Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc
The Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1947 and incorporated in 1945 in New York. Based in New York City, the foundation was founded by the late Samuel I. Newhouse, Sr., a media magnate who built one of the country's largest communications empires through Advance Publications, which currently controls Condé Nast Publications. The foundation operates with a highly selective grantmaking approach, focusing on education, health, arts and culture initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$204.8M
-0.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$12.0M
-13.1% YoY
Grant Count
6
-14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.0M
+1.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $11.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission centers on supporting education and research in mass communications, with a defining commitment to Syracuse University's communications programs. Beyond higher education, the foundation supports:
- Education and civic initiatives
- Health research
- Arts and culture
- Fine artists with disabilities through the Wynn Newhouse Awards program
The Wynn Newhouse Awards represent the foundation's primary exception to its closed-door grantmaking policy, offering a nationwide initiative that directly funds fine artists with disabilities.
Grantmaking
The Samuel I Newhouse Foundation operates on a strictly preselected basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation does not have a public website or clear avenue for standard nonprofit applicants to request funding.
Grant Range
$10,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York and California, with national reach through the Wynn Newhouse Awards program for artists with disabilities.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (Fiscal Year 2024):
- Total assets: $204,793,638
- Total revenues: $15,373,962
- Total expenses: $17,576,658
- Net income: -$2,202,696
Assets and Revenue (Fiscal Year 2023):
- Total assets: $205,473,434
- Total revenues: $16,985,943
- Total expenses: $19,315,459
Revenue Composition (FY 2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $3,316,890
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $11,226,681
- Miscellaneous revenues: $2,392,372
- Grants and contributions: $50,000
The foundation maintains a giving rate of approximately 6.7% of assets and has zero employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $204,793,638 | $205,473,434 | $212,539,319 |
| Revenue | $15,373,962 | $16,985,943 | $21,595,387 |
| Expenses | $17,576,658 | $19,315,459 | $17,603,215 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,952,166 | $13,750,166 | $13,087,166 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,782,298 | $11,462,958 | $17,566,924 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,530,418 | $10,804,737 | $11,813,951 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
27 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Schedule Attached ($11,892,166), Pelenakeke Brown Co Jaqueline Bennett ($12,000), Reverend Joyce Mcdonald ($12,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SCHEDULE ATTACHED NEW YORK, NY | TO PROMOTE ITS TAX EXEMPT PURPOSE | $11,892,166 |
| PELENAKEKE BROWN CO JAQUELINE BENNETT NEW YORK, NY | TO AWARD ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES | $12,000 |
| REVEREND JOYCE MCDONALD NEW YORK, NY | TO AWARD ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES | $12,000 |
| LELE PALOUMPIS BROOKLYN, NY | TO AWARD ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES | $12,000 |
| LUKAZA BRANFMAN-VERISSIMO KINGSTON, NY | TO AWARD ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES | $12,000 |
| FELICIA GRIFFIN NIAD FOR NIAD ART CENTER RICHMOND, CA | TO AWARD ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES | $12,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Samuel I. Newhouse served as chair of Condé Nast and steered the foundation until his death in 2017. His wife, Victoria, survives him. The foundation is driven by the descendants of media magnate S.I. Newhouse.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAROLINE DIAMOND HARRISON | 0 | — | — |
| DONALD E NEWHOUSE | 0 | — | — |
| MICHAEL A NEWHOUSE | 0 | — | — |
| SAMUEL I NEWHOUSE III | 0 | — | — |
| STEVEN O NEWHOUSE | 0 | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced an intention to pledge $75 million to Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2020, continuing its long-standing commitment to the institution. In 1960, the foundation made an initial gift of $2 million to establish a center for education and research in mass communications at Syracuse University, with major portions of subsequent funding continuing to support this center.
Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation Awards Major Research Gift for FTD BiomarkersThe foundation has also awarded major research gifts, including support for the FTD Biomarkers Initiative focused on frontotemporal degeneration research.
Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation Awards Major Research Gift for FTD BiomarkersFrequently Asked Questions
What does Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's primary mission centers on supporting education and research in mass communications, with a defining commitment to Syracuse University's communications programs. Beyond higher education, the foundation supports: • Education and civic initiatives • Health research • Arts and culture • Fine artists with disabilities through the Wynn Newhouse Awards program The Wynn Newhouse Awards represent the foundation's primary exception to its closed-door grantmaking policy, offering a natio…
How do I apply for a grant from Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc?
The Samuel I Newhouse Foundation operates on a strictly preselected basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation does not have a public website or clear avenue for standard nonprofit applicants to request funding. **Grant Activity:** • Total giving in fiscal year 2024: $11,952,166 • Total giving in fiscal year 2023: $13,750,166 • Median grant size: $10,000 • Grant range: $10,000–$13.7 million • Number of grants (2023): 7 grants The foundation's grantmaking is characterized…
Where does Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on New York and California, with national reach through the Wynn Newhouse Awards program for artists with disabilities.
What size grants does Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc awarded 6 grants totaling $12.0M — an average of about $2.0M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $11.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc's EIN?
Samuel I Newhouse Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-6006296. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.