Sidney E. Frank Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $22,056,895 (2023)
Total Assets: $320,460,560
Number of Grants: 136 grants annually
Grant Range: $1,000 - $16,500,000
Geographic Focus: Primarily New York, California, and Colorado; also supports initiatives in Ireland and England
Application Method: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Sidney E. Frank Foundation
c/o PKF O'Connor Davies
245 Park Avenue, 12th floor
New York, NY 10167
Email: mail@sidneyfrankfoundation.org
Website: https://sidneyefrankfoundation.org/

Overview

The Sidney E. Frank Charitable Foundation was established in 2004 by Sidney E. Frank, the entrepreneur behind Grey Goose vodka and Jägermeister. Sidney Frank sold Grey Goose to Bacardi for $2 billion in June 2004 and dedicated much of his fortune to philanthropy before his death in 2006. With total assets exceeding $320 million and annual giving of approximately $22 million, the Foundation supports over 90 grants annually. The Foundation is led by trustees Cathy Frank Halstead (Sidney Frank's daughter) and her husband Peter A. Halstead, who took on a more active role after Sidney's death. The Foundation's mission is to "raise the quality of life for communities and children" through programs in art, theater, poetry, music, education, land conservation, and by addressing issues including climate change and celiac disease. The Foundation works with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to manage its extensive grantmaking portfolio of over 100 projects. The trustees also operate two entities directly: Tippet Rise Art Center (art and music) in Montana and the Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation (poetry and literature).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation organizes its work into three primary program areas:

Arts Program
Goal: Celebrate great works of theater, visual art, literature, and music by increasing access and enriching the lives of young people and communities.

Sub-initiatives include:

Storm King Art Center: Multi-million dollar support for educational programs focused on under-resourced schools, plus $2.5+ million for capital projects
Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Fund: Partners with Poetry Ireland to produce poetry films, support Poet in Residence programs, and restore its Georgian townhouse in Dublin
Theater and Performance: Supports National Theatre's NT Live program (HD broadcasts of theatre productions globally)
Youth Programming: Funded Hirshhorn Museum's ARTLAB+ programming for young people

Education Program
Goal: Train new leaders in public schools and fund scholarships for first-generation college students.

Focus areas:

School Leadership: Building capacity of principals to lead schools promoting academic excellence and social-emotional intelligence
College Access and Success: Programs preparing high school students for college and supporting student success
Technology and Systemic Reform initiatives
Brown University: $100 million gift (2004) established Sidney E. Frank Scholarship funding tuition for ~130 undergraduate students from low-income families annually; additional support for graduate fellowships in biology and medicine, international exchange programs, and the Sidney Frank Digital Studio
New Leaders: National nonprofit preparing education leaders to deliver breakthrough results for students, particularly students of color and those in poverty

Medical and Life Sciences Program
Goal: Improve the quality of life for people experiencing celiac disease.

Initiatives:

Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University: Supports patient care, research, education, and advocacy; diagnoses and treats thousands of patients annually
Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess: Founded 2004, first center in New England specializing in care of adults with celiac disease and gluten-related disorders
Creating health and nutritional resources for people with celiac disease

Priority Areas

Arts and culture (visual art, theater, poetry, music)
Education (K-12 leadership, college access, first-generation students)
Medical research and patient care (celiac disease focus)
Land conservation and environmental protection
Climate change initiatives (clean energy technology, conserving wild landscapes)
Youth access to arts and education

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation has indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. While specific exclusions are not published, the Foundation's focus is clearly on arts, education, medical/life sciences, and environmental conservation.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

Cathy Frank Halstead: Daughter of Sidney E. Frank; co-founder of Tippet Rise Art Center and Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation
Peter A. Halstead: Husband of Cathy Halstead; co-founder of Tippet Rise Art Center and Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation

The Halsteads took on an active leadership role after Sidney Frank's death in 2006. According to Cathy Halstead, Sidney had three main areas of grantmaking—education, climate change, and the arts—which continue to guide the Foundation's work. The couple works with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors to manage the Foundation's extensive portfolio of over 100 grantmaking projects.

About the Founder:
Sidney E. Frank (1919-2006) grew up in Norwich, Connecticut, and attended Brown University but left after one year due to financial constraints. After rebuilding engines during WWII, he founded Sidney Frank Importing Company in 1973 following his wife's death. He secured importing rights to Jägermeister and turned it into a mainstream success in the 1980s. In 1997, he developed Grey Goose vodka and sold the brand to Bacardi for $2 billion in 2004. He died in January 2006 from heart failure at age 86.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This Foundation does not have a public application process.

The Foundation explicitly states: "The Foundation considers proposals by invitation" and "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

Trustee-identified organizations and initiatives
Pre-existing relationships with nonprofit partners
Strategic partnerships aligned with the Foundation's three program areas
Direct invitations to selected organizations

Decision Timeline

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. For invited organizations, specific timelines are not publicly documented.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The Foundation made 136 grants in 2023, 164 grants in 2022, and 168 grants in 2021, but only to organizations selected by the trustees.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

For Organizations Seeking to Get on the Foundation's Radar:

Since the Foundation operates exclusively through invitation and preselected organizations, there is no traditional application success strategy. However, organizations might position themselves by:

Alignment with Core Priorities: The Foundation has remained consistent to Sidney Frank's three main areas—education (particularly first-generation college students and school leadership), climate change and land conservation, and arts (visual art, theater, poetry, music). Projects that intersect these areas may be of particular interest.
Geographic Focus: The Foundation primarily supports initiatives in New York, California, and Colorado, with additional support in Ireland and England.
Youth and Community Impact: The Foundation's mission emphasizes "raising the quality of life for communities and children." Programs with strong youth components or community accessibility appear particularly aligned.
Long-term Partnerships: Notable grantees like Storm King Art Center, Brown University, Poetry Ireland, and celiac disease centers suggest the Foundation values sustained relationships and multi-year support rather than one-time grants.
Innovation and Access: Support for programs like NT Live (broadcasting theater globally), ARTLAB+ (youth museum programming), and poetry films demonstrates interest in innovative approaches to increasing access.
Scale and Ambition: Grant amounts ranging from $1,000 to $16.5 million, with major multi-million dollar commitments to institutions like Brown University and Storm King, suggest the Foundation supports both large-scale initiatives and smaller targeted projects.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-only funder: The Sidney E. Frank Charitable Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications; all grants are made to preselected organizations identified by trustees Cathy and Peter Halstead
Three core program areas: Arts, Education, and Medical/Life Sciences, rooted in founder Sidney Frank's priorities of education, climate change, and the arts
Substantial giving: With $22+ million in annual grants and assets over $320 million, the Foundation makes 130+ grants annually ranging from $1,000 to $16.5 million
Long-term partnerships valued: Major grantees like Brown University, Storm King Art Center, and celiac disease centers receive sustained multi-year support
Youth and access focus: Programs that increase access for young people and under-resourced communities align strongly with the Foundation's mission
Geographic priorities: Primary focus on New York, California, and Colorado, with additional international support in Ireland and England
Managed with professional support: The Foundation works with Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, indicating sophisticated philanthropic strategy

References

All sources accessed December 2025.