NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs; Satter Investment Management

FUNDING AREAS: Education, Youth, Policy & Global, Arts & Culture, Health & Human Services, Chicago Community

OVERVIEW: Muneer Satter and his wife Kristen Hertel move their philanthropy through the Satter Foundation, which held nearly $73 million in assets, and gave away around $6.3 million in a recent fiscal year. The couple's philanthropy through their foundation is varied, but top interests include education reform in Chicago, conservative policy, and global development. The couple has also been supportive of their mutual alma mater Northwestern, the recent recipient of a $10.5 million gift.

BACKGROUND: Muneer Satter received a B.A. from Northwestern University, and a J.D. and MBA from Harvard. Satter joined Goldman Sachs in 1988 and moved to London in 1992 to launch and co-head the firm’s merchant banking group in Europe. Satter returned to New York and was the global head of the mezzanine group. He was also a partner of the firm for sixteen years. Satter now manages Satter Investment Management (SIM), a private investment firm and family office. Satter and his wife Kristen live in Winnetka, Illinois. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION: Satter and his wife Kristen are proponents of education reform and back charter schools. They are primary supporters of New Schools for Chicago, which opens and supports charter and district-run schools. Between 2011 and 2016, the Satter Foundation gave between $1 and $2 million to New Schools for Chicago alone. The couple via their Satter Foundation have also recently funded Academy for Urban School Leadership (which received a $200,000 grant recently), KIPP Ascend Charter School, Noble Network of Charter Schools, Perspectives Charter Schools, Teach for America, and Winnetka Public Schools Foundation. Another important grantee here is The Alain Locke Initiative, "a nonprofit education organization focused on closing the achievement gap by energizing urban schools with high-impact leaders." Alain Locke also runs a charter school. 

The couple also supports higher education. Satter has supported Harvard Law and Harvard Business School recently. The couple has also steadily supported their mutual alma mater Northwestern University. In 2015, Satter and Kristen gave a $10.5 million grant to Northwestern. Most of the gift will support the Satter Foundation Scholarship program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Other recent Satter Foundation grantees include the Greeley School, Art Institute of Chicago, Seton Academy, and St. Malachy School.

YOUTH: Kristen is a director of Beyond Sports Foundation, which "prepares student-athletes to succeed in life." She's been involved with the organization since its inception and the couple's foundation has provided support. The couple has also funded StreetSquash and JumpStart, among others.

POLICY & GLOBAL: Satter serves as a national council cochair of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a right of center think tank. The couple via their foundation recently gave a $100,000 grant to AEI. Other recent grantees include Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Doctors Without Borders, Foundation for Defense of Democracy, Heritage Foundation, Illinois Policy Institute, One Acre Fund, and Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Room to Read recently received a $455,000 grant from the Satter Foundation. The organization aims to improve literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. The New Venture Fund (NVF) also received a $500,000 grant recently. NVF works to "achieve a healthier, more equitable world." Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS) is another important grantee, and received a $515,000 grant recently. While some of these outfits are decidedly right-leaning, like AEI, Heritage Foundation, and the Illinois Policy Institute, others are not. It's also worth noting that quite a few of these organizations work in global development, too. Moreover, Satter and Kristen are pumping quite a bit of money into these interest areas.

ARTS & CULTURE: The Satter couple's arts and culture philanthropy is focused in on the Chicago area. Recent grantees include Chicago Botanical Garden, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Zoological Society, Joffrey Ballet, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The couple via their foundation have recently funded outfits like Friedman Brain Institute, Lurie Children's Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Northwestern University Health System, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. On the human services front, recent grantees include United Way, Family Service of Winnetka, Greater Chicago Food Depository, and the Robin Hood Foundation.

CHICAGO COMMUNITY: While, Satter has been a strong backer of Republican candidates, he's also supported Rahm Emanuel for years. Satter and Kristen have put more than $352,000 into Emanuel's mayoral campaigns and supportive political committees, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records. The couple's foundation recently gave the Emanuel-chaired World Business Chicago a $100,000 grant. It has also recently supported 100 Club Chicago and the Chicago Community Foundation.

OTHER: A component of this couple's varied philanthropy also involves the environment. Satter sits on the board of the Illinois chater of Nature Conservancy, the recent recipient of the $400,000 grant from the Satter Foundation. In past years, large money has also flowed to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund.

LOOKING FORWARD: Only in his mid 50s, Satter is running an active philanthropic operation with his wife Kristen. Expect Satter to continue to be a player in the Chicago charter movement and perhaps take his efforts nationally. Satter's work in the conservative policy arena should also be watched.

CONTACT:

The Satter Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple but below is an address 

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs

FUNDING AREAS: Environmental Conservation

OVERVIEW: Linden founded the Linden Trust for Conservation, which provides funds and strategic support for conservation and climate efforts using market-based strategies. 

BACKGROUND: Lawrence H. Linden graduated from Princeton with a BSE, and received his Ph.D. from MIT. Linden was a partner at McKinsey for several years before joining Goldman Sachs in 1992. Linden made partner at the firm and was also a manging director. He retired from Goldman in 2008.

ISSUES:

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION:  The Linden Trust for Conservation describes itself as a "medium-sized charitable foundation whose mission is to help stabilize Earth's biodiversity and ecological processes for the benefit of humanity." The foundation is best known for setting up creative financing for long-term support of large-scale conservation projects. However, the trust recently launched a Market Solutions Initiative, which seeks to encourage the adoption of an "economy-wide, market-based solution to address the challenge of climate change." One of the program's goals is to tackle the problem through policies that can win bipartisan support.

The trust also has two other programs. Through its Environmental Markets program, one recent project is Reductions in Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation ("REDD"). REDD supports the current effort to amend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to allow carbon credits to be granted to countries that demonstrate reductions in their emissions of carbon dioxide due to deforestation. Through its Conservation Program, one long-running effort is Restoration of the Great Plains, whose objective is to partially restore significant features of the American Great Plains, including the ecological restoration of the bison.

On an institutional front, Linden has given its most grantmaking support to Resources for the Future and the World Wildlife Fund. Larry Linden is a member and former chairman of the board of trustees of Resources for the Future, as well as a board member of World Wildlife Fund.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect Linden to stay laser-focused on the environment, bringing his unique finance perspective and giving growing attention to climate change policy.

LINKS:

• Linden Trust For Conservation
• Larry Linden E-Mail

NET WORTH: $2.6 billion

SOURCE of WEALTH: Pershing Square Capital Management, Gotham Partners

FUNDING AREAS: Health, Education, Arts & Culture, Economic Development, Justice, Jewish Community

OVERVIEW: Ackman has committed several hundred million dollars to charitable and social causes since he and his wife Karen founded the Pershing Square Foundation in 2006. He has a broad range of philanthropic interests. 

BACKGROUND: Ackman was raised in a Jewish family in Chappaqua, New York, and grew up around the financial industry, the son of the chair of a real estate financing firm. After attending Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he cofounded Gotham Capital Management, which grew to more than $500 million in assets over the next decade. Ackman started Pershing Square Capital Management in 2004.  

PHILOSOPHY: Bill credits his father with instilling in him a sense of duty to give back, recalling in his Giving Pledge letter that he gave away a portion of the first money he ever earned. This seems to have influenced his giving philosophy, prompting him to give more money away sooner rather than later.  

