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Klaff Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$8.5M

Klaff Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $8,479,057 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $223 million
  • Average Grant Size: $102,000 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 83 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: International (US, UK, South Africa, Australia, Brazil)
  • Application Process: Invitation only - no unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Address: 35 East Wacker Drive, Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60601

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or published contact information. Contact is made through their association with Klaff Realty, LP.

Overview

The Klaff Family Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2004 and granted tax-exempt status in June 2005. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the foundation is led by the Klaff family, headed by Hersch Klaff, CEO of Klaff Realty, LP, a major real estate investment firm. With assets exceeding $223 million, the foundation distributed $8.5 million through 83 grants in 2023. While the foundation does not specify particular subject areas of focus publicly, its giving pattern shows strong support for Jewish community organizations, education, and humanitarian causes. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations with which the trustees have established relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines or application cycles. All grants are made at the discretion of the board of trustees to preselected organizations.

Grant Size: Based on 2023 data, the average grant was approximately $102,000, though individual grants likely vary significantly. One notable example is the Klaff family's $5 million pledge to JCC Chicago's Camp Chi in January 2024 (made outside the foundation structure but indicative of the family's giving capacity).

Priority Areas

While the foundation does not publish specific priority areas, research reveals consistent support for:

  • Jewish Community Organizations: Jewish Community Federation, Jewish National Fund, American Jewish Committee, JCC Chicago, Jewish Community Foundation San Diego
  • Jewish Education: King David Schools Foundation
  • Disability Services: Israel Guide Dog Centre for the Blind, Selwyn Segal Society for the Jewish Handicapped (Johannesburg)
  • Arts and Culture: Writers Theatre in Glencoe, IL
  • Youth Development: Camp Chi and Jewish camping programs

The foundation supports organizations across major US cities including Chicago and New York, as well as international locations including London, South Africa, Australia, and Brazil.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds, indicating they do not fund organizations without pre-existing relationships or trustee connections.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (all serving without compensation):

  • Hersch M. Klaff - President and Founder
  • Avril M. Klaff - Trustee
  • Daniel Klaff - Trustee
  • Marissa Klaff - Trustee
  • Zara Klaff - Trustee and Director

About Hersch Klaff: The foundation's founder is the CEO of Klaff Realty, LP, which he established in 1988. Since 1981, he has been involved in acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and management of retail, mixed-use, and office properties. Klaff Realty has acquired properties and invested in operating entities controlling over 200 million square feet valued at more than $17 billion. He has partnered with major investment firms including the Pritzker family, Cerberus Capital Management, Lubert-Adler, Sun Capital, and Blackstone.

Philanthropic Philosophy: In discussing the family's $5 million pledge to Camp Chi, Hersch Klaff stated: "We trust by having the best available facilities, the Camp will attract more Jewish campers, which we strongly believe is critical for the future of Jewish America. We are grateful to be in a position to help enhance Camp Chi with the resources it needs for its future offerings."

This quote reveals the foundation's focus on strengthening Jewish identity and community, particularly through experiences that shape future generations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Klaff Family Foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation's IRS filings explicitly state: "The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the board of trustees to organizations with which they have established relationships. The foundation operates through a traditional private foundation model where trustees identify and select beneficiaries based on their personal knowledge, involvement, and strategic philanthropic interests.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's documented giving patterns, the Klaff family's philanthropic engagement appears to stem from:

Personal and Family Connections: The $5 million gift to Camp Chi was made to an organization where "their children attended camp," according to Edward Atkins, M.D., Camp Chi Campaign Chair. This suggests the family supports organizations with which they have direct personal experience.

Board and Leadership Involvement: Hersch Klaff serves as President of the foundation and is described as "a contributor and supporter of many charities." He has documented involvement with King David Schools Foundation, suggesting board service and leadership roles may precede foundation grants.

Jewish Community Networks: The foundation's support concentrates heavily on Jewish organizations across multiple continents, suggesting the family is deeply embedded in Jewish communal networks. Organizations within these networks may come to the foundation's attention through shared trustees, community events, or collaborative initiatives.

Chicago Civic Engagement: Support for Chicago-based cultural institutions like Writers Theatre suggests engagement in the broader Chicago philanthropic and civic community.

Organizations seeking to build relationships with this foundation would benefit from connections within Jewish communal organizations, the Chicago philanthropic community, or Klaff Realty's business networks, though there is no guarantee such connections will lead to funding consideration.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, analysis of their documented giving reveals:

Relationship-Driven Philanthropy: The foundation operates entirely on pre-existing relationships. As stated in their official documentation, they "only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations." Organizations receiving grants typically have direct connections to family members or trustees.

Long-Term Commitment to Jewish Causes: The foundation's leadership has articulated a clear vision about Jewish continuity. Hersch Klaff's statement about Camp Chi emphasizes the importance of attracting "more Jewish campers, which we strongly believe is critical for the future of Jewish America." Organizations aligned with strengthening Jewish identity, education, and community appear to be priorities.

Impact Through Infrastructure: The $5 million Camp Chi gift specifically focused on facility enhancements. Kyle Kolling, Camp Chi Director, noted the gift "will serve generations of campers to come, a true home away from home for another 100 years." This suggests the foundation values investments in physical infrastructure and lasting improvements rather than operating support.

Multigenerational Engagement: Edward Atkins noted "The Klaff family have been long-time supporters of Camp Chi, going back to when their children attended camp." This demonstrates the foundation's preference for organizations where family members have direct, often multigenerational, involvement.

Strategic Scale: While the foundation made 83 grants averaging $102,000 in 2023, they are also capable of transformational gifts like the $5 million Camp Chi pledge, indicating they will deploy significant resources for causes closely aligned with family values and interests.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications. Direct outreach is unlikely to result in funding consideration.

  • Relationship Prerequisites: All available evidence indicates grants flow from pre-existing relationships with trustees. Organizations without such connections should not expect funding opportunities.

  • Jewish Community Focus: While not exclusively Jewish in their giving, the foundation shows strong commitment to Jewish organizations, education, camping, community centers, and humanitarian causes serving Jewish populations globally.

  • Capacity for Major Gifts: Though the average grant is approximately $100,000, the family has demonstrated willingness to make multi-million dollar commitments for causes of deep personal significance.

  • Values-Driven Giving: Hersch Klaff's public statements emphasize Jewish continuity, youth development, and creating lasting infrastructure that serves future generations.

  • Geographic Diversity: The foundation supports organizations far beyond Chicago, including international giving in the UK, South Africa, Australia, and Brazil, suggesting global Jewish community connections.

  • Private Foundation Model: As a family foundation funded by investment income rather than active fundraising, the Klaff Family Foundation exemplifies traditional private foundation philanthropy where trustees exercise full discretion over grantmaking without public accountability for selection criteria.

References

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