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Stephen A Schwarzman Foundation

Annual Giving
$70.0M
Grant Range
$11K - $24.1M

Stephen A Schwarzman Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $70,040,791 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable - invitation only
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $11,386 - $24,100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily national (United States) with some international grants
  • Application Process: No public application - preselected organizations only

Contact Details

Address: 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154-0004
EIN: 47-4634539
Classification: Private Grantmaking Foundation (501(c)(3))

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries. Direct contact should be made through formal channels at the New York address.

Overview

The Stephen A Schwarzman Foundation was established in 2015 as a private grantmaking foundation. With approximately $105 million in assets and annual distributions of approximately $70-78 million, the foundation operates as a pass-through vehicle for Stephen Schwarzman's strategic philanthropy. Since 2018, the foundation has awarded 48 individual grants totaling $211,796,548. In 2023 alone, the foundation made 19 grants totaling over $70 million to prestigious educational institutions, cultural organizations, humanitarian causes, and athletic programs. The foundation focuses on transformational, large-scale gifts that "create new structures that change paradigms," with a particular emphasis on education, artificial intelligence and technology, arts and culture, and youth development. The foundation has been instrumental in supporting major capital campaigns and building projects at leading institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs. Major grants typically support:

  • Major Educational Infrastructure: $11-24 million (building projects at MIT, Oxford, and similar institutions)
  • Cultural Capital Projects: $7-8 million (museums, performing arts facilities)
  • Medical and Veterinary Facilities: $8-9 million (capital campaigns)
  • Elite Athletic Support: $2-3 million (USA Track & Field Foundation)
  • Various Smaller Grants: $11,000-$500,000 (range of charitable causes)

All grants are awarded on an invitation-only basis to preselected organizations.

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation actively funds:

  • Artificial Intelligence & Technology Research: Major support for AI research centers and ethical inquiry, particularly at leading research universities
  • Higher Education Infrastructure: Capital projects for academic buildings, computing centers, and humanities facilities at prestigious universities
  • Arts & Cultural Institutions: Support for museums, performing arts centers, and cultural organizations undergoing expansion or renovation
  • Elite Athletics: Multi-year support for Olympic and World Championship-caliber track and field athletes
  • Medical & Veterinary Care: Capital campaigns for specialized medical centers
  • International Humanitarian Relief: Support for established aid organizations
  • Educational Access: Catholic schools and educational programs serving low-income students

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has indicated it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." As such, the foundation does not fund:

  • Organizations without prior relationship or connection to the founder
  • Unsolicited grant requests
  • General operating support for unknown organizations
  • Individual applicants (except through intermediary organizations like USATF Foundation)

Governance and Leadership

The foundation maintains a private governance structure typical of family foundations. While detailed board information is not publicly disclosed, the foundation operates under the strategic direction of founder Stephen A. Schwarzman.

Stephen A. Schwarzman is the founder and primary donor. As Chairman and CEO of Blackstone, he brings extensive business expertise to his philanthropic endeavors. He joined the Giving Pledge in 2020 and has stated his intention to give away the majority of his wealth.

On his philanthropic philosophy, Schwarzman has stated: "I like to do big things and create new structures that change paradigms." He emphasizes: "In philanthropy, as in business, I enjoy tackling complex challenges that require thoughtful, innovative solutions."

Regarding his approach to selecting projects, he asks: "Can you change something that's really important, that you think without it, it's going to go the wrong way?" He views each philanthropic project like a business startup, stating: "Each project is a unique partnership where I bring to bear the full extent of my knowledge, network, and time to ensure that the new organizations are positioned to meet their objectives."

On education specifically, he notes: "Education is the path to a better life. I've been a great beneficiary of that fact."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Stephen A Schwarzman 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 that have been proactively identified and selected.

Grants are typically awarded as part of major capital campaigns or multi-year commitments to institutions with which Stephen Schwarzman has a personal or professional connection, such as:

  • Universities where he studied or serves on boards (Yale, MIT, Oxford)
  • Cultural institutions where he serves as a trustee (The Frick Collection, Kennedy Center)
  • Organizations aligned with his strategic priorities in AI, education, and culture

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation proactively identifies grant recipients rather than reviewing applications.

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot submit applications or reapplications.

Application Success Factors

While there is no application process, analysis of the foundation's grantmaking reveals the following characteristics of successful grant recipients:

Institutional Prestige and Track Record: The foundation strongly favors blue-chip institutions with proven track records. Recent recipients include MIT, University of Oxford, The Frick Collection, and Animal Medical Center - all recognized leaders in their fields.

Transformational Scale: Schwarzman has stated he prefers projects that "change paradigms" rather than incremental improvements. Median grant size is approximately $546,000, but major grants range from $7-24 million. He looks for "game-changing" initiatives that require "substantial financial support as well as his personal long-term involvement."

Capital and Building Projects: A significant portion of grants support physical infrastructure - the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities at Oxford, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium at the Frick Collection, and the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center expansion. The foundation appears to prioritize tangible, named legacy projects.

Personal Connection: Schwarzman's giving often goes to institutions with which he shares a "personal or professional connection." He serves or has served on boards at many recipient institutions and is an alumnus of Yale.

Strategic Alignment with AI and Education: Recent major grants align with Schwarzman's stated priorities in artificial intelligence and education. He has said of the MIT gift that he hopes to "start an arms race among universities" in AI research and create a "Sputnik moment."

Catalytic Potential: Schwarzman notes with pride that "many of my projects have prompted the philanthropic participation of others, either in terms of giving to the same institution or giving to a similar effort elsewhere." The foundation looks for opportunities where their support can leverage additional funding.

Proven Results for Underserved Populations: For direct service organizations, demonstrated impact matters. Schwarzman highlights that Catholic schools he supports achieve "a 98% high school graduation rate despite 70% of students being at or below the poverty line."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant applications. All grants are trustee-initiated to preselected organizations.

  • Relationship-based grantmaking: The foundation makes grants almost exclusively to organizations where Stephen Schwarzman has a board role, personal connection, or long-standing relationship.

  • Capital campaign focus: The majority of major grants support building projects, capital campaigns, and infrastructure development rather than general operating support or programs.

  • Extremely large grants to few recipients: With 19 grants totaling $70 million in 2023, the average grant exceeds $3.6 million. The foundation makes fewer, larger grants to elite institutions.

  • Strategic priorities in AI and education: Recent grantmaking heavily emphasizes artificial intelligence research, computing education, and humanities scholarship addressing technological change.

  • Legacy naming opportunities: Many major grants result in named buildings, centers, or programs (Schwarzman College, Schwarzman Centre, Schwarzman Auditorium, Schwarzman Animal Medical Center).

  • Long-term engagement expected: Schwarzman views philanthropy as ongoing partnership, bringing "the full extent of his knowledge, network, and time" to projects - not just writing checks.

References

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