Ackman believes strongly in finding the places where his money will do the most good, and likes to back organizations that take a sustainable business-like approach to tackling difficult social issues. 

ISSUES: 

EDUCATION: Though it took a back seat to Mark Zuckerberg's $100 million donation to transform Newark, NJ public schools, Ackman's $25 million gift was in some ways more generous, considering that his net worth is less than one twentieth that of Zuckerberg. Harvard College has also been a major recipient, along with the Dalton School and the Boys & Girls Harbor. Teach for America, DonorsChoose, and iMentor have been recipients as well, each receiving grants of several hundred thousand dollars. Ackman has also been among the top funders of scholarships for undocumented immigrant students, the so-called DREAMers.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT: Among Ackman's global bets has been the One Acre Fund, which supports small farmers; Root Capital, which also works with small farmers in Africa and Latin America; and Bridge International Academies, a for-profit company that funds primary schools in both Uganda and Kenya. Other grantees have included Living Goods, Nuru, Echoing Green, the Social Entrepreneurs Fund, the Grameen Fund, Digital Divide Data, and Kickstart International, all of which are involved with things like microentrepreneurship, creating sustainable green economies, and providing Internet access, financial tools, twenty-first century job training, and other resources to developing populations. 

ARTS & CULTURE: The Ackmans' biggest gift in arts and culture has been to the Signature Theatre Company, where they committed $25 million to a capital campaign. They've also given millions to Friends of the High Line. The Park Avenue Armory has also received significant contributions, and while most of this money stays in New York City, they have also given to the Boston Ballet.

HEALTH: In 2013, the Ackmans helped form a partnership known as the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance, which supports promising innovation work by young investigators at a stage when traditional funding is lacking. The foundation's primary area of interest in health, however, seems to be more about basic healthcare needs, and particularly access for the poor. This was undoubtedly part of the impetus for its endowment of the Chair of Global Health at Harvard Medical School.

The Pershing Square Foundation also previously funded the Global Health Discovery Project, and has funded Health Leads, which works to expand health clinic capacity in six major cities, improving minimum standards of care and ensuring broader access to health care, as well as Last Mile Health, which provides healthcare services in rural Africa. They've also made smaller donations to Mass General, the American Cancer Society, and the Cold Spring Harbor Lab.

JUSTICE & HUMAN RIGHTS: Ackman has given $10 million to Human Rights Watch to develop new initiatives for its Africa and Women's Rights divisions. (Karen sits on that organization's board.) He's also been a major supporter of the Innocence Project and Centurion Ministries, both of which are dedicated to investigating cases of those who may have been wrongfully convicted. 

NEW YORK COMMUNITY: The Ackmans have given millions to the Robin Hood Foundation, one of the major poverty-fighting organizations in New York City.  

JEWISH CAUSES: Given than Ackman has acknowledged that he is "not a particularly religious person", and believe that his "limited time on earth is all [he] is going to get," it may seem a little strange that he spearheaded an effort for the Center for Jewish History to retire $30 million in debt, personally contributing $6.8 million himself. Perhaps it's more about history and culture than religion, but in any case, he's also been a major contributor to Natan and Mati, two organizations that focus on social entrepreneurship and business development in Israel, as well as the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

LOOKING FORWARD: Ackman is still relatively young, and very involved in his hedge fund. We expect this Wall Streeter to earn a lot more money down the line—and also to keep giving away a lot.  

LINKS:  Pershing Square Foundation

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Selz Capital

FUNDING AREAS: Higher Education, Arts & Historic Preservation, Policy, Human Services, Animals & Environment, K-12 Education, Health

OVERVIEW: Bernard Selz and his wife Lisa move their philanthropy through the Selz Foundation, which in a recent fiscal year held close to $173 million in assets and gave away around $12 million. The couple's philanthropy is extensive and varied, and the Selz Foundation made more than 120 grants in a recent year. Interests include higher education, the arts, historic preservation, and policy. The couple collects pieces from the Middle Ages and much of their higher education work has focused on supporting social sciences, including archeology. Selz's board memberships include the World Monuments Fund. The foundation only disperses grants to pre-selected organizations.

BACKGROUND: Bernard Selz graduated with a degree from Columbia University in 1960. He worked with companies like Lazard Frères and Furman Selz before establishing Selz Capital. Selz and Lisa are based in New York. 

ISSUES:

HIGHER EDUCATION: Bernard and Lisa Selz have endowed professorships and lectures at several colleges and universities. Much of this work is centered around social sciences, namely archaeology. The couple endowed professorships at Columbia in medieval art, as well as pre-Columbian art and archaeology, and a lecture at the Pratt Institute, alma mater of the foundation's vice president, architect Arnold Syrop. Other philanthropy includes a conservation fellowship at NYU Institute of Fine Arts. These institutions have all recently seen support from the couple via their foundation. Columbia received a $765,000 grant recently.

The couple has also recently supported schools like College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California, where funds supported research on the Mayans; Bard Graduate Center; and Goucher College, Lisa's alma mater, which recently received a $550,000 grant. There's a Goucher Prison Education Partnership, which the Selz Foundation supports; Hunter College; Institute for the Study of the Ancient World; adult education school Ackerman Institute for the Family; and Marymount Manhattan College. Another important grantee here is LaGuardia Community College, which received a $1 million grant from the Selz couple in 2014. Lisa Selz sits on the board of the community college and, somewhat uniquely among philanthropists, believes in the importance of these two-year institutions.

ARTS, CULTURE & HISTORIC PRESERVATION: Selz and Lisa are collectors of pieces from the Middle Ages and have a strong interest in the period, as well as in antiquity and Native American history. Museums and performing arts institutions also appear to be of interest, as well as film. Recent grantees reflect these various interests and include Brooklyn Museum, Dallas Museum, American Classical Orchestra (which recently got a $137,000 grant), Jacob Burns Film Center, Livingston Center for Arts & Culture in Montana, National Museum of the American Indian, Penn Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, The Frick Collection, Foundation for Anthropological Research, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, and Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, where Selz is a trustee.

Internationally, the couple supports Friends of the Musee Des Arts and Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archeology at Oxford University. Selz and Lisa were lead supporters of new galleries of Ancient Egypt and Nubia at Ashmolean Museum. In 2009, the Selzes gave a $1.21 million gift to the World Monuments Fund, where Selz sits on the board of trustees. The Selz Foundation steadily funds World Monuments Fund, and a lot of this work recently has to do with preservation and conservation work in Peru.

POLICY: The couple supports organizations like Cato Institute, the Manhattan Institute, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), Drug Policy Alliance, Empire Center for Public Policy, and Institute for Justice, which recently received a $2.7 million grant via the Selz Foundation. Institute for Justice describes itself as the "nation's only libertarian, civil liberties, public interest law firm." 

HUMAN SERVICES: Recent grantees include Greater Life, which works with the underprivileged in Newark; Hartley House in Midtown Manhattan; and Livingston Food Pantry and Montana Food Bank in Montana. The Selz couple appear to have an interest in adoption and have recently supported Spence Chapin Adoption Agency, New Hope for Children, and Donaldson Adoption Institute, which recently received a $151,500 grant from the couple's foundation.

