William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $4.24 million (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only - no public application)
• Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: Small operating grants - $4 million
• Geographic Focus: Newburgh/Orange County, NY (primary) with national reach

Contact Details

No public contact information available

• Website: None
• Phone: Not publicly available
• Email: Not publicly available
• Application Process: Does not accept unsolicited applications

Overview

Founded in 1983, the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation with approximately $50-52 million in assets that distributes over $4 million annually to charitable organizations. Based in Newburgh, NY, the foundation was established by William Kaplan, a World War II veteran and successful entrepreneur who co-founded Regal Bag Corporation and A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts. The foundation focuses on education, health, and human services, with a strong emphasis on supporting the Newburgh/Orange County community. Known for transformative gifts to local institutions, the foundation has been particularly generous to Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital, where multiple facilities bear the Kaplan name. The foundation operates on a trustee-discretion model, making grants only to preselected organizations with whom they have established relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have formal grant programs but makes discretionary grants in the following ranges:

• Major Capital Gifts: $1 million - $4 million (for transformative community projects)
• Significant Support: $100,000 - $700,000 (for established partner organizations)
• Operating Support: Varies (for ongoing relationships)
• Average Grant Size: $51,735 across all giving

Priority Areas

• Education: Scholarships, educational facilities, youth programs, college support
• Health: Hospital facilities, medical equipment, neonatal care, cardiovascular medicine
• Human Services: Community centers, veterans services, social services
• Community Development: Parks, recreation centers, cultural institutions

What They Don't Fund

Not specified in available documentation, but pattern analysis shows they do not fund:

• Organizations outside their existing network
• Individual requests
• Unsolicited proposals

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

• William Kaplan - Chairman and Founder (unpaid)
• Joan P. Kaplan - President (Compensation: $115,000-$143,000)
• Amy Kaplan - Vice President (unpaid)

William Kaplan is a distinguished philanthropist and businessman who co-founded Regal Bag Corporation and A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts. According to NY Senator James Skoufis: "The Kaplan name is synonymous with two things...One is Newburgh. And two is philanthropy." Joan Kaplan stated regarding their hospital support: "The Kaplan Family is proud to have funded this important project, which gives our community the opportunity to keep their care local."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations chosen by the board of trustees based on their community involvement and established relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies grant recipients through:

• Board members' involvement with local organizations (William Kaplan serves on boards of St. Luke's Hospital, Jewish Federation of Orange County, Boy Scouts Hudson-Delaware Council)
• Long-standing community relationships in Newburgh/Orange County
• The Newburgh Armory Unity Center network (William Kaplan is Founder & Chairman)
• Mount Saint Mary College connections where the family has deep ties

Organizations have successfully engaged the foundation when William or Joan Kaplan serve on their boards or have multi-decade relationships with the institution.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion without a formal application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation only funding.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, success factors are based on observed patterns:

• Multi-decade relationships: Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall has received support for over 30 years, with William Kaplan noting "The philanthropic support of the Foundation reflects our gratitude to hospital staff"
• Board involvement: Organizations where Kaplan family members serve in leadership roles receive priority
• Transformative projects: The foundation prefers naming opportunities and capital projects that create lasting community impact
• Newburgh/Orange County location: Strong preference for local organizations where they can see direct community benefit
• Alignment with family values: Education, healthcare, and veterans services align with William Kaplan's background as a WWII veteran and commitment to community development

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only funder - do not submit unsolicited proposals
• The foundation makes significant transformative gifts ($1M+) to established partner organizations
• Geographic proximity to Newburgh, NY and existing board relationships are critical factors
• They prefer multi-year commitments and naming opportunities for major facilities
• The foundation distributed $4.24 million in 2023 across 82 grants, showing active and consistent giving
• Building relationships through the Newburgh Armory Unity Center or other Kaplan-affiliated organizations may create future opportunities
• Focus areas of education, health, and human services are consistently supported year after year

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990 data for EIN 22-2470361 (Accessed February 2026)
• Cause IQ Foundation Profile - William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation (Accessed February 2026)
• Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital Press Release: "$4 Million Gift from Kaplan Family Foundation" (2022-2023)
• Town of Newburgh Official Documents - Desmond Estate Acquisition and Kaplan Arboretum (2023)
• GuideStar Profile - William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation (Accessed February 2026)
• Instrumentl Foundation Directory - 990 Reports Analysis 2021-2023 (Accessed February 2026)
• Hudson Valley Press - Various articles on Kaplan philanthropy (2022-2024)
• Newburgh Armory Unity Center - Historical documentation on William Kaplan's founding role (2010-present)