The Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Trust
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations, so you should not send it a cold proposal, and any approach should come through an invitation.
- Its grant record covers scholarship organisations, schools and education, children and young people, families and international education organisations, so your work needs to clearly fit one of these areas.
- Most of its grants fall between $50,000 and $900,000, with a median of $250,000, so a request in that region is realistic, although the largest grant was $3,350,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat support is significant: 69% of its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so an organisation with an existing link to the foundation is in a stronger position.
Overview
The Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Trust is a US private foundation administered by its trustee, Bessemer Trust Company NA, in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 13 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its grant record includes support for scholarship organisations, schools and organisations focused on education, as well as charities serving children and young people and organisations supporting families. It also includes international education organisations. The recorded grant purposes are described only as general exempt purposes, so the filings do not identify project-level aims or a narrower stated set of funding priorities. Contributions are made to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, California, Florida and New Jersey.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
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 119 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
4 other states: 2%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 5%
- The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 69% of grant dollars went to organisations The Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Trust had funded in earlier filings.
- 5% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Australia, Poland, South Africa).
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 37 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $250k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Marys Meals Usa Inc · General exempt purpose$3,350,0002024 tax year
- Children's Scholarship Fund · General exempt purpose$2,818,0002024 tax year
- Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children · General exempt purpose$872,6302024 tax year
- African Leadership Foundation · General exempt purpose$820,0002024 tax year
- Friends of Raising the Village · General exempt purpose$750,0002024 tax year
- Adventures in Learning · General exempt purpose$697,0002024 tax year
- Crossover Mission · General exempt purpose$684,0002024 tax year
- Summer Search · General exempt purpose$650,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kathleen Broderick — Co-Trustee
- Margot Mcginness — Co-Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $19,693,477 | $18,954,745 | $58,785,646 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $19,969,248 | $19,155,520 | $41,098,385 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $17,365,402 | $17,080,226 | $25,435,481 | 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 The Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY (office of its trustee, Bessemer Trust Company NA)
Applying to The Theodore J Forstmann Charitable Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY (office of its trustee, Bessemer Trust Company NA)