ANIMALS & ENVIRONMENT: The couple recently gave Nature Conservancy a $1.1 million grant via their foundation. They've also recently supported Nature Conservancy of Montana, Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wildlife Fund, North Shore Animal League, SPCA of Westchester, and Stafford Animal Shelter, among others.

K-12 EDUCATION: Lisa Selz sits on the board of Allen Stevenson School in Manhattan. The private school recently received more than $1 million from the Selzes via their foundation. Other grantees include Collegiate School, Covenant Christian Ministries Academy, De La Salle Institute, Harbor Science & Arts Charter School, Prep for Prep, and the Millbrook School, which recently received close to $330,000. 

HEALTH & SCIENCE:  The couple helpds fund health outfits like Calvary Fund, which supports Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, the Cornell Center for Materials Research, and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect this couple's robust philanthropy to continue in line with their established interest areas.

CONTACT:

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Blum Capital Partners; TPG Capital

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Policy & Global , Human Services/Community Development, Arts & Culture, Environment

OVERVIEW: Richard Blum moves his philanthropy through the Blum Family Foundation. His wife, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, does not appear to be on the foundation's books. Blum has strongly supported alma mater UC Berkeley, where last decade he established the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies. Education, policy and community development are strong interests.  Blum also appears to be interested in arts organizations that aim to have a social impact. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

BACKGROUND: Born in 1935, Richard C. Blum received his BS in business administration from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1958, followed by an MBA in 1959. He served with Sutro & Co. for nearly two decades and in 1975 cofounded Blum Capital Partners. Blum also cofounded TPG Capital. Blum isn't on the Forbes list, though he's been referred to as a billionaire. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Last decade, Blum's $15 million gift to alma mater UC Berkeley launched the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies, an interdisciplinary hub for students, researchers, and scholars focusing on global poverty and inequality. Blum joined the University of California Board of Regents in 2002. Blum continues to support his school as well as places like UCSF, UCLA, UC Merced, Macalester College and Sonoma State University. On the K-12 front, grantees include Consortium of Catholic Academies, which supports students of four inner-city Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Washington; The Nueva School; and Dianne Feinstein Elementary School in the San Francisco Unified School District. 

POLICY & GLOBAL: Given that Blum's wife is prominent U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who's also a former mayor of San Francisco, it's no surprise that policy is a major philanthropic interest of the family. Via his family foundation, Blum has supported outfits like Panetta Institute for Public Policy, which serves the entire California State University system plus several other schools; San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association; The Brookings Institution, where Blum is a trustee; Institute for Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley; and the National Democratic Institute. Blum also supports organizations that work on a global level, and he chairs the American Himalayan Foundation (AHF), which engages in humanitarian projects in Tibet and Nepal. Blum supports AHF as well as the Carter Center, and others. 

HUMAN SERVICES/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: Blum funds organizations that support the underprivileged. Blum Family Foundation's grantees include Inner City Advisors, a national, non-profit organization that promotes the competitive advantages and social impact of doing business in the inner city; John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes; SF Food Bank; and Time for Change Foundation, whose mission is to "empower disenfranchised low-income individuals and families by building leadership through evidence-based programs and housing to create self-sufficiency and thriving communities."

ARTS & CULTURE: Blum's arts and culture philanthropy appears to focus on organizations that aim to have a social impact. For instance, he's supported Creative Visions Foundation, which "supports creative activists, who use media for change," and Daniel Pearl Foundation, which "promotes cross-cultural understanding through journalism and music." Other grantees include Geffen Playhouse, Rubin Museum of Art, Asian Art Museum, and SF Conservatory of Music. 

ENVIRONMENT:  Blum via his foundation has funded outfits like The Wilderness Society, National Geographic International Council of Advisors, and EcoFlight, which provides aircraft for environmental advocacy.

OTHER:  Blum also supports health outfits and Jewish organizations through his foundation. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Blum is in his 80s and still very much engaged in business. However, he and wife Dianne Feinstein are a socially and politically connected couple who should be watched carefully.

CONTACT:

The Blum Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch but below is an address: 

LINK:

Blum Capital

NET WORTH: $12.7 billion

SOURCE of WEALTH: SAC Capital Advisors; Point72 Asset Management

FUNDING AREAS: Health (Pediatric, Lyme Disease, & Mental Health), Education, Arts & Culture, NYC Community, Veterans

OVERVIEW: Steve and his wife Alexandra have given away more than a quarter of a billion dollars over the last decade, the majority of which has gone to NYC area hospitals, and the Robin Hood Foundation, where he is on the board. He was recently fined over a billion dollars for failing to prevent insider trading, but this does not seem to have slowed down his giving.

BACKGROUND: Cohen grew up on Long Island, and attended the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania before joining Gruntal & Co. as a junior trader in 1978, and eventually worked his way up to running his own trading group before founding his own trading firm, SAC Capital Advisors, which now manages $14 billion in equity.

ISSUES:

HEALTH: Most of the Cohens’ donations tend to be large sums to area hospitals, and the primary focus is generally on pediatric care. The Long Island Jewish Medical and North Shore University Hospital has received tens of millions to expand pediatric care, and the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital at the NY Presbyterian Cornell Weill Medical Center has received $50 million. They also gave $17 million to help create the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury at NYU Langone Medical Center. In late 2015, the couple gave $6.5 million to Lyme disease research, the largest amount ever donated according to the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, as well as $75 million to New York-Presbyterian Hospital in order to build a wing dedicated to newborns and their mothers.

EDUCATION: Cohen has contributed more than $36 million to Brown University, where he sits on the board of trustees. At least $6 million of that went to establish the Cohen Gallery at the university’s Granoff Center for the Creative Arts. Cohen has been a supporter of charter schools and education reform, supporting Achievement First, ConnCAN, and Harlem RBI, among others. The Equity Project Charter School (TEP) also recently received $3 million from the couple to support its music curriculum.

NYC POVERTY: Cohen and his wife have donated more than $80 million to the Robin Hood Foundation, which was founded by fellow hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones, and supports a variety of programs that aim to combat poverty in the New York City area.

ARTS & CULTURE: Cohen is one of the world’s most active art buyers, and sits on the board of trustees to the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, and pledged more than a million dollars to the museum. They have donated $3 million to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, recently gave $3 million to USC Cinematic Arts for scholarships, and more than $6 million Brown University’s Granoff Center for the Creative Arts. As well, $2.4 million has gone to New York’s Museum of Modern Art, nearly a million to the Met, $2 million to the Whitney, and more than half a million to New York’s Museo del Barrio. They also make a couple million dollars in smaller donations every year to museums and arts organizations of all shapes and sizes. These donations focus primarily on the New York City area, and tend to range from around $10,000 for smaller organizations like ArtsConnection or Creative Time, to closer to $100,000 for organizations like the Guggenheim or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Tribeca Film institute has also been a frequent recipient of donations, receiving approximately $100,000 in total from grants dating back to 2004.

VETERANS: Cohen made a $275 million pledge to support military veterans and their families by opening up free mental-healthcare clinics across the country. The so-called Cohen Vetrans Network will treat veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress, and other mental health conditions free of charge.

