The Jeffrey and Jamie Harris Family Foundation Trust

Also known as: Trevor Place Foundation (IRS filings)

Quick Stats

• EIN: 13-7273247
• Annual Giving: $5.66 million (2024)
• Total Assets: $23.1 million (2024)
• Grant Range: $250 - $555,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily New York City area
• Founded: 2001
• Application Process: Does not accept unsolicited proposals

Contact Details

Address: 400 West 12th Street, #9C, New York, NY 10014

Note: This foundation does not maintain a public website or email address for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Jeffrey and Jamie Harris Family Foundation Trust is a private family foundation established in 2001 by financier Jeffrey A. Harris and his wife Jamie Harris. The foundation operates under the IRS filing name "Trevor Place Foundation" and maintains a low public profile while making significant grants across education, arts and culture, and health sectors. With total assets of $23.1 million and annual charitable disbursements of approximately $2-5 million, the foundation focuses primarily on New York City-area organizations, with particular emphasis on institutions where the trustees have personal connections through education, board service, or professional relationships. Jeffrey Harris spent nearly three decades at Warburg Pincus LLC before founding Global Reserve Group in 2012, and served as an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School from 2005-2017. Jamie Harris has worked in financial services and has been particularly active in New York's cultural community, having served as board chairwoman of The Flea Theater. The foundation is now a multi-generational effort, with trustees including Rachel Berg and Daniel Harris, suggesting the involvement of the couple's children in philanthropic decision-making.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific deadlines or application cycles. All grants are made through trustee discretion on a rolling basis.

Grant Size Range: $250 - $555,000 (typical grants appear to be in the $5,000 - $100,000 range)

Priority Areas

Education: The foundation strongly supports educational institutions with personal connections to the trustees, including:

• Universities: University of Pennsylvania (mutual alma mater), Columbia Business School (Jeffrey taught there), MIT (Jamie attended), Vassar, Harvard Business School, San Francisco State University
• Educational equity programs: George Jackson Academy, Prep for Prep (programs serving underrepresented students)

Arts & Culture: Significant support for New York City cultural institutions, particularly:

• The Flea Theater (Jamie serves on board and was chairwoman)
• Friends of the High Line (Jeffrey serves on board)
• WNYC (public radio)

Health: Healthcare and public health organizations including:

• New York Presbyterian Hospital (Jeffrey serves on Board of Trustees since 2009)
• Planned Parenthood of NYC
• Doctors Without Borders

Social Justice & Policy: Support for advocacy organizations including:

• ACLU Foundation
• Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence

Geographic Focus

Primarily New York City and surrounding area, with some support for national organizations and institutions where the trustees have alumni connections.

What They Don't Fund

Based on their giving patterns, the foundation does not appear to fund:

• Organizations outside their areas of interest (education, arts, health, social justice)
• International organizations (except major established entities like Doctors Without Borders)
• Religious institutions
• Individual scholarships or fellowships directly to students
• Capital campaigns (unless organization has existing relationship)

Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Jeffrey A. Harris - Co-Trustee and Co-Founder

• Former Managing Director at Warburg Pincus LLC (29 years, focusing on industrial, consumer, technology, and energy sectors)
• Founder of Global Reserve Group (2012-present), advising and investing in energy and technology companies
• Former Adjunct Professor, Columbia University Graduate School of Business (2005-2017)
• Board service: New York-Presbyterian Hospital (2009-present), Cranbrook Educational Community (1999-present), Friends of The High Line

Jamie Harris - Co-Trustee and Co-Founder

• Background in financial services
• Former Board Chairwoman of The Flea Theater
• Active in New York City cultural philanthropy

Rachel Berg - Trustee

Daniel Harris - Trustee

Note: Rachel Berg and Daniel Harris are likely the couple's children, suggesting a multi-generational approach to family philanthropy.

Trustee Compensation

No compensation is reported for trustees in IRS filings. The foundation does not report any employees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Jeffrey and Jamie Harris Family Foundation Trust does not accept unsolicited proposals and does not maintain a public website or formal application portal.

Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, typically to organizations where they have:

• Personal connections through education (alumni institutions)
• Board service relationships
• Long-standing philanthropic commitments
• Introductions through trusted intermediaries

Getting on Their Radar

While this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations may increase their visibility through the following funder-specific strategies:

Board Connection Points: Jeffrey Harris serves on three boards where relationship-building may be relevant:

• New York-Presbyterian Hospital (board member since 2009)
• Cranbrook Educational Community (board trustee since 1999)
• Friends of The High Line (board member)

Organizations working in partnership with these institutions or in their networks may have opportunities for introductions.

Cultural Sector Connections: Jamie Harris has been deeply involved with The Flea Theater, serving as board chairwoman. Organizations in New York City's theater and cultural community, particularly off-Broadway and emerging arts organizations, may find connection points through this network.

Educational Equity Focus: The foundation has demonstrated sustained interest in educational equity programs like Prep for Prep and George Jackson Academy. Organizations in this space that work with or are known to these established grantees may find natural introduction opportunities.

