Conduit Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing describes the foundation as funding Jewish organisations and research in the United States and Israel, with recipients chiefly Jewish community and Israel-related bodies, so a small nonprofit should first check whether its work fits that focus.
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so the realistic route in is to be invited rather than to send a cold proposal.
- Most of its grants are modest: half of its grants to organisations were $200,000 or less and the median was $200,000, though the typical band runs from $50,000 to $3,300,000 and the largest grant was about $16,000,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- The filing describes almost all awards as general-purpose, and 36% of grant dollars in the latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so existing connections appear to matter a good deal.
Overview
Conduit Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (greenwichtime.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation is described as funding Jewish organisations and research in the United States and Israel. Its recorded grants went chiefly to Jewish community and Israel-related organisations, charitable funds and grant intermediaries, alongside educational institutions, social-service bodies, and emergency-response and policy organisations. The filings describe almost all awards as being for general purposes, with the remainder recorded as general support; they do not specify narrower uses for those grants. Recipients were located across several states and territories, with New York and Georgia accounting for the largest shares. Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Themes
- Jewish organisations
- Research
Geographic Focus
Priority: United States; Israel. (as reported in other published sources)
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 36% 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 54 grants to organisations were $200,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 26% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 36% of grant dollars went to organisations Conduit Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 78% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 21 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $200k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Worldwide Friends Foundation · General purposes$15,935,0002024 tax year
- PEF Israel Endowment Funds · General purposes$3,358,5002024 tax year
- Central Fund of Israel · General purposes$2,023,0002024 tax year
- Giving Group Community · General purposes$1,600,0002024 tax year
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee · General purposes$1,000,0002024 tax year
- American Friends of Peace of Mind · General purposes$800,0002024 tax year
- CTeen Upper West Side · General purposes$500,0002024 tax year
- Chabad Lubavitch of the USVI · General purposes$360,1802024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- David B Brainson — Executive Director
- David A Messer — President
- Jared L Dodd — V.P, Sec. & Treas.
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $8,759,600 | $8,718,000 | $3,294,339 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $26,092,523 | $26,059,523 | $506,000 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $27,610,744 | $27,543,680 | $38,104 | 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 Conduit Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL
Applying to Conduit Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Chicago, IL