LOOKING FORWARD: Responding to questions about his giving that resulted from his securities scandal, Cohen released a statement saying, “The Cohens expect to continue to increase their charitable giving in future years, as they have over the past decade." That’s good news for the organizations that have been the recipients of his philanthropy, which have generally stood by him. For example, the Robin Hood Foundation, “Steve Cohen is a valued and thoughtful member of Robin Hood's board, and his leadership and generosity over the past nine years has benefited countless New Yorkers in need. We are not asking him to step down, and we have no reason to believe that he will." It is possible that the scandal may even spur greater giving, or support for issues like financial ethics and education. In health, look for broader support of pediatric care, but the biggest donation that Cohen may make in the future may not actually be money, but his art collection, which is worth at least $700 million. 

IP POSTS:

NET WORTH: $1.6 Billion

SOURCE OF WEALTH: First Manhattan

FUNDING AREAS: Jewish Causes (U.S. & Israel), Education, Health, Human Services, Arts & Culture

OVERVIEW: David Gottesman, his wife Ruth and family move their philanthropy through the Gottesman Fund, which was established in 1965. The family are major supporters of Jewish organizations both in the United States and in Israel. Gottesman once chaired the board of Yeshiva University. Other interests include education and human services. The family's charity does not accept unsolicited proposals.

BACKGROUND: David Sanford "Sandy" Gottesman graduated from Trinity College in Connecticut and received his MBA from Harvard. Gottesman met Warren Buffett in 1962 and was an early investor in Berkshire Hathaway. Gottesman founded his own investment firm, First Manhattan Co. in 1964. His son Robert now runs the company.

ISSUES:

JEWISH CAUSES: Gottesman and his family are major contributors to Jewish organizations both in the United States and in Israel. Via their family fund, they've given millions to PEF Israel Endowment Funds, an outfit founded in 1922 to enable the direct distribution of funds to selected and approved charitable organizations in Israel. Gottesman couple's daughter Alice has served on the board of JCC for some two decades and currently chairs the board of directors of JCC Manhattan, which has received steady support from the family. Other grantees include Birthright Israel; Ramaz School; Beth Din of America, a "rabbinical court which serves affiliated and unaffiliated Jews"; Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education; Drisha Institute for Jewish Education; Foundation For Jewish Camp; Friends Of The Israel Defense Forces; and UJA-Federation of New York.

EDUCATION: The family has strongly supported Yeshiva University, where Gottesman is a chair emeritus. Last decade, the Gottesmans gave a $25 million gift to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University to establish the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Other grantees include Jewish schools like Abraham Joshua Heschel School, SAR Academy in Riverdale, New York, Golda Och Academy and Solomon Schechter School of Westchester. In addition, the couple has supported colleges and universities like Barnard College, Champlain College, and University of Wisconsin. It's worth mentioning that Ruth has a master's degree in developmental education and a Ed.D. in human cognition and learning both from Teachers College. Ruth has funded a scholarship fund at Teachers College and last decade, the couple funded the Gottesman Libraries at the school. 

HEALTH:  Grantees include Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation, Center For Reproductive Rights, Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation, Hospital for Special Surgery, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and NYU Langone Medical Center. 

HUMAN SERVICES: The Gottesmans via their fund earmark funds for human services. Grantees include City Harvest, Committee On Temporary Shelter, Food Bank For New York City, Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, and Lund Family Center, which "works to break the cycles of poverty, addiction and abuse by supporting pregnant and parenting teens, young adults, and adoptive families."

ARTS & CULTURE: Grantees include American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Children's Museum, and Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, which has recieved especially large support.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family's robust philanthropy to continue. In a recent tax year, their family fund held nearly $350 million in assets.

CONTACT:

The Gottesman Fund does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the family but below is contact information

NET WORTH: Unknown 

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Weitz Investments

FUNDING AREAS: Higher Education, Arts and Culture, Autism Research and Services, Capacity Building, Leadership Development

OVERVIEW: Wally Weitz, his wife Barbara, and family move their philanthropy through the Weitz Family Foundation, which has a strong web presence and accepts applications. The foundation's grantmaking focuses on Nebraska, where around a half of its annual giving goes to arts and cultural institutions in Omaha. Outside of Nebraska, the family are major funders of Carleton College in Minnesota. 

BACKGROUND: Wally Weitz was born in Pittsburgh to a social worker and a college professor. He grew up in New Orleans and attended Carleton College in 1970 with a degree in economics. He worked on Wall Street and then in 1983, he founded Weitz Investment Management in Omaha which now manages about $6 billion in assets through its family of mutual funds and separately managed accounts.

ISSUES:

HIGHER EDUCATION: Wally and Barbara Weitz, as well as their three children, and their children's spouses are all graduates of Carleton College in Minnesota. In 2007, they helped set in motion the Weitz Center for Creativity with a $15 million gift, and recently gave $20 million towards a music performance commons addition to the center. 

ARTS & CULTURE: Much of the family's philanthropy involves Nebraska, where the Weitz Family Foundation focuses on several key giving areas. Through its Living Well in Omaha priority area, the foundation supports arts and cultural institutions in Omaha, accounting for around half of the foundation's annual giving. They've been founding supporters of outfits like the Union for Contemporary Art, Omaha Girls Rock, and Great Plains Louder than a Bomb. The foundation says that it is particularly interested in funding "organizations and projects that reach a broad swath of our community" as well as those that "promote and facilitate conversations and greater understanding of others."

AUTISM RESEARCH & SERVICES: A new priority area of the foundation, the family has an interest in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) research, education and training for providers, as well as providing increased services for the growing population. 

CAPACITY BUILDING: The foundation is also interested in capacity building work which it sees as work that improves the effectiveness and faithfulness of the organization in achieving its mission. This includes capital gifts, such as the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: The foundation is interested in "cultivating the development of and providing opportunity for leaders to connect, reflect and advance their causes."

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect Wally Weitz and family to remain laser-focused on Nebraska and Carleton College.

LINK: Weitz Family Foundation 

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs

FUNDING AREAS: Global Development & Venture Philanthropy, Education, Human Services & Youth, Health

OVERVIEW: Robert Kaplan moves his philanthropy through the Robert S. Kaplan Foundation. Kaplan plays a prominent role on the board of several outfits, which track with his philanthropic interests. He's co-chair of Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation in Menlo Park, a venture philanthropy outfit focused on early-stage organizations. He's funded other venture philanthropy and global development outfits, too.  He's also chair of Project ALS, a centerpiece of his health philanthropy. Kaplan also earmarks sums for education, particularly at his alma mater Harvard.

BACKGROUND: Robert S. Kaplan was born and raised in Prairie Village, Kansas. He attended University of Kansas, where he received bachelor’s degree in business administration and went on to get his MBA at Harvard in 1983. Kaplan spent more than two decades at Goldman Sachs, serving as global co-head of the investment banking division, and later vice chairman. Kaplan was also a partner at the firm. In 2006, Kaplan joined Harvard where he was a senior associate dean and professor of management practice at Harvard Business School. In Fall of 2015, Kaplan stepped into his role as twelfth president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. 

ISSUES:

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT & VENTURE PHILANTHROPY: Robert Kaplan is co-chair of Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (DRK), an outfit founded by venture capitalists William Draper III. and Robin Richards Donohoe in 2002. In 2010, the pair partnered with Kaplan and a group of 14 others to scale up operations. DRK is a venture philanthropy outfit which is focused on early-stage organizations with the potential to create effective, scalable solutions to pressing social problems in the U.S. and abroad. Kaplan through his foundation has steadily supported DRK. In the three most recent fiscal years available, Kaplan gave $3.5 million to the outfit.

