph & Sylvia Slifka Foundation Inc was established in 1987 to honor Joseph and Sylvia Slifka, New York philanthropists who raised their family with strong values around education, coexistence, and giving back. Joseph Slifka, who passed away in 1992, owned textile and real estate businesses and was a developer of apartment buildings in Manhattan. Until her passing in June 2025, the foundation was led by their daughter Barbara Slifka, a fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar for over 40 years and a prominent arts philanthropist in her own right.

The foundation supports arts and cultural institutions, education, interfaith initiatives, and Jewish causes primarily in New York. With total assets of $16.6 million and annual charitable disbursements of approximately $1.2 million, the foundation has been steadily drawing down its assets to maximize impact. Barbara Slifka stated that education is "the most important thing in this country" and the foundation reflects this priority through its support of organizations across social services, arts, and education.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation provides general support grants to established nonprofit organizations. Recent grants (2024) include:

  • Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation - $200,000 (General Support)
  • Interfaith Center of New York - $150,000 (General Support)
  • Publicolor - $125,000 (General Support)

The foundation also endows specific programs:

  • UNCF/Joseph and Sylvia Slifka Foundation Scholarship Program - $1 million grant (2007) to establish a four-year scholarship program offering full tuition, room and board, fees, and books to entering freshmen at UNCF member institutions
  • Slifka Foundation Interdisciplinary Fellowship at The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Annual fellowship combining art historical research with technical investigation training
  • New York City Ballet - Support for the Stepping Forward Fund to support dancer salaries during their first year in the Company

Priority Areas

Arts & Culture:

  • Museums and visual arts institutions (Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Parrish Art Museum)
  • Performing arts (New York City Ballet, Big Apple Circus, Juilliard School)
  • Cultural preservation and access

Education:

  • Higher education and medical education (Weill Cornell Medicine)
  • Educational equity and access (UNCF scholarships, Publicolor)
  • Arts education and fellowships

Interfaith & Jewish Causes:

  • Interfaith dialogue and understanding
  • Jewish cultural institutions
  • Israeli-Arab coexistence initiatives (Sylvia and Joseph Slifka Israeli Coexistence Scholarship at Brandeis University)

Community Organizations:

  • Environmental conservation (The Nature Conservancy, Peconic Land Trust)
  • Animal welfare (Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons)
  • Social services and community development

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not have publicly stated exclusions, but based on their grantmaking history, they appear to focus exclusively on:

  • Established organizations with proven track records
  • Organizations based in or serving New York and surrounding areas
  • Institutions where the family has personal connections or board involvement

Governance and Leadership

Barbara Slifka (1929-2025) served as President of the Joseph & Sylvia Slifka Foundation until her passing in June 2025. She was deeply involved in the New York philanthropic community and held numerous trustee positions:

  • Board of Trustees, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (2011-2025)
  • Board of Trustees, New York City Ballet
  • Board of Trustees, Parrish Art Museum (2011-2025)
  • Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Interfaith Center of New York (2013-2020)
  • Board member: Publicolor, LongHouse Reserve, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons

Barbara Slifka was also involved with Weill Cornell Medicine, Juilliard School, and the Philanthropy Committee of the Peconic Land Trust. She was honored at the Parrish Midsummer Gala in 2016.

On her philanthropic philosophy, Barbara Slifka stated: "I have a soft spot for supporting education. I think it's the most important thing in this country." She approached giving with a desire to "give back to local organizations and people in the community" and looked to help "organizations, big and small, that need help."

The foundation operates with no full-time employees and trustees receive no compensation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's trustees based on their personal knowledge of organizations and involvement in the community.

Organizations typically come to the foundation's attention through:

  • Direct relationships with board members and trustees
  • Barbara Slifka's extensive board service and involvement in New York's philanthropic community
  • Long-standing institutional relationships

Getting on Their Radar

Given Barbara Slifka's passing in June 2025, the foundation's future grantmaking approach is uncertain. However, historically the foundation supported organizations where Barbara Slifka had direct involvement:

  • Board connections: Many grants went to organizations where Barbara served as a trustee, including the Guggenheim, New York City Ballet, Interfaith Center of New York, Publicolor, and Parrish Art Museum
  • Philanthropy New York membership: The foundation is a member of this regional association of grantmakers, which hosts events and networking opportunities for New York-based funders
  • Arts and museum community: Barbara's 40-year career as a fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar and extensive museum board service meant the foundation was deeply connected to New York's cultural institutions

Organizations seeking support should note that the foundation has historically prioritized institutions with which the Slifka family has personal connections rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded on a discretionary basis rather than through a formal application cycle.

Success Rates

With 25 grants awarded in 2024 from a total pool of organizations personally known to the trustees, the foundation operates more as a proactive funder than a responsive one. Success depends entirely on having a direct relationship with the foundation's leadership.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation awards grants based on trustee discretion and personal relationships rather than competitive applications, the key factors for receiving support have historically been:

Direct Board Connections: The vast majority of grants went to organizations where Barbara Slifka or other family members served on the board or had deep personal involvement. For example, the Guggenheim, Interfaith Center of New York, and Publicolor all benefited from Barbara's board service.

Alignment with Family Values: The Slifka family's commitment to education, interfaith understanding, and the arts shaped funding priorities. As Barbara stated, "I have a soft spot for supporting education. I think it's the most important thing in this country."

General Support Philosophy: The foundation provided unrestricted "general support" grants rather than project-specific funding, suggesting they trusted the leadership and mission of recipient organizations to deploy funds where most needed.

New York Focus: Nearly all grants supported organizations based in New York or serving the New York community, reflecting the family's deep roots in the city.

Long-term Relationships: The foundation supported organizations like the Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and UNCF with sustained funding over many years, often through endowed programs or multi-year commitments.

Established Institutions: The foundation favored well-established organizations with proven track records rather than startup or emerging organizations.

Given Barbara Slifka's recent passing, potential applicants should be aware that the foundation's future direction and leadership structure are currently uncertain.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this is a family foundation that awards grants based on trustee discretion and personal relationships
  • Board connections are critical - historically, nearly all grants went to organizations where family members served on the board or had deep involvement
  • Focus on general support - the foundation provides unrestricted grants rather than project-specific funding, demonstrating trust in organizational leadership
  • Education is a top priority - Barbara Slifka explicitly stated education is "the most important thing in this country" and the foundation's grants reflect this commitment
  • Strong New York focus - the foundation primarily supports organizations based in or serving New York City and surrounding areas
  • Uncertain future - with Barbara Slifka's passing in June 2025, the foundation's future leadership and grantmaking approach are unknown; organizations should monitor for updates
  • Drawing down assets - the foundation has been steadily reducing total assets from higher levels in previous decades, suggesting a possible spend-down strategy

References

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