Cognizant Us Foundation

TEANECK, NJ EIN: 82-5385478

Cognizant US Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation based in Teaneck, New Jersey. Launched in 2018 with an initial $100 million investment from Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, the foundation supports STEM education and skills training across the United States.

Financial Overview

From 2022 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

-100.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$51.0M

+149.9% YoY

Grant Count

-39.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$1.4M

+309.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cognizant Us Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M for 2022 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports STEM education and skills training, with a particular emphasis on:

Science education and STEM awareness
Youth education and career pathways
Technology training for individuals and communities
Economic mobility and workforce development
Women's services and technology access
Disability services

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.

Grant Range

$5,000 to $35.6 million

Average Grant

amounts vary by program, ranging from $7,143 (general operating support) to $1.14 million (technology training and career pathways)

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Massachusetts, and California. Recent grant announcements indicate expansion to include organizations in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $39.9M (52%)

New York $13.3M (18%)

District of Columbia $7.2M (9%)

California $4.2M (6%)

Colorado $3.9M (5%)

Washington $1.8M (2%)

Illinois $1.7M (2%)

Maryland $1.5M (2%)

+13 more states

Cities

AspenAtlantaAustinBaldwinBaltimoreBerkleyBethesdaBethsedaBostonBoulderBronxBrooklynCharlotteChicagoColumbusCoronaDenverDowners GroveErlangerFort Mill

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2022 Financial Summary:

Total Assets: $0
Total Giving: $50.6–$51.2 million
Total Revenue: $670,939
Total Expenses: $41.0 million
Giving Rate: 190.6% of assets

Tax Status:

EIN: 82-5385478
Tax-exempt since March 2019
Filed a final return as of 2022

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2022	2021	2020
Total Assets	—	$53,711,221	$74,566,048
Revenue	$670,939	$1,081,755	$1,626,010
Expenses	$41,018,282	$18,976,803	$15,285,094
Qualifying Distributions	$51,198,051	$20,887,380	—
Net Investment Income	$670,727	$1,081,434	$1,630,809
Distributable Amount	$2,093,063	$3,180,635	$5,209,457

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2022

Grant Size Distribution

123 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2022 grants, the largest include Bny Mellon Charitable Gift Fund ($35,591,821), Teach for America ($2,000,000), Northeastern University ($1,696,750).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ACHIEVING THE DREAM SILVER SPRING, MD	CAPACITY BUILDING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES	$250,000
ADA DEVELOPERS ACADEMY SEATTLE, WA	TECHNOLOGY TRAINING AND CAREER PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN AND GENDER EXPANSIVE ADULTS	$500,000
CAREER TRACKERS	INTERNSHIPS AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES. SEE ER STMT.	$150,000
CITY OF UNIVERSITY NY NEW YORK, NY	STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AND CAREER PATHWAYS	$500,000
CODE DOOR	TECHNOLOGY TRAINING AND CAREER PATHWAYS FOR YOUNG ADULTS FROM MIGRANT BACKGROUNDS. SEE ER STMT.	$150,000
CODE FIRST GIRLS	PREPARE 1,760 YOUNG WOMEN FOR TECH CAREERS THROUGH OPEN ONLINE COURSES, IN-DEPTH CLASSES AND TARGETED NANODEGREES, INCLUDING WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED ENGAGEMENTS WITHIN THE UK. SEE ER STMT.	$324,000
CODE NATION(SCRIPTED) NEW YORK, NY	COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS	$500,000
CODE PATH SAN FRANCISCO, CA	COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS	$750,000
CODE PLATOON WILMETTE, IL	TECHNOLOGY TRAINING AND CAREER PATHWAYS FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES	$30,000
CODEORG SEATTLE, WA	ADVANCING RESEARCH AND POLICIES TO INCREASE ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION IN K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR ALL STUDENTS	$500,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Rajesh Nambiar – President/Director
Kristen Titus – Executive Director & Board Director
Fred Cardone – Treasurer
Becky Schmitt – Director
Gaurav Chand – Director
Tobi Young – Director
Katie Royce – Director
Ursula Morgenstern – Director

Compensation Overview

From 2022 IRS filing

From 2022 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
RAJESH NAMBIAR	PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR	1	—
BECKY SCHMITT	DIRECTOR	1	—
GAURAV CHAND	DIRECTOR	1	—
TOBI YOUNG	DIRECTOR	1	—
KATIE ROYCE	DIRECTOR	1	—
URSULA MORGENSTERN	DIRECTOR	1	—
FRED CARDONE	TREASURER	1	—
KRISTEN TITUS	EXEC. DIR. & BOARD DIR.	40	$73,558

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has announced several significant grants in recent years:

Cognizant Foundation Awards Grants to Three London-based Organisations to

**$1.25 million** awarded to the Aspen Institute's Future of Work Initiative to support continuous learning systems

Cognizant U.S. Foundation Awards $1.25 Million to Aspen Institute's ...

**$5.5 million** distributed to 13 organizations in the U.S. and Canada

**$6.3 million** awarded to 13 organizations and institutions across U.S. communities to advance access to education and pathways to economic mobility

Cognizant Foundation Awards $6.3 Million to 13 Organizations and Institutions

**First UK grants** awarded to three London-based organizations to advance education and economic mobility in the United Kingdom

Cognizant Foundation Awards Grants to Three London-based Organisations to

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cognizant Us Foundation fund?

The foundation supports STEM education and skills training, with a particular emphasis on: • Science education and STEM awareness • Youth education and career pathways • Technology training for individuals and communities • Economic mobility and workforce development • Women's services and technology access • Disability services

How do I apply for a grant from Cognizant Us Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving (2022): $50.6–$51.2 million across 34–86 grants • Grant range: $5,000 to $35.6 million • Median grant amount: $250,000–$300,000 • Average grant amounts vary by program, ranging from $7,143 (general operating support) to $1.14 million (technology training and career pathways) **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. **Grant Programs:** • General Operating Support • STEM Awareness and …

Where does Cognizant Us Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Massachusetts, and California. Recent grant announcements indicate expansion to include organizations in Canada and the United Kingdom.

What size grants does Cognizant Us Foundation award?

In 2022, Cognizant Us Foundation awarded 36 grants totaling $51.0M — an average of about $1.4M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Cognizant Us Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2022, Cognizant Us Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.