Kaplan has also recently funded Clinton Health Access Initiative, which tackles HIV/AIDS in the developing world, and The Global Fairness Initiative, which "promotes a more equitable, sustainable approach to economic development for the world’s working poor by advancing fair wages, equal access to markets, and balanced public policy to generate opportunity and end the cycle of poverty." Kaplan has also supported Social Finance, a "nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing capital to drive social progress," and Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), which encourages "inner-city revitalization."

EDUCATION: In 2008, Kaplan helped establish the Robert S. Kaplan Life Sciences Fellowships at Harvard Business School, which aims to encourage students with life sciences backgrounds and career interests to attend the school. Awards of $20,000 each are given to ten incoming MBA students. Kaplan has recently supported Harvard Medical School (where he sits on the board of fellows), Columbia University, University of Kansas, The TEAK Fellowship, and Global Citizen Year, among others.

HUMAN SERVICES & YOUTH: Recent grantees include Joyful Heart Foundation, whose mission is to "heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse," hunger outfit Share Our Strength, the Rape Foundation, Henry Street Settlement , and Cradles to Crayons, which "provides children from birth to age 12, living in low- income and homeless situations, with the essential items they need to thrive."

HEALTH: Kaplan chairs the board of directors of Project ALS. Kaplan was friends with theater producer and Project ALS founder Jenifer Estess, who passed away from the disease last decade. Kaplan has steadily supported the outfit. He's also funded Prize4Life, another ALS outfit. Kaplan has also recently given support to American Diabetes Association and Foundation Fighting Blindness. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Post Goldman Sachs, Kaplan has shifted gears a few times and has been rather active. With his new gig at the Federal Reserve of Dallas, perhaps Texas will emerge as another site of philanthropy. His work with Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation should be watched carefully.

CONTACT:

The Robert S. Kaplan Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch but below is an address 

Robert S. Kaplan Foundation
P.O. Box 73, Bowling Green Sta.
New York City, NY 10274

LINKS: Robert Kaplan Twitter

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Global Crossing; Winnick & Company

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Literacy, Health, Arts & Culture, Animals, Jewish Causes 

OVERVIEW: The Winnick Family Foundation was founded by Los Angeles-based couple Gary and Karen Winnick. The Foundation focuses giving in the program areas of education, literacy, health care, art, culture, animal welfare and the needs of the worldwide Jewish community. The family's philanthropy focuses on New York and Los Angeles, with an international component, too. 

BACKGROUND: Gary Winnick grew up in a Jewish family in Long Island, New York, where his father owned a restaurant supply business. He graduated from Long Island University in 1969. Winnick was a senior executive at Drexel Burnham Lambert in its high yield and convertible bond group and also founded Global Crossing and Asia Global Crossing.Winnick is currently chairman and CEO of Winnick & Company, an investment firm based in Los Angeles.

ISSUES: 

EDUCATION & LITERACY: The Winnicks have strongly supported Winnick's alma mater Long Island University, including with a $10 million gift last decade. The school is home to the Winnick House and Arnold S. Winnick Student Center. They've also given Karen's alma mater Syracuse millions, and have supported Stanford and Brown, as well. Other grantees have included The Center for Early Education and The UCLA Foundation.  Karen Winnick is a children's book author and has a particular interest in literacy. The Winnicks have supported outfits like the Wonder of Reading.

HEALTH: A big winner here has been Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which has received millions, and is home to the Winnick Family Clinical & Translational Research Center. Other grantees have included American Cancer Society.

ARTS & CULTURE: Winnick is a member of the boards of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Simon Wiesenthal Center. These two outfits have received especially strong support from the family. Other grantees have included LACMA, Music Center, LA Opera, Fowler Museum at UCLA, and Aquarium of the Pacific. 

ANIMALS: Karen has a particular interest in animal welfare and is a member of the board of commissioners for the Los Angeles Zoo. Grantees have included Heifer International, Wildlife Conservation Society, African Wildlife Foundation, Spay Neuter Project of Los Angeles, Stray Cat Alliance, Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, and the Lange Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to saving impounded companion animals. 

JEWISH CAUSES: Winnick is a trustee of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) in Los Angeles. In 2000, Winnick contributed $40 million for a peace and tolerance institute being built by the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem. The Winnick Family Foundation has continued to support SWC. Other grantees have included Hillel, The Jewish Federation, World Jewish Congress, and PEF Israel Endowment Funds.  

LOOKING FORWARD: While Winnick was once on the billionaire's list during his Global Crossing days, he's  still has managed to retain some of his wealth. Grantmaking also appears to be on the rise at the foundation of late so expect the Winnicks to continue steadily supporting their select interest areas.

LINK: Winnick Family Foundation

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: The Carlyle Group 

FUNDING AREAS: Education (STEM), Youth, Health, Jewish Causes, Arts & Culture

OVERVIEW: Allan Holt and his wife Shelley move their philanthropy through the Hillside Foundation. The Holts recently gave a $20 million gift to United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Besides Jewish causes, the couple also supports STEM education, health, and more. The family's philanthropy through their foundation centers on the Mid-Atlantic region. 

BACKGROUND: Allan M. Holt graduated from Rutgers University and received his MBA from UC Berkeley. Holt worked at Avenir Group, Inc., an investment and advisory group, before joining The Carlyle Group in 1992. Based in Washington D.C., Holt is a senior partner and managing director of the Carlyle Group and Co‑Head of Carlyle’s U.S. buyout group.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION: Allan and Shelley Holt have keyed in on STEM in their education philanthropy. Part of this could be that Carlyle deals with the aerospace, defense, and IT sectors. Holt is a board member of Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The Holts helped establish the Holt Scholars Program at the museum which supports classroom activities, field trips, and teacher professional development. The couple and their foundation have also supported DCSTEM Network's STEM Institute for Teachers, and the ARCS Foundation, an "organization started and run entirely by women who boost American leadership and aid advancement in science and technology."

Outside of STEM education, the Holts have also supported Holt's alma mater UC Berkeley; Maya Angelou School, a public charter; DC Greens, a nonprofit that provides education and school garden programs to engage children and low-income families in sustainable nutrition; and Island Grown Initiative, a sustainable agriculture organization providing local food advocacy and farm education through a farm-to-school program on Martha’s Vineyard.

YOUTH: Shelley is a trustee of the Barker Foundation, an adoption organization. The family has strongly supported the outfit. The family has also given strong support to YMCA of Martha's Vineyard. The Holts have taken up residence in Martha's Vineyard, where a portion of their giving takes place. 

HEALTH: The Holts have focused a lot on women's healthcare and access to treatment. The couple via their foundation have supported 3D mammography at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore and Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

JEWISH CAUSES: The son of Holocaust survivors, Holt was appointed vice chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by President Obama in December 2015. The Holts, via their Hillside Foundation, recently gave a $20 million gift to United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in support of a comprehensive revitalization of its permanent exhibition. Another important grantee is Congregation B'nai Tzedek (CBT). The Holts have been steady supporters of the synagogue. Other grantees have included Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and The Defiant Requiem Foundation. The film, Defiant Requiem, tells the little-known story of the Nazi concentration camp, Terezin.

