Northlight Foundation Inc logo

Northlight Foundation Inc

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 45-0612382 Website

NorthLight Foundation is a private foundation established by Dan and Sheryl Tishman, based in New York City. The foundation invests at the intersection of human and environmental landscapes, working with organizations to deliver high-impact and systemic change. Originally incorporated as the Dan and Sheryl Tishman Family Foundation in 2011, the foundation adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect the trustees' commitment to supporting solutions that create a healthy, just, and sustainable world.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

Annual Giving

$7.3M

+10.5% YoY

Grant Count

46

-19.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$159K

+36.9% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

Vision: NorthLight Foundation envisions a world where the Earth's environment is healthy, protected, and sustained for future generations.

The foundation approaches environmental grantmaking from a perspective of exploration and creativity, seeking to fill gaps others aren't addressing by deploying risk capital to encourage new and fundamentally different paths to systems change. The foundation funds through a lens of environmental justice.

Current Focus Areas:

  • Reimagining Conservation: Investing in innovative organizations and conservation strategies, with a focus on keeping oil and gas development out of the Arctic
  • Catalyzing Environmental Leadership: Developing and funding initiatives that foster new leadership on environmental issues
  • Building Resilient Rural Communities: Supporting innovative approaches to resilience in targeted rural communities
  • Centering Community: Investing in organizations whose mission enriches the communities they serve

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. The foundation is preselected only, meaning it makes contributions exclusively to organizations it has selected in advance and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.

Grant Range

$73,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds projects across 20 states, with documented funding reaching major urban centers including New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Grant Distribution by State

23states
+15 more states

Cities

ALBANYANCHORAGEANN ARBORARLINGTONATLANTAAUGUSTABALTIMOREBLACKSBURGBOSTONBOULDERBRONXBROOKLYNCALABASASCHARLOTTESVILLECINCINNATICOLCHESTERCOLUMBIACOVINADURANGOELLSWORTH

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Most Recent Filings:

  • Total Assets: $84.3 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $90.3 million (2022)
  • Annual Expenses: $8.09 million (2023)
  • Annual Expenses: $10.6 million (2022)
  • Total Liabilities: $1.43 million (2023)
  • Revenue: -$338,000 (2023)
  • Annual Grants Awarded: $6.6 million (2024)

The foundation has experienced exceptional growth over the past seven years, with an average annual revenue increase of 58.0%.

Organization Details:

  • EIN: 45-0612382
  • Tax-Exempt Status: Since June 2011
  • Classification: 501(c)(3) Private Independent Foundation
  • Address: 100 Park Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10017
  • Phone: 212-399-3600
  • Website: www.northlightfoundation.org
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.120202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2M$4M$6M$8M28 grants202019 grants202131 grants202257 grants202346 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN$1.2MTHE CONSERVATION FUND$1.1MTHE NEW SCHOOL$640KNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENS…$486KCENTER FOR AMERICAN PROG…$465KOPENMINDS$375KTIDES CENTER$333KMAINE TRUST FOR LOCAL NEWS$300KTHE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND$300KALASKA WILDERNESS LEAGUE$280K

Grant Size Distribution

174 grants across all recorded years

67<$50K39$50–100K29$100–250K25$250–500K7$500K–1M7$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Board and Officers:

  • Daniel R. Tishman – Chairman and President, Director (2 hours/week, no compensation)
  • Sheryl C. Tishman – Director (0.5 hours/week, no compensation)
  • Francis W. Beck – Director (0.25 hours/week, no compensation)
  • Cara Weinrich – Officer (2 hours/week, no compensation)

Daniel R. Tishman is Principal and Vice Chairman of the Board of Tishman Hotel & Realty LP and formerly served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tishman Construction Corporation. The foundation builds upon the legacy of John L. Tishman.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
DANIEL R TISHMANDIRECTOR2
SHERYL C TISHMANDIRECTOR0.5
FRANCIS W BECKDIRECTOR0.25
CARA WEINRICHOFFICER2

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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