Professional Networks: Jeffrey Harris's background at Warburg Pincus (private equity), Columbia Business School (where he taught), and Global Reserve Group (energy/technology investment) represent professional communities where the foundation may identify new philanthropic opportunities.

Alumni Networks: Both Jeffrey and Jamie have strong ties to their alma maters (UPenn for both, MIT for Jamie, Columbia for Jeffrey). Organizations connected to these universities' community engagement or outreach programs may find introduction pathways.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not have formal application cycles. Grants appear to be made on a rolling basis throughout the year as trustees identify organizations or respond to opportunities within their network.

Success Rates

Not available. As the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional success rate metrics do not apply.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only nature of grantmaking.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the foundation's documented giving patterns, the following factors appear most important:

1. Personal Connection to Trustees: The clearest pattern in the foundation's grantmaking is support for organizations where trustees have direct involvement:

• Institutions where they serve on boards (New York Presbyterian, Cranbrook, High Line, Flea Theater)
• Their alma maters and educational institutions
• Organizations in sectors matching their professional expertise

2. Educational Equity and Access: The foundation has consistently supported programs that increase educational opportunities for underrepresented students (Prep for Prep, George Jackson Academy), suggesting a core value beyond just supporting elite institutions where they have personal ties.

3. New York City Cultural Community: Jamie Harris's leadership role at The Flea Theater (as board chairwoman) and the foundation's support for NYC cultural organizations indicates genuine commitment to the city's arts ecosystem, particularly innovative or emerging cultural institutions.

4. Established Track Record: Past grantees include well-established institutions (universities, hospitals, major nonprofits), suggesting the foundation prefers supporting proven organizations rather than start-ups or unproven models.

5. Alignment with Professional Background: Jeffrey Harris's career in private equity, energy, and technology investment, combined with his academic role at Columbia Business School, suggests the foundation may be particularly interested in organizations that demonstrate business acumen, innovation, or connections to these sectors.

6. Multi-Year Relationships: The foundation's support for certain organizations appears consistent over time, suggesting they value long-term partnerships over one-time grants.

7. Social Justice and Civil Liberties: Support for ACLU Foundation and Brady Center indicates the family's commitment to progressive policy advocacy, particularly around civil liberties and gun violence prevention.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only model: Do not send unsolicited proposals - this foundation only funds organizations within their existing network or through trusted introductions.

• Relationship pathways matter most: The most viable path to funding is through connections to the trustees' board service (NY Presbyterian, Cranbrook, High Line, Flea Theater) or alumni networks (UPenn, MIT, Columbia).

• Multi-generational engagement: With Rachel Berg and Daniel Harris as trustees alongside Jeffrey and Jamie, this foundation appears to be building a long-term philanthropic legacy with next-generation involvement.

• Focus on personal passion areas: Grants clearly reflect the trustees' personal involvement - education (where they studied and taught), arts (where they serve on boards), and health (Jeffrey's board service at NY Presbyterian).

• New York City centered: While the foundation supports some national institutions (particularly universities), the overwhelming focus is on NYC-based organizations and causes.

• Size and sophistication: With $23 million in assets and $5+ million in annual giving, this is a substantial family foundation, but it maintains a deliberately low profile with no website or public-facing operations.

• Network strategically: If your organization works with known grantees (Prep for Prep, The Flea Theater, Friends of the High Line, etc.), ask about potential warm introduction opportunities rather than approaching cold.

References

1. Cause IQ - The Jeffrey and Jamie Harris Family Foundation Trust profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/jeffrey-and-jamie-harris-family-foundation-trust,137273247/ (Accessed February 8, 2026)

2. Inside Philanthropy - "The Jeffrey and Jamie Harris Family Foundation Trust." https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/fundraising-in-new-york-city/the-jeffrey-and-jamie-harris-family-foundation-trust (Accessed February 8, 2026)

3. Inside Philanthropy - "Jeffrey and Jamie Harris" major donors profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/major-donors/jeffrey-and-jamie-harris (Accessed February 8, 2026)

4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Trevor Place Foundation (EIN 13-7273247). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/137273247 (Accessed February 8, 2026)

5. Foundation Directory Online (Candid) - The Jeffrey and Jamie Harris Family Foundation Trust. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=HARR257 (Accessed February 8, 2026)

6. Cranbrook Educational Community - "Board of Trustees 2025-2026." https://www.cranbrook.edu/about/leadership/board (Accessed February 8, 2026)

7. Funding for Good - "No unsolicited proposals? How to Get Invited to Apply for Funding." https://fundingforgood.org/unsolicited-proposals-and-pre-selected-orgs/ (Accessed February 8, 2026)

8. Philanthropy Roundtable - "Why Foundations Don't Accept Unsolicited Requests … and How Best to Engage." https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/why-foundations-dont-accept-unsolicited-requests-and-how-best-to-engage/ (Accessed February 8, 2026)