ARTS AND CULTURE: Grantees have included the Kennedy Center, National Children’s Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution.

OTHER: The Holts have supported Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), a "philanthropic investment organization that helps great leaders build strong, high-performing nonprofit institutions." A component of the family's philanthropy also involves human services.  

LOOKING FORWARD: Holt is in his 60s and very much engaged in business. Grantmaking of late seems to be on the rise, up from around $1 million annually at the start of the decade, to nearly $8 million in the most recent fiscal year released to the public. If Holt is like other Carlyle philanthropists we've written about, this is just the beginning. 

CONTACT:

The Hillside Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple but below is an address

The Hillside Foundation, Inc.
1001 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Ste. 220S
Washington, DC 20004 

LINK: The Carlyle Group

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Ariel Investments

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Financial Literacy, Racial Equity

OVERVIEW: John W. Rogers Jr. does not yet appear to have a foundation. According to one source, he has donated more $7 million to nonprofit causes. Much of his civic and philanthropic engagement involves his native Chicago. Rogers was an early donor to the Barack Obama Foundation.

BACKGROUND: John W. Rogers Jr. was born in Chicago in 1958. As a kid, Rogers started receiving gifts of stock from his father, a juvenile court judge, for Christmas and birthdays, which helped introduce him to investing. Rogers went on to graduate from Princeton University with a degree in economics. He worked as a stockbroker before founding Ariel Investments, the first minority-owned mutual fund company, in 1983. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Rogers has given strong support to University of Chicago and its lab schools. Rogers and his daughter Victoria attended the Lab Schools and his parents are alumni of UChicago's law school. Rogers' mother, by the way, was the first African-American female graduate. Rogers has served on UChicago's board for years and served as chairman of the Lab Schools board, during which time he helped raise $80 million for new buildings and programs. Rogers played a role in directing a $25 million gift to the Lab Schools from Mellody Hobson and her husband George Lucas, via their George Lucas Family Foundation. Hobson has been president of Ariel Investments for years. 

Rogers has also supported alma mater Princeton, where he donated $1 million for athletic facilities and sits on the board. 

FINANCIAL LITERACY: Rogers donated $1 million last decade to endow scholarships for eighth graders graduating from Ariel Community Academy, a public school located on the South Side of Chicago. The school emphasizes financial literacy in its curriculum. Rogers also co-chaired a presidential advisory council aimed at strengthening young people’s financial skills. 

OTHER: Rogers is an active supporter of President Obama and serves as a director of the Barack Obama Foundation. The foundation's primary focus will initially be on overseeing the design and construction of the Obama Presidential Center, to be built on the South Side of Chicago. Rogers is also a director of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Rogers is only in his 50s and still very much engaged in business. But there's plenty of time for his philanthropy to ramp up and his unique personal story makes him someone to especially watch. 

LINKS:

Ariel Investments

John W. Rogers Jr. Linkedin Profile

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Susquehanna International Group

FUNDING AREAS: Policy, Jewish Causes, Children, Health

OVERVIEW: Arthur Dantchik moves some of his philanthropy through the Claws Foundation, a low-profile vehicle that does not appear to accept unsolicited porposals. His business partner, Jeff Yass, is also a director of the foundation. Dantchik via the Claws Foundation, earmarks funds for policy outfits, many of the libertarian variety. Other areas of grantmaking include Jewish causes, and children's health. 

BACKGROUND: Arthur Dantchik received a bachelor's degree in biology from the State University of New York at Binghamton. Dantchik is an original founder of Susquehanna International Group (SIG) and now oversees SIG's operations in proprietary trading as well as the firm's international trading activities in Dublin and Sydney. 

ISSUES:

POLICY: Arthur Dantchik is on the board of Institute for Justice, a nonprofit libertarian public interest law firm. Via the Claws Foundation, Dantchik supports this outfit, as well as places like the Cato Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), The Ayn Rand Institute, the Reason Foundation, and the Niskanen Centerr, "a libertarian advocacy organization that works to change public policy through direct engagement in the policymaking process." 

JEWISH CAUSES: Dantchik, through the Claws Foundation, has strongly supported Shalom Hartman Institute, "a pluralistic research and leadership center at the forefront of Jewish thought and education in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora." Another big winner is Jerusalem Online University. Other grantees have included Central Fund of Israel, PEF Israel Endowment Funds, and American Friends of Old City Charities. 

CHILDREN & HEALTH: Through Claws, Dantchik has directed millions to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Other grantees have included Maidstone Foundation, which advocates for children and adults with disabilities; Wistar Institute, "the nation's first independent biomedical research facility"; and Kids Connect Charitable Fund, which was founded to focus on finding new approaches to treat sick kids.

OTHER: Dantchik and Susquehanna are based in the Philadelphia region, a site of philanthropy. Dantchick has supported the Franklin Institute, a museum in Philadelphia, via the Claws Foundation. He's also directed millions to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, which makes it tough to get a handle on the full scope of this funder's work.

LOOKING FORWARD: Dantchik and some of the other Susquehanna founders keep a rather low profile, making it difficult to know what drives some of their giving. It's clear that Dantchik is especially interested in the policy space, and should be watched carefully in this area.

CONTACT:

The Claws Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch, but below is contact information. The foundation is in care of a consultant, Sterling Foundation Management in Virginia.

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Levine Leichtman Capital Partners

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Health and Human Services, Arts & Culture, Los Angeles Community

OVERVIEW: Arthur E. Levine and his wife and business partner, Lauren, move their philanthropy through the Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation. Los Angeles is a significant site of philanthropy, and the foundation's grantmaking supports the schools the couple attended. Another area of interest is human services. The foundation keeps a low profile, but appears to accept applications. 

BACKGROUND: Arthur E. Levine is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Law and received his MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA. In 1984, with his wife, Lauren, he co-founded Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, an independent investment firm that invests in middle market companies located in the United States and Europe.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Levine and Lauren, via their family foundation, have supported Columbia University, UCLA, and Southwestern Law School, the couple's alma maters. A few years ago, Levine and Lauren gave a $1 million pledge to Southwestern Law School to create the Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment Fund. Other grantees have included CSUN Foundation; Oliver Scholars Program; True Spark, which teaches " positive character development in America's youth through the watching of inspiring movies and engagement in dynamic discussions"; and Alliance for College Ready Public Schools. The couple's schools as well as Alliance for College Ready Public Schools have been especially well funded by the family.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Grantees have included Friendly House, a women's recovery home, Aviva Family & Children's Services; Maple Counseling Center; Friends & Helpers Foundation, whose goal is to "provide support, education and encouragement for domestic abuse victims who have fled to a shelter or group home for safety"; and Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

ARTS & CULTURE: The couple, via their foundation, has supported places like Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, LA Opera, and Nevada Museum of Art. 

LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY: Levine and Lauren have given large sums to Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. They've also directed funds to the Beverly Hills, Community Charitable Foundation. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect this couple to stick with their established interest areas, with a particular eye on Los Angeles.

