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The Chase And Stephanie Coleman Foundation

Annual Giving
$21.0M
Grant Range
$10K - $2.9M
00

The Chase And Stephanie Coleman Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $20-22 million
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly available
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $2,857,000+
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York City and the tri-state area, with some national and international grants
  • Assets: $374 million (2024)

Contact Details

The foundation does not have a website or public contact information. It operates as a low-profile private foundation.

Location: New York, NY
EIN: 83-0451634

Overview

Founded in 2006 by hedge fund manager Chase Coleman III and his wife Stephanie Ercklentz Coleman, The Chase And Stephanie Coleman Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation focused primarily on New York City causes. Chase Coleman is the founder of Tiger Global Management and a former chairman of the Tiger Foundation. With assets exceeding $374 million as of 2024, the foundation has grown significantly over its nearly two-decade history, expanding annual giving from approximately $1 million in its early years to over $20 million in recent years. The foundation prioritizes education, health, children and youth programs, environmental conservation (particularly ocean and marine ecosystems), reproductive health, and poverty alleviation. In 2023, the foundation made 102 grants to organizations working across these focus areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with fixed application cycles. All grants are made at the trustees' discretion to preselected organizations.

Grant Amounts: Grants range widely from five-figure gifts to multi-million dollar commitments. In 2023, notable grants included $2,857,142 to Blue Meridian Partners and $2 million to the National Philanthropic Trust.

Priority Areas

Education: The foundation has a strong commitment to education, particularly programs serving disadvantaged youth in New York City:

  • Charter schools and educational networks (KIPP NY, East Harlem School)
  • College access and mentorship programs (iMentor, Teach for America, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity)
  • Catholic education (Inner-City Scholarship Fund)

Health & Medical: Support for major medical institutions and public health organizations:

  • NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
  • Hospital for Special Surgery (Chase Coleman serves on the board)
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering
  • Doctors Without Borders
  • Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

Children & Youth: Programs serving young people in New York City:

  • Boys Club of New York
  • Boys & Girls Harbor
  • All Our Kin (early childhood education)

Environmental Conservation: Growing portfolio focused on marine and coastal ecosystems:

  • Everglades Foundation
  • Oceans 5
  • GreenWave
  • Sustainable Ocean Alliance
  • Biodiversity Funders Group
  • GrowNYC

Poverty & Community Development:

  • Robin Hood Foundation
  • Tiger Foundation (Chase Coleman is former chairman and current board member)
  • Center for Community Alternatives
  • Brooklyn Org

Humanitarian & Social Justice:

  • World Central Kitchen
  • Abortion Care Network
  • Black Women's Blueprint
  • Public Health Institute
  • Resolution Project

What They Don't Fund

Given the foundation's preselected approach to grantmaking, they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited grant applications
  • Organizations outside their established network and priority areas
  • International development (with limited exceptions for humanitarian organizations like Doctors Without Borders)

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Charles Payson "Chase" Coleman III: Founder and trustee. Born June 1, 1975, Coleman is a billionaire hedge fund manager who founded Tiger Global Management in 2001 at age 25. He previously worked at Tiger Management under Julian Robertson, one of the legendary "Tiger Cubs." Coleman is a former chairman and current board member of the Tiger Foundation and serves on the Board of Trustees at Hospital for Special Surgery, where he co-chairs the Investment Committee. He also founded Coleman Family Ventures, an impact-focused organization investing in education, poverty, healthcare, and ocean-based climate solutions.

  • Stephanie Ercklentz Coleman: Co-founder and trustee. A Wellesley College graduate, Stephanie worked in investment banking for Merrill Lynch and marketing/PR for Anne Klein and Vera Wang before dedicating herself to philanthropy. She was featured in the 2003 documentary "Born Rich" about growing up in wealthy families.

The couple married in 2005 and reside in New York City with their four children.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Chase And Stephanie Coleman Foundation does not have a public application process. 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 trustees, Chase and Stephanie Coleman, based on their personal philanthropic interests and relationships within the nonprofit sector.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation made 102 grants in 2023, 88 grants in 2022, and 75 grants in 2021, all to organizations selected by the trustees.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, success in receiving funding depends entirely on:

  1. Personal relationships with the trustees: Organizations that receive funding typically have some connection to Chase or Stephanie Coleman through their personal networks, board memberships, or previous philanthropic involvement.

  2. Alignment with Chase Coleman's board commitments: Organizations where Chase Coleman serves in a leadership capacity, such as Hospital for Special Surgery and the Tiger Foundation, receive support.

  3. Presence in the New York City nonprofit ecosystem: The foundation's strong preference for New York City organizations, particularly those addressing education and poverty in underserved communities, reflects Chase's history with the Tiger Foundation and its mission to break the cycle of poverty in NYC.

  4. Focus on measurable impact: As a hedge fund manager known for data-driven decision-making, Chase Coleman's philanthropic approach likely values organizations that can demonstrate clear outcomes and impact metrics.

  5. Growing environmental and ocean conservation focus: Recent grants show expanding interest in marine ecosystems and environmental organizations, reflecting Chase's Coleman Family Ventures focus on "ocean-based climate solutions."

  6. Strategic, collaborative approaches: Multi-million dollar grants to intermediaries like Blue Meridian Partners and National Philanthropic Trust suggest interest in collaborative funding models and strategic philanthropy.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - do not attempt to submit proposals or letters of inquiry
  • The foundation operates through trustee-directed giving based on personal relationships and philanthropic networks
  • Primary geographic focus is New York City, with strong emphasis on education and health in underserved communities
  • Annual giving has grown significantly, from ~$1 million in early years to over $20 million currently
  • Grant sizes vary dramatically from five figures to multi-million dollar commitments
  • Recent expansion into environmental conservation, particularly ocean and marine ecosystem protection
  • Organizations connected to Chase Coleman's board service (Hospital for Special Surgery, Tiger Foundation) receive support
  • Foundation maintains a very low public profile with no website or public contact information
  • If your organization fits the foundation's priorities, focus on building relationships within New York City philanthropic circles where the Colemans are active

References

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