Moise Y Safra Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $12.5M - $30.4M
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: N/A (trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: $50,000 - $5,900,000
• Geographic Focus: United States and International

Contact Details

Mailing Address:
499 Park Ave 11th Fl
New York, NY 10022-1875

Registered Office:
Wilmington, DE

Note: This is a private foundation that does not accept unsolicited applications. No public contact information is provided for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Moise Y Safra Foundation Inc is a private family foundation established in 2011 with over $55 million in assets, distributing between $12.5 million and $30.4 million annually through 64-94 grants. Founded to honor Moise Yacoub Safra (1934-2014), the Brazilian banker and philanthropist who co-founded Banco Safra, the foundation is led by his children Esther Safra Szajman, Jacob Safra, and Edmond Safra. As part of the broader Safra family philanthropic network—which includes the Edmond J. Safra Foundation and Vicky and Joseph Safra Philanthropic Foundation—it continues a century-long tradition of supporting Jewish communities worldwide. The foundation focuses on education, healthcare, and Jewish causes, with recent major grants including $5.9M to American Friends of Jewish Hospitals and Education Centers of Brazil and $7.9M to the University of Pennsylvania.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Based on recent grant patterns:

• Major Institutional Support: $1M - $5.9M (universities, hospitals, major Jewish organizations)
• Mid-level Program Support: $100,000 - $500,000 (community organizations, educational programs)
• Community Grants: $50,000 - $100,000 (synagogues, smaller nonprofits)

Priority Areas

• Jewish education and religious institutions
• Healthcare and medical centers (particularly Jewish hospitals)
• Higher education (Harvard, University of Pennsylvania)
• Sephardic cultural preservation
• Community welfare programs
• Scientific research

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited applications from any organization
• Organizations without established connections to the Safra family network
• Projects outside their established geographic and programmatic focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Esther Safra Szajman - President
Daughter of Moise Safra, serves as Trustee at Abraham Joshua Heschel School

Jacob Safra - Vice President and Secretary
Son of Moise Safra, continuing family philanthropic legacy

Edmond Safra - Vice President and Treasurer
Son of Moise Safra, named after his philanthropist uncle

James Healy - Officer

Jane Slotin - Director of Philanthropy

All family members serve without compensation. The foundation honors Moise Safra's legacy as someone who "believed wealth was a blessing meant to help others and make the world better," according to World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are made exclusively through trustee discretion to organizations with established relationships to the Safra family.

Getting on Their Radar

• Brazilian Jewish Community Connections: The Safra family maintains deep roots in São Paulo's Jewish community
• Sephardic Networks: Particularly Syrian Jewish communities in New York's Upper East Side
• Board Connections: Organizations where Safra family members serve as trustees (e.g., Abraham Joshua Heschel School)
• World Jewish Congress Events: Chella Safra serves as Treasurer
• Related Safra Institutions: Moise Safra Center and Edmond J. Safra Synagogue in New York

Decision Timeline

Grants are made at trustee discretion without formal timelines

Success Rates

Not applicable - invitation only

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation only

Application Success Factors

Organizations that have received Safra family support typically demonstrate:

Alignment with Moise Safra's Legacy

• Supporting Jewish continuity and education
• Healthcare excellence and medical innovation
• Community building and strengthening communal bonds
• Global impact reaching across communities

Geographic Relevance Priority to organizations in:

• New York (Upper East Side Sephardic community)
• Brazil (São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro)
• Major U.S. cities with significant Jewish populations

Institutional Excellence Past support has gone to premier institutions like Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania

Network Connections Success requires established relationships through:

• Sephardic Jewish leadership circles
• Brazilian Jewish community networks
• Major university development offices where family members attended

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted - all grants are made by invitation only to preselected organizations
• Relationship building is essential - focus on networking within Sephardic Jewish, Brazilian Jewish, and organizations where family members serve
• Major institutional focus - prioritizes established, excellent institutions over grassroots organizations
• Research their Form 990-PF filings to identify funding patterns and previously supported organizations
• Geographic concentration in New York, major Jewish population centers, and Brazil
• Part of larger Safra network - consider whether Edmond J. Safra Foundation or Vicky Safra Foundation might be more appropriate
• Long-term cultivation required - getting on their radar requires years of relationship building, not a single approach

References

• Moise Y Safra Foundation Inc, IRS Form 990-PF filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Accessed February 25, 2026
• "Moise Y. Safra, 79, Brazilian Banker and Philanthropist," Chabad.org, June 2014
• "Brazilian Jewish philanthropist Moise Safra passes away," World Jewish Congress, June 2014
• Cause IQ Foundation Profile. Accessed February 25, 2026
• "Chella Safra," World Jewish Congress Leadership Profile
• Moise Safra Center Official Website
• "How To Get Noticed By Invite-Only Grant Funders," Instrumentl
• Foundation annual tax filings showing grant recipients and amounts