CONTACT:

The Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation does not provide clear grant guidelines. A recent tax form, though, indicates that applications should be addressed to the following:

Teri Mcclure
335 N. Maple Dr., 240
Beverly Hills, CA 90120
310-275-5335
tmcclure@llcp.com

LINK:

• Levine Leichtman Capital Partners 

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Levine Leichtman Capital Partners

FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Health and Human Services, Arts & Culture, Los Angeles Community

OVERVIEW: Lauren Leichtman and her husband and business partner, Arthur, move their philanthropy through the Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation. Los Angeles is a significant site of philanthropy, and the foundation's grantmaking supports the schools the couple attended. Another area of interest is human services. The foundation keeps a low profile but appears to accept applications. 

BACKGROUND: Lauren B. Leichtman graduated from Southwestern University School of Law and in 1982, received her LLM from Columbia University Law School.  In 1984, with her husband Arthur she cofounded Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, an independent investment firm that invests in middle market companies located in the United States and Europe.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Leichtman and Arhtur, via their family foundation, have supported Columbia University, UCLA, and Southwestern Law School, the couple's alma maters. A few years ago, Levine and Lauren gave a $1 million pledge to Southwestern Law School to create the Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment Fund. Leichtman is a trustee of her alma mater. Other grantees have included CSUN Foundation; Oliver Scholars Program; True Spark, which teaches " positive character development in America's youth through the watching of inspiring movies and engagement in dynamic discussions"; and Alliance for College Ready Public Schools. The couple's schools as well as Alliance for College Ready Public Schools have been especially well funded by the family.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Grantees have included Friendly House, a women's recovery home, Aviva Family & Children's Services; Maple Counseling Center; Friends & Helpers Foundation, whose goal is to "provide support, education and encouragement for domestic abuse victims who have fled to a shelter or group home for safety"; and Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

ARTS & CULTURE: The couple, via their foundation, has supported places like Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, LA Opera, and Nevada Museum of Art. 

LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY: The couple has given large sums to Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. They've also directed funds to the Beverly Hills, Community Charitable Foundation. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect Leichtman and Arthur to stick with their established interest areas, with a particular eye on Los Angeles.

CONTACT:

The Lauren B. Leichtman and Arthur E. Levine Family Foundation does not provide clear grant guidelines. A recent tax form, though, indicates that applications should be addressed to the following:

Teri Mcclure
335 N. Maple Dr., 240
Beverly Hills, CA 90120
Telephone: 310-275-5335
tmcclure@llcp.com

LINK:

• Levine Leichtman Capital Partners 

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Bain Capital 

FUNDING AREAS: Youth & Education, Health, Justice & Human Services, Jewish Causes

OVERVIEW: Jonathan Lavine and his wife, Jeannie, move some of their philanthropy through the Crimson Lion Foundation, and also give gifts directly to nonprofits. A major involvement is City Year, where Lavine chairs the board of trustees. Lavine has also supported his alma maters. The couple is interested in investments that help level the playing field, create opportunity, and support fairness.

BACKGROUND: Jonathan Lavine graduated from Columbia College, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. He began his career at Drexel Burnham Lambert in mergers and acquisitions, and also worked at McKinsey & Company as a consultant. In 1993, Lavine joined Bain Capital’s private equity group and in 1997 founded Bain Capital Credit. Lavine is currently the co-managing partner of Bain Capital. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Lavine and Jeannie are longtime supporters of City Year, an organization that addresses the drop out crisis. In the 1990s, when Lavine was still a Harvard Business School student, he offered to sponsor a City Year volunteer for $18, an amount symbolic in the Jewish faith. Lavine has chaired the board of trustees of the organization since 2013 and in 2012, the couple gave $10 million to City Year.  

Apart from City Year, a few years ago the Lavines provided a $5 million grant to the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI).  In 2011, Jonathan Lavine and Gerry Lenfest established a $5 million match for Core Curriculum at Columbia University The Lavines, via their foundation, have also supported places like Berklee College of Music, Hebrew Union College, and Stand for Children Leadership Center.

HEALTH: The Lavines, through Crimson Lion Foundation, have strongly supported Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They've also supported Massachusetts General Hospital. 

JUSTICE & HUMAN SERVICES: The couple gave a $1 million gift to Equal Justice Initiative, a human rights organization that provides representation to indigent defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair and just treatment in America’s legal system. The couple also seems interested in financial literacy and empowerment as a way to alleviate poverty. Grantees have included The Capital Good Fund, Cradles to Crayons, and LIFT, a national nonprofit organization that helps families break the cycle of poverty. Overall, Lavine says that he's interested in "helping improve systems." The Lavines have also supported New Profit, "a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund that invests in social entrepreneurs."

JEWISH CAUSES: Apart from Hebrew Union College, the Lavines have also supported Anti Defamation League, and American Jewish Service.

LOOKING FORWARD: Lavine is only in his early 50s and very much engaged in business. So far, a lot of the family's giving has gone under the radar though in time Crimson Lion Foundation's grantmaking may become more active.

CONTACT:

The Crimson Lion Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but below is an address:

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Segall Bryant & Hamill

FUNDING AREAS: Environment & Animals, Education, Arts & Culture, Health & Human services

OVERVIEW: Veteran Chicago investor Jon Hamill and family move their philanthropy through the Hamill Family Foundation. The Hamill family are longtime environmental philanthropists, both on the local level in Chicagoland, as well as in other parts of the country, and even globally. Hamill sits on the board of Openlands and is a trustee emeritus of the Illinois chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Other areas of interest include education and human services. The foundation keeps a low profile and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals. 

BACKGROUND: Jonathan C. Hamill received a B.A. from Yale University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He began his career with Stein Roe & Farnham in 1962 and became a partner in 1969. In 1994, he joined Ralph Segall and Al Bryant in founding Segall Bryant & Hamill, an independent investment firm based in Chicago, Illinois. 

ISSUES:

ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS: The Hamill Family Foundation was started by Hamill and his two sisters, Elizabeth and Nancy. The family's parents loom large in the foundation's grantmaking, particularly its environmental grantmaking. The late Corwith "Corky" Hamill was once president of the Chicago Zoological Society and Joan Smith Hamill was considered a driving force in the creation of the Illinois Prairie Path. As well, Joan was an accomplished horsewoman involved with the United States Equestrian Team since the 1950s. Hamill, Elizabeth and Nancy have continued in their parents' footsteps. The family has strongly supported Chicago Zoological Society, home to the  Hamill Family Wild Encounters. Other big winners include Openlands, a Chicago organization that supports "community gardening, biking and paddling trails, farmland protection, and many other conservation initiatives"; Environmental Law and Policy Center; The Conservation Foundation; Nature Conservancy in Illinois; Teton Regional Land Trust; and USET Foundation. 

EDUCATION: Hamill and family are strong supporters of The Masters School in Westchester County, New York. Elizabeth and Nancy attended the Dobbs Ferry-based school, home to the Joan Smith Hamill Natatorium. The Hamills have also supported schools like Elgin Academy, Northwestern University, Brown University, University of Oregon, and Bowdoin University.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The Hamills appear to have a particular interest in justice, advocacy, and human rights organizations like ACLU of Illinois, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders USA, and Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. On the health end, the family has supported places like Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center and Planned Parenthood. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the Hamill family's strong environmental philanthropy to continue.

