Gray Foundation
The Gray Foundation is a private foundation based in Albany, New York, established in 2015 by Mindy and Jon Gray. It supports BRCA research and low-income New York City youth, including through grants for research, education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
Gray Foundation at a glance
In short: Gray Foundation gave $64.2M across 132 grants in 2025 (avg $487K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $64,222,440
- +41.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 132
- -9.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $486,534
- +56.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $82,500,581
- -1.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Gray Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 13953, Albany, NY 12212-3953
Phone: (518) 886-4118
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gray Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Friends of TEL Aviv University ($25.0M). Together the top 10 received $53.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
635 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 268 grants of 635 (42%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, recipients in New York received 65% of grant dollars, those in Pennsylvania received 20%, and those in Massachusetts received 6%. Recipients in Washington, DC, received 4%, and those in Connecticut received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 132 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Gray Foundation gives
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 78% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 376% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $27.1M (2020) to $64.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 132 grants totaling $64.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Friends of TEL Aviv University New York, NY | Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences | $25,000,000 |
| The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Project support, drapkin atlas program, basser interception center, general support | $13,128,273 |
| NYC Kids Rise Inc Long Island City, NY | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization. | $5,017,600 |
| United Negro College Fund Inc Washington, DC | Gray NYC Scholars Cohort | $2,441,399 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Hms project, chen atlas informatics, santagata project, sorger project, brugge-atlas project | $2,312,636 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY | Cycle for survival, blackstone 2025 cfs campaign, atlas/bioportal team, lacobuzio-donahue project, engage scholarship | $1,070,000 |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Project Support | $1,000,000 |
| CUNY School of Medicine Foundation New York, NY | Scholarships | $1,000,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | BRCA/Dr. Degnim | $1,000,000 |
| Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, NY | School Based Health Programs | $1,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $82,500,581 | $82,515,466 | $68,456,476 | $64,222,440 | 132 | $67,407,803 | $22,464,847 | $17,907,679 |
| 2024 | $83,385,298 | $81,988,047 | $49,277,026 | $45,484,199 | 146 | $48,775,526 | $32,538,688 | $16,189,659 |
| 2023 | $81,543,022 | $64,021,931 | $48,446,203 | $44,960,813 | 179 | $48,244,703 | $22,828,180 | $12,204,224 |
| 2022 | $79,676,216 | $85,340,733 | $39,235,783 | $36,130,988 | 177 | $38,967,783 | $18,215,369 | $10,033,750 |
| 2021 | $62,221,597 | $86,456,294 | $33,929,916 | $31,321,000 | 1 | $33,471,121 | $16,456,141 | $8,371,425 |
| 2020 | $43,504,096 | $44,546,310 | $28,858,116 | $27,105,888 | 1 | — | $11,194,421 | $5,263,049 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gray Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s dual mission is to advance BRCA science research and empower low-income NYC youth. Its filing describes support for scientists working to accelerate early detection and treatment of BRCA-related cancers, including through the Basser Center for BRCA and multi-institutional research collaboratives. For youth, it describes expanding access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity through programs including NYC Kids RISE, Gray NYC Scholars, and Wave Makers.
Its 2025 grants included support for medical and health sciences, BRCA research, college savings and scholarships, school-based health programs, and education. Grantees describe their own work in varied terms: NYC Kids RISE says it expands economic opportunity through a community-driven college savings program; UNCF says it builds a pipeline of under-represented college graduates and supports its member institutions; and Montefiore Medical Center describes a mission to heal, teach, discover, and advance community health. Other 2025 recipients included universities, a college foundation, an education network serving disadvantaged and low-income communities, and a nonprofit focused on sports, fitness, and play.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 132 grants totaling $64,222,440. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $25 million, with a median of $50,000.
Among its largest reported grants were $25 million to American Friends of Tel Aviv University for its Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences; $13,128,273 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for project support and named research programs; $5,017,600 to NYC Kids RISE; and $2,441,399 to UNCF for the Gray NYC Scholars cohort. Other notable grants included $2,312,636 to Harvard University, $1,070,000 to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and $1 million each to Columbia University, CUNY School of Medicine Foundation, Mayo Clinic, and Montefiore Medical Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jonathan Gray as president; Mindy Gray as secretary and treasurer; Dana Zucker as chief executive officer; and Charissa Fernandez as president.
Gray Foundation is led by Dana Zucker, Chief Executive Officer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dana Zucker
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director → Chief Executive Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$485K (2020) → $670K (2025)
Charissa Fernandez
President
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$340K (2022) → $435K (2025)
Jonathan Gray
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mindy Gray
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $670K, to Dana Zucker (Chief Executive Officer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Gray Foundation
How much does Gray Foundation give each year?
Gray Foundation gave $64.2M across 132 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $45.5M across 146 grants.
What is Gray Foundation's typical grant size?
Gray Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $486,534, across 132 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Gray Foundation give grants?
Gray Foundation gives mostly in New York: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (20%) and Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (82 grants), Bronx, NY (8 grants), Long Island City, NY (6 grants) and Boston, MA (6 grants).
Who are Gray Foundation's largest grantees?
Gray Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include American Friends of TEL Aviv University ($25,000,000), The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania ($13,128,273) and NYC Kids Rise Inc ($5,017,600), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gray Foundation?
Gray Foundation reported $82.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $67.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gray Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s dual mission is to advance BRCA science research and empower low-income NYC youth. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gray Foundation?
The Foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gray Foundation's EIN?
Gray Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1408100. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Gray Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 22, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gray Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gray Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gray-foundation-morg_972a4e1c71084b53a6d1623b5123eb7b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_471408100_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gray Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gray-foundation-morg_972a4e1c71084b53a6d1623b5123eb7b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Gray Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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