The Kovner Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Kovner Foundation, based in Jupiter, FL, funds education (especially public charter schools and educational choice), performing arts, economic opportunity, public policy research and individual rights advocacy, with a geographic priority of United States and United Kingdom.
- A realistic request would sit within its typical grant range of $10,000 to $500,000, and since half of its 258 grants were $30,000 or less, a modest ask around that figure is a sensible benchmark, though it has also made grants as large as about $5,200,000 for major projects.
- Giving is heavily relationship-led: 69% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded in earlier filings, suggesting this is a foundation that favours ongoing relationships over new, one-off applicants.
- The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and funds strictly by invitation only, so organisations should not send in cold applications unless invited to do so.
Overview
The Kovner Foundation is a US private foundation based in Jupiter, FL.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation supports organisations that promote excellence in the arts and education, initiatives that defend private enterprise and protect individual rights, and scholarly studies and research that strengthen American democratic principles. In education, it backs public charter schools making measurable improvements in children’s lives and educational choice and competition, including vouchers, scholarships and other initiatives that give parents and students options. It supports leading performing arts institutions in the United States and abroad and a vibrant arts and cultural community that nurtures young artists. Its opportunity-society work promotes economic and social conditions in which individuals, especially the underprivileged, can flourish, including through effective education, advocacy for the disenfranchised and research on public policy. It also supports research and scholarship around free expression, free markets, free trade, equality before the law and limited government. Its approach combines direct engagement, general support and targeted large-scale projects, selecting activities based on personal values and experience and seeking innovative strategies that produce change for the better.
Themes
- Education
- Performing arts
- Economic opportunity
- Public policy research
- Individual rights advocacy
Geographic Focus
Priority: United States; United Kingdom.
How to apply
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 69% 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 258 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation selects activities based on personal values and experience.
- The Foundation seeks innovative strategies that advance forward-thinking initiatives and produce change for the better.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 11% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 69% of grant dollars went to organisations The Kovner Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom).
- 14% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 80 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Uja Federation Of Ny · General support$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Success Charter Network · Education$3,500,0002024 tax year
- International Rescue Committee · Humanitarian aid$1,500,0002024 tax year
- University of Austin · Education$1,200,0002024 tax year
- Institute for Justice · General support$500,0002024 tax year
- Institute for the Study of War · General support$500,0002024 tax year
- Charter School Growth Fund Fund IV · Education$500,0002024 tax year
- Metropolitan Opera · Performing arts$500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Benjamin Sosland — Vice President For Music Programs
- Maurice Edelson — Chief Executive Officer
- Robert Wedeking — Director
- Heath Weisberg — General Counsel & Secretary
- Suzanne F Kovner — Vice President
- Karen Cross — Controller
- Frank Wohl Co Lankler Siffert Wohl — Director
- Peter P D'Angelo — Treasurer
- Bruce S Kovner — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $18,080,579 | $17,090,440 | $242,203,722 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $20,066,577 | $18,413,999 | $273,505,676 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $21,051,713 | $18,683,705 | $335,279,276 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
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Applying to The Kovner Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required