CONTACT:

The Hamill Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the family, but below is contact information:

200 W. Madison St., Ste. 3400
Chicago, IL 60606

LINK:

• Segall Bryant & Hamill

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Brinson Partners 

FUNDING AREAS: Education, Scientific Research 

OVERVIEW: Gary Brinson established the Brinson Foundation when he retired, and grantmaking kicked off in 2001. Grantmaking priorities are education, and scientific research. Within these focus areas, the foundation keys in on such areas as literacy, STEM, physical sciences, and medical research. The foundation has a strong web presence and clear grantmaking guidelines. 

BACKGROUND: Gary P. Brinson received a bachelor's degree in finance from Seattle University, and an MBA from Washington State University. Brinson joined First National Bank of Chicago as the Chief Investment Officer in 1979. He founded and was president and CEO of Brinson Partners Inc. (now UBS Global Asset Management). Before retiring in 2000, he was considered to be one of the world’s most influential investment managers, and he managed over $1 trillion in assets at one point.

ISSUES:

EDUCATION: In a recent year, the Brinson Foundation's education grantmaking totaled 61 grants, 45 percent of the foundation's overall work.  The foundation's grants fall into seven areas: financial literacy; health care career development; high school, college, and career success; Liberty, citizenship, and free enterprise; Literacy; STEM; and Student Health. The Brinson Foundation's education grants are typically made to organizations that serve individuals and communities in the Chicago area. A sampling of grantees includes A Better Chicago, Advance Illinois, Illinois Institute of Technology, Jack Miller Center for Teaching America’s Founding Principles and History, Moneythink, and Citizen Schools – Chicago. 

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: Scientific research grants made up 15.3 percent of the foundation's total grantmaking in a recent year. The foundation states that it is "interested in programs on the cutting edge of research in specific areas of interest to our Directors that are under-funded or not yet eligible for funding by governmental programs." Brinson Foundation focuses on the physical sciences (astrophysics, cosmology, evolutionary developmental biology, geophysics), as well as medical research. Grantees have included California Institute of Technology to support theoretical gravitational wave research; Carnegie Institution for Science to support volcano seismology monitoring research; and to support the Brinson Fellowship Program at The University of Chicago.

OTHER: Apart from these two grantmaking categories, the Brinson Foundation also makes "Endorsement Grants" and grants that are of interest to its board. Endorsement grants often involve "ongoing core support of the institution." Recent grants in this area included support of arts and cultural institutions in Chicago. 

LOOKING FORWARD: In a statement from Brinson, he said, "the Brinson Foundation has been funded to date with approximately $100 million and is likely to receive considerable future funding." This spells good news for grantseekers, particularly those working within Brinson's well-established interest areas.

LINKS:

• The Brinson Foundation
• Grantmaking Process & Calendar
• Contact Page
• Gary P. Brinson Linkedin Profile

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Highfields Capital Management; Three Bays Capital 

FUNDING AREAS: Health & Human Services, Jewish Causes, Education & Youth, Boston Community 

OVERVIEW: Matthew Sidman, along with his mother, Paula, and his sister, Hope, move their philanthropy through the Sidman Family Foundation. The family's philanthropy focuses in on the Boston area, where multigenerational forces play a role. The Sidmans tend to support local hospitals in their health philanthropy. Supporting Jewish organizations is another interest, and the Sidman family has been active in the local Jewish community for decades.

BACKGROUND: Matthew K. Sidman holds a B.A. from Duke University, and an MBA from Wharton. Sidman was an investment banker in Merrill Lynch's real estate department before joining Highfields Capital, where he worked for more than a decade. Sidman set up his own hedge fund, Three Bays Capital, in Boston. 

ISSUES:

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Sidman and family, via their family foundation, have supported places like Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Jimmy Fund, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and Children's Hospital Trust, which has received particularly large sums recently.

JEWISH CAUSES: Sidman's father, the late Edwin Sidman, and Paula were active in the Boston Jewish community. One of Edwin's interests was helping Ethiopian and Soviet Jews immigrate to the United States and Israel. There's also the Leventhal-Sidman JCC in the Boston area. The Sidmans, via their foundation, continue to support the JCC of Greater Boston, as well as the JCC of Greater Palm Beach. Other grantees have included American Jewish Committee, David Project, Friends of Israel Defense Forces, and Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, where Edwin once served as chair.

EDUCATION & YOUTH: Sidman and Hope both graduated from Duke University, which the family supports. They've also supported places like Boys & Girls Club of Boston, Jump Start, Cradles to Crayons, Neighborhood House Charter School, and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School.

BOSTON COMMUNITY: Paula Sidman's father, Norman Leventhal, was active with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, which the Sidmans have supported through their foundation. The family has also supported local arts and culture in Boston, including the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library. 

LOOKING FORWARD: Sidman is only in his mid-40s and still very much engaged in business. Perhaps in the coming years Sidman will set up a charity apart from his mother and sister. In a recent year, it's worth mentioning that the foundation gave an unusually low amount. But prior to that, the Sidman Family Foundation gave away around $1 million annually. 

CONTACT:

The Sidman Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the family, but below is an address:

• Three Bays Capital

NET WORTH: Unknown

SOURCE OF WEALTH: Baupost Group 

FUNDING AREAS: (Catholic) Education, Health & Human Services, Youth

OVERVIEW: James Mooney and his wife, Lisa, move their philanthropy through the Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation, which gave away close to $4 million in a recent year. The family's philanthropy mainly focuses on the Boston area, where the Mooneys have a special interest in supporting Catholic and Jesuit education. Mooney has strongly supported his alma mater College of the Holy Cross. 

BACKGROUND: James F. Mooney graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a degree in political science, and received his MBA from Georgetown University. He's currently the head of Baupost's public investments group. 

ISSUES:

EDUCATION: Several years ago, the Mooneys gave a $1 million gift to Mooney's alma mater, College of Holy Cross, to endow the Jim '90 and Lisa Mooney Scholarships targeting middle-class students from Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Boston. Not only did Mooney attend the school but so did his father. Of the gift, Mooney said that "On a pragmatic level, Catholic education gets results...On a higher level, I believe the value system of Catholic schools, which strives to instill in students a strong moral character and an ingrained sense of obligation to make a positive impact on the world around them, is unique and incredibly important." Supporting Catholic education is a top priority of this couple.

Apart from College of the Holy Cross, where Mooney also established the The Joan Marie Mooney Scholarship Fund in honor of his mother, the couple has supported places like Catholic Schools Foundation, Campaign for Catholic Schools, Nativity Preparatory School, and St. Sebastian's School. Other grantees have included New England Conservatory of Music, and Newton Country Day School. 

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES: The Mooneys, via their foundation, have given especially strong support to Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The family's interest in Catholic outfits extends beyond education. Mooney and Lisa have also supported places like Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, Mt. Auburn Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The Mooneys have supported a Uganda hospital's pediatric malnutrition clinic and an emergency medical fund. MGH has built strong ties with this hospital and the Mooney's teenaged son has also traveled to the region with MGH.

YOUTH: Grantees have included Year Up and Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. 

OTHER: The couple has also supported places like Archdiosese of Boston and Emerald Necklace Conservatory. Another important grantee is JESUITS USA Northeast Provence. Away from their Boston base, the couple has given support to American Enterprise Institute, the think tank.

LOOKING FORWARD: Expect the family's Boston focus to hold, though their international work with MGH and other outfits should be watched. 

CONTACT:

The Mooney-Reed Charitable Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but below is an address: