← Back to US Funders Directory

Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation

Annual Giving
$31.9M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.0M

Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $31,917,333 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,000,000
  • Average Grant: $50,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (emphasis on New York City and Philadelphia for arts)
  • Total Assets: Approximately $753 million

Contact Details

Address: New York, NY 10152

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website, phone number, or email for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation was established in 1955 in New York by Horace Goldsmith, owner and founder of a stock brokerage firm. Since 2020, the foundation has awarded 1,407 individual grants totaling $161,443,348, with 260 awards made in 2023 alone. The foundation supports four primary areas: arts and culture, education (particularly higher education), global health and development, and Jewish and Israeli charitable organizations, as well as hospitals and healthcare organizations. In 2006, the foundation distributed half of its net assets to Vital Projects Funds, Inc. and Charina Fund, Inc., which assumed certain portions of the foundation's grant commitments. Today, the board is primarily composed of members of the Slaughter family, with William A. Slaughter serving as CEO. The foundation is known for providing multi-year support to large, well-established organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Arts and Culture (Largest funding area)

  • Strong emphasis on visual arts
  • Geographic focus on New York City and Philadelphia
  • Support for museums, performing arts organizations, and cultural institutions
  • Grant amounts vary: $5,000 - $1,000,000

Global Health and Development

  • Focus on expanding and improving basic health services
  • Prevention of contagious diseases in high-need areas
  • Support for mid- and large-sized global development organizations
  • Relatively sizable grants in this area

Education

  • Strong focus on higher education institutions
  • Support for specialized programs such as the Goldsmith Fellowship at Harvard Business School ($10,000 per year for two years to seven MBA students with social enterprise experience)
  • Support for arts education programs

Jewish and Israeli Organizations

  • Cultural and charitable organizations
  • Varied grant amounts

Healthcare

  • Hospitals and healthcare organizations
  • Health service delivery programs

Priority Areas

  • Visual arts organizations, especially museums and galleries
  • Performing arts institutions (opera, theater, dance)
  • Universities and colleges, particularly graduate programs
  • Global health initiatives in underserved regions
  • Jewish cultural and charitable organizations
  • Healthcare institutions and service providers

Recent Grant Examples

Between 2020 and 2022, notable grants included:

  • National Constitution Center: $2,250,000
  • Anti-Defamation League: $650,000
  • Opera Company of Philadelphia: $500,000
  • The End Fund: $400,000
  • Noora Health: $350,000
  • San Francisco Food Bank: $275,000

Past arts grantees include:

  • Asia Society (New York)
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art
  • Whitney Museum
  • Studio Museum of Harlem
  • Artists' Space (New York City)
  • Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

Higher education grantees include:

  • Harvard Business School
  • Yale Drama School
  • University of Virginia
  • Drexel University
  • City University of New York
  • Lake Forest College (Illinois)

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation's invitation-only structure and focus on established organizations suggests they do not fund:

  • Start-up organizations or new nonprofits
  • Unsolicited requests from any organization
  • Organizations outside their four primary focus areas

Governance and Leadership

William A. Slaughter serves as CEO of the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. Mr. Slaughter also serves on the boards of the National Constitution Center, The Wistar Institute, and other organizations. As of 2024, the foundation's board of directors is primarily made up of members of the Slaughter family, though detailed information about other specific board members is limited due to the foundation's low public profile.

The foundation was originally established by Horace W. Goldsmith, who died in 1980. The current leadership maintains the founder's philanthropic vision while adapting to contemporary needs in the foundation's focus areas.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not respond to unsolicited applications for funding or letters of inquiry. The foundation's trustees proactively identify potential grantees and invite them to submit proposals rather than accepting open applications from organizations.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion, with the board identifying organizations and projects that align with their funding priorities. Organizations cannot apply directly to this foundation.

Getting on Their Radar

The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation identifies grantees through trustee knowledge and board connections. Board members, particularly those from the Slaughter family who oversee the foundation, proactively seek out organizations that fit their funding priorities.

Given that the foundation emphasizes supporting "large, well-established organizations" and provides "multi-year support," they appear to favor:

  • Organizations with strong track records and established reputations in their fields
  • Institutions where board members or advisors may have existing relationships
  • Organizations in New York City and Philadelphia (particularly for arts funding)
  • Well-known museums, universities, and health organizations with proven impact

While there is no documented process for getting noticed by the foundation, their grantmaking pattern suggests they identify organizations through:

  • Professional networks of board members
  • Prominence and reputation in their respective fields
  • Geographic proximity to New York City and Philadelphia
  • Existing relationships with other major funders and institutions

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, as the foundation operates through trustee-initiated grants rather than application cycles.

Success Rates

Success rates are not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations are invited to participate in the grantmaking process by trustees.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation awards grants through invitation only. However, the foundation is noted for providing "multi-year support" to grantees, suggesting that successful partnerships often continue over time.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional "application success factors" do not apply. However, examining their grantmaking patterns reveals what characteristics make organizations attractive to the foundation:

Organizational Profile

  • The foundation explicitly favors "large, well-established organizations"
  • Track record and reputation are paramount
  • Organizations with proven impact in their fields
  • Institutional stability and strong governance

Geographic Considerations

  • For arts funding, strong preference for organizations in New York City and Philadelphia
  • National scope for education, health, and Jewish organizations

Multi-Year Relationships

  • The foundation is known for providing "multi-year support"
  • Once selected, grantees often receive continued funding over multiple years
  • This suggests they value long-term partnerships over one-time grants

Funding Areas Alignment

  • Organizations must clearly fit within one of the four priority areas: arts and culture, education, global health/development, or Jewish/Israeli organizations
  • Within arts, visual arts organizations appear particularly favored
  • In education, higher education institutions and specialized programs are preferred
  • In global health, organizations working on basic health services and disease prevention

Grant Size Patterns

  • While grants range from $5,000 to $1 million, the average is $50,000
  • Larger grants ($400,000+) tend to go to significant initiatives at established institutions
  • Mid-sized grants ($50,000-$275,000) support ongoing programs at arts and education organizations

Recent Funding Patterns Show Priority for:

  • Major cultural institutions (museums, performing arts organizations)
  • Prestigious universities with specialized programs
  • Health organizations working in underserved communities globally
  • Organizations with national prominence (National Constitution Center, Anti-Defamation League)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only structure: You cannot apply to this foundation directly; they must approach you. Focus instead on building your organization's reputation and visibility in your field.

  • Favor established organizations: The foundation explicitly prefers "large, well-established organizations," so newer or smaller nonprofits are unlikely to be selected regardless of merit.

  • Multi-year commitment: Once selected, grantees often receive continued support over multiple years, indicating the foundation values sustained partnerships.

  • Geographic emphasis for arts: If you're an arts organization, being located in New York City or Philadelphia significantly increases your chances of being noticed.

  • Substantial assets, focused giving: With $753 million in assets giving approximately $32 million annually, this is a major funder, but their invitation-only structure limits accessibility.

  • No website or public communications: The foundation maintains a notably low profile with no website, limiting transparency about their current priorities or decision-making processes.

  • Board-driven decisions: With a board primarily composed of the Slaughter family, connections to board members' networks and interests likely influence grantmaking decisions.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory