← Back to US Funders Directory

Glenn Greenberg and Linda Vester Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$17.4M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.6M

Glenn Greenberg and Linda Vester Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $17,352,500 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $600,000
  • Median Grant: $200,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York and Connecticut, with some national grants
  • Assets: $206.8 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: c/o Brave Warrior, 12 E. 49th Street, New York, NY 10017

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

Overview

The Glenn Greenberg and Linda Vester Foundation Inc was established in 2003 by financier Glenn H. Greenberg and his wife Linda Vester, a former NBC and Fox News correspondent. With assets of approximately $206.8 million as of 2023, the foundation distributed $17,352,500 in grants during that year, making 32 grants with a median grant amount of $200,000. The foundation focuses on education, health, human services, and the arts, with particular emphasis on educational causes reflecting Glenn Greenberg's background as a former teacher and school principal before his finance career. The foundation operates through trustee discretion and maintains a low public profile, conducting its philanthropy through invitation-only grantmaking.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Education: A clear priority area for the foundation, reflecting Glenn Greenberg's career as a teacher and middle school principal before entering finance. Educational grantees have included:

  • Posse Foundation (Greenberg serves on the National Board of Directors since 2019)
  • Classroom Inc.
  • The Brick Church School
  • Columbia Business School (Greenberg's alma mater, where he has taught value investing)
  • Yale University (including Yale World Fellows Program - Greenberg's undergraduate alma mater)
  • Bronxville School
  • Ursuline Academy
  • Trinity School
  • International education initiatives

Health & Medical: Support for healthcare institutions and medical research, including:

  • Seattle Children's Hospital
  • New York Presbyterian
  • Dubin Breast Center

Human Services & Poverty Alleviation:

  • Robin Hood Foundation (New York poverty-fighting organization)
  • Warrior-Scholar Project (supporting military veterans transitioning to higher education)

Arts & Culture:

  • Film Society of Lincoln Center
  • Ridgefield Playhouse
  • Central Park Conservancy

Geographic Focus

The foundation awards the majority of its grants to nonprofits in Connecticut and New York, though it does make selective grants to organizations in other U.S. cities.

What They Don't Fund

As a private foundation operating through trustee discretion, specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and focuses exclusively on the priority areas listed above.

Governance and Leadership

Founders/Trustees:

  • Glenn H. Greenberg: Co-founded Chieftain Capital in 1984 with John Shapiro, and after the partnership ended in 2009, renamed it Brave Warrior Advisors. Under his leadership at Chieftain Capital, accounts compounded at 22.5% (before management fees) during 1984-2004 versus 12.9% for the S&P 500. Greenberg graduated from Yale University with a degree in literature, earned a master's in literature from NYU, and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Before entering finance, he worked as a teacher and rose to the role of middle school principal. He has taught value investing at Columbia Business School in Professor Bruce Greenwald's classes.

  • Linda Vester: Former television news host and correspondent who worked at NBC News from 1992-1999 and Fox News Channel from 1999-2005, where she anchored NBC News at Sunrise and DaySide with Linda Vester. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1987 and received an honors diploma from the Sorbonne. In 1998, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study Arabic and Middle East Affairs at the American University in Cairo. She left television in 2005 to raise her children and later produced the documentary "Back Home" about Rwanda genocide survivor J.B. Rutagarama.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and keeps a low profile in its grantmaking activities. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion and invitation only.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates exclusively through invitation and trustee discretion, the traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations that have received grants typically fall into these categories:

Institutional Connections: Many grantees have direct connections to the founders' backgrounds:

  • Educational institutions where the Greenbergs studied (Yale University, Columbia Business School, Boston University)
  • Organizations where Glenn Greenberg serves on the board (Posse Foundation)
  • New York and Connecticut institutions where the family has personal ties

Established Organizations: Review of past grantees shows the foundation supports well-established institutions with strong track records rather than emerging organizations.

Areas of Personal Interest: The foundation's grants reflect the founders' personal backgrounds and interests:

  • Education (Glenn's background as a teacher and school principal)
  • International affairs and education (Linda's journalism career covering international news and Fulbright scholarship)
  • New York-area cultural institutions (reflecting the family's residence)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, so traditional grant applications are not possible
  • Invitation-only grantmaking: Grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on personal connections and institutional relationships
  • Education is paramount: Given Glenn Greenberg's background as an educator and continued involvement in education (teaching at Columbia, serving on Posse Foundation board), education-focused organizations aligned with his interests may have the best chance of consideration
  • Significant grant sizes: With a median grant of $200,000 and grants ranging up to $600,000, this foundation makes substantial awards to selected organizations
  • Geographic concentration: Strong preference for New York and Connecticut organizations
  • Established institutions preferred: Past grantees are predominantly well-known, established organizations rather than emerging nonprofits
  • Board connections matter: Organizations where the Greenbergs have board service or institutional affiliation (like Posse Foundation, Columbia Business School, Yale University) receive support

References

← Back to US Funders Directory