Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: $26.1 million (2024)
- Success Rate: Not applicable (preselected organizations only)
- Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
- Grant Range: $25,000 - $6,018,000
- Geographic Focus: National (primarily NY, CT, CA) and Israel
Contact Details
- Address: 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601 (c/o Winston & Strawn LLP)
- Phone: (312) 558-5600
- Website: None available
- Email: Not publicly available
- Note: Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests
Overview
The Conduit Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2003 that operates as a pass-through grantmaker, distributing approximately $26 million annually to preselected charitable organizations. With total assets of just $506,000 despite massive grant distributions, the foundation receives large contributions and rapidly redistributes them rather than building an endowment. The foundation focuses heavily on Jewish education and organizations, with additional support for healthcare and general education institutions. All funding decisions are made internally by the foundation's leadership, and they explicitly do not accept unsolicited applications or proposals.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
The foundation does not operate specific grant programs but makes large discretionary grants to preselected organizations:
- General Support Grants: $25,000 - $6,018,000 (provided to preselected organizations only)
- Average grant size in 2024: $1,628,720
- All grants are by invitation only with no public application process
Priority Areas
- Jewish Education (primary focus)
- Jewish Organizations and Community Support
- General Education Institutions
- Healthcare and Medical Schools
- Philanthropy and Grantmaking Organizations
What They Don't Fund
- Organizations without existing relationships to the foundation
- Unsolicited proposals or applications
- Individual requests
- Organizations outside their core focus areas
Governance and Leadership
Key Officers:
- David A. Messer - President
- William M. Doyle Jr. - Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer
- David B. Brainson - Executive Director
All officers serve on a volunteer basis (no compensation) with minimal time commitment (1 hour/week), indicating the foundation operates through professional management via Winston & Strawn LLP. The foundation maintains a lean structure focused on distributing funds to preselected beneficiaries rather than operating programs.
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process. The Conduit Foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's trustees to organizations they have identified and chosen to support.
Getting on Their Radar
Based on the foundation's grant patterns and structure, organizations are likely identified through:
- The foundation's leadership identifies organizations through their involvement in Jewish philanthropic networks, particularly in the New York, Connecticut, and California regions
- Past grant recipients include major Jewish educational institutions that have received repeat funding, suggesting the foundation maintains long-term relationships with beneficiary organizations
- The foundation's connection to Winston & Strawn LLP may provide networking opportunities through the firm's philanthropic activities
- Organizations like PEF Israel Endowment Funds, Shalem Foundation, and Western New England Institute for Psychoanalysis have received multi-million dollar grants, indicating the foundation seeks out established institutions with significant capacity
Decision Timeline
Not applicable - no public application process exists
Success Rates
While the foundation reports a 12% funding rate for "new applicants," this statistic is misleading as they do not accept applications. This likely reflects the percentage of organizations they proactively choose to fund from those they consider internally.
Reapplication Policy
Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply
Application Success Factors
Since the Conduit Foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their funding patterns reveals:
- The foundation consistently supports organizations with strong Jewish educational missions, particularly those like Carmel Academy (formerly Westchester Fairfield Hebrew Academy) which received a transformative $10 million grant
- Multi-year relationships appear crucial - organizations like Shalem Foundation have received multiple large grants over several years
- The foundation values established institutions with proven track records and significant operational capacity to handle million-dollar grants
- Geographic presence in New York, Connecticut, or California appears advantageous, though they also fund organizations in Israel
- Connection to other major Jewish philanthropic networks may increase visibility to the foundation's leadership
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications - do not invest time in unsolicited proposals
- The foundation operates as a pass-through entity, receiving and distributing large sums annually without building an endowment
- Average grant size exceeds $1.6 million, indicating focus on major institutional support rather than smaller project funding
- Jewish education and organizational support represent the core funding priority
- Building visibility within Jewish philanthropic networks, particularly in New York and Connecticut, may be the only indirect path to consideration
- Professional management through Winston & Strawn LLP suggests formal but closed decision-making process
- Organizations currently funded by the foundation appear to receive ongoing support, suggesting loyalty to existing grantees
References
- Guidestar/Candid Profile for Conduit Foundation (EIN: 04-3684566), accessed January 2025
- IRS Form 990-PF filings for Conduit Foundation, 2022-2023
- Foundation Directory Online entry for Conduit Foundation, accessed January 2025
- Grant data from Instrumentl database showing 129 grants totaling $33,739,055 since 2015
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer profile for Conduit Foundation, accessed January 2025
- Carmel Academy website and history documenting $10 million naming gift from Conduit Foundation in 2011
- Shalem College founding documentation referencing $5 million matching grant