Gerstner Family Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $59 million+ (2024)
Total Assets: $100+ million
Grant Range: $1,000 - $6,360,000
Geographic Focus: New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County (with some exceptions)
Application Method: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted
Total Giving Since Inception: $300+ million

Contact Details

Address: 20 Old Post Road, Armonk, NY 10504

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. Contact only for informational inquiries.

Overview

The Gerstner Family Foundation was established in 1989 by Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., former chairman and CEO of IBM Corporation. With over $100 million in assets and having distributed more than $300 million in grants since inception, the foundation focuses on four primary program areas: biomedical research, education, environmental sustainability, and emergency assistance through its Helping Hands program. The foundation operates as a private independent foundation and maintains a highly selective, invitation-only approach to grantmaking. Their geographic focus centers on New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County, though they occasionally support initiatives in other locations. The foundation emphasizes building strong partnerships with a select group of organizations rather than responding to broad, open applications.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Biomedical Research

Supports genomic research with potential for clinical breakthroughs
Funds early-career physician-scientists through named fellowship programs
Major institutional support: Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (significant multi-million dollar commitment)
Individual researcher grants: Gerstner Family Career Development Awards at Mayo Clinic and Columbia University
Focus on cancer research and translational medicine

Education ($6,000 - $6,360,000)

Catholic school scholarships for economically disadvantaged students with talent and determination
College access and graduation support programs
Emergency cash grants at colleges to prevent student dropout
Recent grants include:
- Diocese of Palm Beach Schools: $6,360,000
- Dartmouth College: $6,000,000 (renewal) + $4,800,000 (establishment)
- Chaminade High School (NY): $5,000,000 + $1,000,000 + $700,000
- Diocese of Bridgeport/Kolbe Cathedral (CT): $6,000,000 total
- The Partnership for Inner-City Education (NY): $5,160,000
Over 1,600 students supported directly through scholarships

Environment

Methane emissions reduction research, particularly from agricultural sources
Plastic pollution solutions and recycling innovation
Focus on Boston-based initiatives and research fellowships
Support for Global Methane Hub and Plastic Solution Fund grantmaking initiatives

Helping Hands (average $1,350 per household)

Emergency assistance for individuals facing temporary financial crises
Grants distributed through 25 partner organizations (18 social service organizations plus network organizations overseeing 66 providers across 27 states)
$16,800,000 awarded in 2024 (significant growth from $4,300,000 in 2021)
5,706 households and students supported in 2024
80% of rent grant recipients stably housed one year later
Assistance covers: rent (majority), utilities, transportation, moving costs, furniture, clothing
Grants made to organizations including colleges, which then distribute to individuals using strict criteria
Major partners include:
- United Neighborhood Houses: $9,900,000 cumulative
- Safe Horizon: $4,750,000 cumulative
- Catholic Charities USA: $4,100,000 cumulative
- Adopt-A-Family: $3,760,000 cumulative
- FamilyAid Boston: $3,430,000 cumulative
- Family Promise: $500,000 (2023)

Chairman's Grants

Discretionary program with limited public information

Priority Areas

K-12 education access for talented, economically disadvantaged students
Catholic school education and innovative school models
Basic and translational biomedical research, particularly cancer-related
Support for early-career scientists and physician-researchers
Climate change mitigation through methane reduction and plastic pollution solutions
Emergency assistance for individuals experiencing temporary financial setbacks
College completion support through emergency aid programs

What They Don't Fund

Capital campaigns (except in very limited circumstances)
Endowments (typically not funded unless structured as quasi-endowments that pay down principal over a relatively short period, and only in limited circumstances)
Direct grants to individuals
Organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
Unsolicited requests from any organization

Governance and Leadership

Board Members

Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. - Chairman Former chairman and CEO of IBM Corporation (1993-2002). Founder of the foundation in 1989. As Gerstner has stated: "Access to a quality education is not automatic for people in our society. Somebody has to help. What I want to do is help young people who have the capacity, have the commitment, and are willing to work hard, but the hurdle is they are consigned to a poor performing school and cannot escape without financial resources their families cannot afford."

Dr. Elizabeth Gerstner - Vice Chair, VP: Environment Programs Clinical neuro-oncologist at Mass General Cancer Center; Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. Holds degrees from Brown University, Columbia University, and Harvard Medical School.

