The Jaffe Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a cold application and should look for a warm introduction through an existing connection.
- Where it does give, most grants are modest: half of its grants to organisations are $5,000 or less and the median is $5,000, so a request of that size fits its usual pattern.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $500 and $105,000, but that is a typical band rather than a ceiling, since the largest grant was about $1,350,000.
- Repeat giving is strong, with 91% of grant dollars going to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests its giving is largely relationship-led.
- The filing states no geographic focus and no programme area, though its grants are mainly in New York, Connecticut and Virginia, so a charity should judge fit by its own work rather than treat those places as a rule.
Overview
The Jaffe Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Valley Cottage, NY.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's filings show grants to a broad range of charitable organisations, rather than a stated programme area. Recipients include educational institutions, museums and cultural bodies, environmental organisations, and health and human-service charities. Nearly all recorded grants are described only as supporting a charitable purpose, so the filings do not define narrower priorities or applicant eligibility. By grant dollars, its giving is concentrated in New York and Connecticut, followed by Virginia and Massachusetts.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, Connecticut and Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; no applicant-initiated application route is stated.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 91% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 338 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 24% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to organisations The Jaffe Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Israel).
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 103 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $9,884 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Climate Change for All Educators · Support charitable purpose$1,370,0002024 tax year
- American Museum of Natural History · Support charitable purpose$325,0002024 tax year
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University · Support charitable purpose$200,0002024 tax year
- Fare · Support charitable purpose$200,0002024 tax year
- Architectural League · Support charitable purpose$164,0002024 tax year
- National Audubon Society · Support charitable purpose$152,5002024 tax year
- WGBH · Support charitable purpose$150,0002024 tax year
- Yale University School of Architecture · Support charitable purpose$125,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Richard Jaffe — Vice-President & Treasurer
- David Jaffe — Vice-President & Secretary
- Elise Jaffe — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,565,993 | $4,488,494 | $51,921,982 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,403,771 | $4,295,740 | $54,396,301 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,564,667 | $4,637,328 | $57,539,411 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Jaffe Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Valley Cottage, NY
Applying to The Jaffe Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Valley Cottage, NY