The Pinkerton Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Pinkerton Foundation is based in New York, NY and its geographic focus is New York City, so this is best suited to organisations working there on after-school and summer learning, career readiness, education, or youth and family justice for children, youth and families in economically disadvantaged areas.
- A realistic request is modest: about eight in ten of its 907 grants to organisations fall between $3,000 and $195,000, and half of its grants were $62,500 or less, with the median grant at $62,500, though its largest grant reached $850,000.
- The foundation accepts applications on a rolling basis, so there is no fixed deadline; apply by submitting a brief letter of inquiry through its Grant Portal along with an organisation budget, programme budget and board-member list.
- It appears relationship-led to some degree, since 80% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded the previous year, so new applicants should expect staff may follow up with further materials, a site visit or a meeting before deciding.
- It does not fund individuals, emergency assistance, medical research, the direct provision of health care, or religious education, so organisations seeking support for these should not apply.
Overview
The Pinkerton Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Pinkerton Foundation supports community-based programmes for children, youth and families in economically disadvantaged areas in New York City, with an emphasis on youth development and direct service. Its stated programme areas are after-school and summer learning, career readiness, education, and youth and family justice. It favours initiatives helping young people reach their full potential and looks for groups with capable leadership, high expectations, well-defined goals and active, engaged participants. The programmes it supports combine engaging activities, mentoring by caring adults and academic training. They provide opportunities for academic development, career readiness and cultural enrichment, as well as a way forward for young people after an encounter with the criminal justice system or years in foster care.
Themes
- After-School and Summer Learning
- Career Readiness
- Education
- Youth and Family Justice
Geographic Focus
New York City.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Emergency assistance
- Medical research
- The direct provision of health care
- Religious education
How to apply
Submit a brief letter of inquiry through the Grant Portal describing the organisation and proposed project, and upload an organisation budget, programme budget and board-member list.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 80% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 907 grants to organisations were $62,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours direct-service programmes that help young people reach their full potential.
- It looks for groups with capable leadership, high expectations, well-defined goals and active, engaged participants.
- It favours programmes that can make substantial progress towards their goals within three years or less.
- When an idea seems promising, staff may request further materials and arrange a site visit or meeting with the potential grantee’s senior staff.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 4% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 80% of grant dollars went to organisations The Pinkerton Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 445 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $75,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Good Shepherd Services · After School & Summer Learning$850,0002023 tax year
- Center for New York City Affairs at New School · Youth and Family Justice$600,0002023 tax year
- Tomorrow's Leaders NYC · Youth and Family Justice$500,0002023 tax year
- Community Connections for Youth · Youth and Family Justice$500,0002023 tax year
- Good Shepherd Services · After school and summer learning$500,0002023 tax year
- Madison Square Boys and Girls Club Foundation · After School & Summer Learning$425,0002023 tax year
- Friends of the Children New York · After School and Summer Learning$400,0002023 tax year
- Door - A Center of Alternatives · Career Readiness$350,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Fatima Shama — Trustee
- Heather A Benjamin — Trustee
- Roy Weathers — Trustee
- Marnie Pillsbury — Secretary
- Robert Gould — Trustee
- Richard M Smith — President
- James Piereson — Treasurer
- Daniel L Mosley — Chairman
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $50,193,972 | $37,686,417 | $649,124,106 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $51,620,920 | $38,626,140 | $689,062,497 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Pinkerton Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (212) 332-3346
- yschonborg@pinkertonfdn.org
- New York, NY
- thepinkertonfoundation.org
Applying to The Pinkerton Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (212) 332-3346
- yschonborg@pinkertonfdn.org
- New York, NY
- thepinkertonfoundation.org