Senior Staff

Kara V. Klein - Executive Director Oversees investment portfolio, estate planning, and family office services since 2006. Previously a management consultant for Fortune 500 companies. Education: B.A. from Cornell University; MBA from Columbia University.

Alice C. Goh - Program Director Leads grantmaking in Helping Hands and environmental programs. Prior roles include Senior Vice President at Sesame Workshop and Director at the Ford Foundation. Career began at Goldman Sachs.

David Shaw - Chief Financial Officer Manages accounting, investments, and tax planning. Prior experience includes Deputy CFO at Tradeweb Markets and senior roles at Thomson Reuters and General Motors. Education: B.S. from SUNY Albany; MBA from Columbia Business School.

Victoria Coker - Program Officer Leads College portfolio of emergency assistance programs. Previously Executive Director at Bottom Line and teacher with Teach for America. Education: B.A. from Colgate University; M.A. from Marian University; M.P.A. from Baruch University.

Molly Gelinas O'Connor - Program Officer Manages social services and emergency food access programs. Joined as Program Assistant in 2019. Education: B.A. from Stony Brook University.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Gerstner Family Foundation explicitly states on their website and in their FAQ that they "only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations and do not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grant decisions are made through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships with carefully selected partner organizations. The foundation emphasizes building strong, ongoing partnerships with their grantees rather than processing open applications.

Organizations already working with the foundation benefit from "open communication and strong partnerships," and the foundation seeks to codify best practices among their partner organizations.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As grants are made by invitation only to pre-selected organizations, decision timelines vary based on the foundation's strategic priorities and existing relationships.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with pre-selected partner organizations.

Application Success Factors

Since the Gerstner Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors are relevant for organizations that have been invited to apply or are seeking to understand the foundation's priorities:

Alignment with Core Mission: The foundation's focus is exceptionally clear. Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.'s quote encapsulates their education philosophy: helping young people "who have the capacity, have the commitment, and are willing to work hard, but the hurdle is they are consigned to a poor performing school and cannot escape without financial resources their families cannot afford." Organizations serving this population are central to their mission.

Geographic Concentration: While the foundation makes some grants outside their core areas, they prioritize New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County. Organizations in these regions have stronger alignment with foundation priorities.

Evidence of Impact: The foundation tracks outcomes carefully. For example, they note that 80% of Helping Hands rent grant recipients remained stably housed one year later. Organizations that can demonstrate measurable impact and track long-term outcomes align with the foundation's approach.

Partnership Orientation: The foundation values "open communication and strong partnerships" with grantees and seeks to "codify best practices" among partner organizations. They prefer ongoing relationships over one-time grants, as evidenced by multi-year commitments to institutions like Dartmouth College and the Diocese of Palm Beach Schools.

Specific Program Models: Recent grants suggest preference for:

Catholic schools serving economically disadvantaged students
College emergency aid programs that prevent dropout
Organizations providing holistic case management alongside emergency financial assistance
Research initiatives with clear pathways to clinical application or environmental benefit

Systemic vs. Individual Support: While the foundation doesn't fund individuals directly, they support organizations that can effectively distribute aid (like the Helping Hands program partners) or create systemic educational opportunities (like scholarship programs).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No unsolicited applications accepted - The foundation only works with preselected partner organizations. There is no application portal or process for new organizations to apply.
Geographic focus matters - Strongest alignment exists for organizations serving New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County communities.
Education grants prioritize Catholic schools - Recent education grants show heavy concentration in Catholic school scholarships for economically disadvantaged K-12 students with academic potential.
Partnership model - The foundation seeks long-term relationships with organizations, often providing multi-year, multi-million dollar commitments to trusted partners.
Evidence and outcomes are critical - The foundation tracks specific metrics (like the 80% housing stability rate for Helping Hands recipients) and values organizations that can demonstrate measurable impact.
Emergency assistance requires infrastructure - Helping Hands grants go to organizations with case management capacity and strict criteria for distribution, not just financial aid programs.
Environmental grants focus on research - Climate-related giving supports specific research initiatives on methane reduction and plastic pollution solutions, often through academic institutions.

References

All sources accessed December 2024.