Five Together Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ~$3.7M - $4.3M (varies by year)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (grants to preselected organizations only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $20,000 - $1,000,000
• Average Grant Size: ~$116,000
• Geographic Focus: Maine, New York City, Philadelphia, Miami, San Diego, and East Africa

Contact Details

• Website: www.5together.org
• Address: One Liberty, 1650 Market Street, Suite 2, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Phone: (215) 665-5594
• EIN: 25-6889820

Overview

The Five Together Foundation was established in 2005 by five siblings - Laurie, Jake, Rachel, Debbie, and Josh - children of real estate developer Robert I. Toll and his wife Jane Toll. The foundation's origins trace to the siblings' collective response to Hurricane Katrina, which catalyzed them to formalize their philanthropic efforts. With total assets of approximately $43 million and annual grant-making in the range of $3.7M to $4.3M, the Five Together Foundation is a significant private independent foundation. Guided by the values of compassion, justice, and equal opportunity, the foundation has developed three core focus areas: Preserving Democracy in the United States, Services to Families in Need, and Youth Development and Youth Leadership.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate named, publicly accessible grant programs. All funding is directed to preselected charitable organizations. Grant amounts have ranged from $20,000 to $1,000,000. Recent known awards include:

• Tides Foundation: $500,000 (General Support, 2023)
• Youth Represent: $265,000 (General Support, 2023)
• Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village: $215,000 (General Support, 2023)

Priority Areas

The foundation funds across three interconnected pillars:

1. Preserving Democracy in the U.S.

   • Voter education and civic participation organizations
   • Supporting eligible adults to obtain voter IDs and navigate voting processes
   • Community development that elevates underrepresented communities
   • Get-out-the-vote efforts targeting low-propensity voters

2. Services to Families in Need

   • Organizations addressing food insecurity and housing instability
   • Services for vulnerable children and families
   • Immigration legal and social services
   • Support particularly focused on their six geographic communities

3. Youth Development and Youth Leadership

   • Programs investing in young people's positive interactions and experiences
   • Initiatives that aim to change life trajectories for young people
   • International youth programs in East Africa

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited proposals or applications from organizations with which they do not have a pre-existing relationship
• Organizations outside their stated geographic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by the five founding siblings, all of whom serve without compensation:

• Laurie T. Franz - President
• Rachel Toll Grassi - Vice President
• Jacob Toll - Vice President
• Joshua Goldfein - Secretary
• Deborah Toll Gruelle - Treasurer

The foundation describes its governing philosophy through the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: "Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Five Together Foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. There is no open grant competition, no published deadlines, and no public application portal for external organizations to submit requests.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable for general applicants. The foundation's grant cycle is not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. All grants are awarded to preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Because this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the traditional concept of "application success factors" does not apply. However, the following observations are relevant:

• Long-term relationship building is essential: The foundation values sustained partnerships
• General operating support is the norm: All publicly available grant records list grant type as "General Support"
• Values alignment is critical: Organizations working on voter rights, civic engagement, immigration services, food security, housing, or youth development in their core geographic areas are best positioned
• Social justice framing: The foundation's language explicitly references social justice, equity, and systemic change
• Geographic rootedness matters: Organizations embedded in Maine, New York City, Philadelphia, Miami, San Diego, or East Africa are most relevant

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted - this is a preselected-grantee foundation
• Family foundation with clear personal values rooted in social justice
• General operating support preferred over project-based funding
• Geographic focus is specific to six communities
• Three-pillar strategy: democracy/voting rights, family services/basic needs, youth development
• Large grant potential - grants up to $1,000,000 documented
• Backed by significant family wealth with capacity for sustained grant-making

References

1. Five Together Foundation - Official Website: https://www.5together.org/ (accessed February 2026)
2. Five Together Foundation - Our Focus: https://www.5together.org/our-focus (accessed February 2026)
3. Five Together Foundation - About: https://www.5together.org/about (accessed February 2026)
4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Five Together Foundation Tr: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/256889820 (accessed February 2026)
5. Cause IQ - Five Together Foundation: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/five-together-foundation,256889820/ (accessed February 2026)
6. Grantmakers.io - Five Together Foundation Tr: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/256889820-five-together-foundation-tr/ (accessed February 2026)
7. Instrumentl - Five Together Foundation 990 Report: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/five-together-foundation-co-cozen-oconnor (accessed February 2026)
8. Charity Navigator - Five Together Foundation Tr: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/256889820 (accessed February 2026)