Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc
The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Stamford, Connecticut. Launched by Steve and Alex Cohen in 2001, it supports U.S. public 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that help people in need or address complex problems.
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc gave $130.0M across 191 grants in 2024 (avg $681K), top state Connecticut. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $130,036,842
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 191
- -2.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $680,821
- +3.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $537,222,157
- +1.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (46% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. It partners with public 501(c)(3) nonprofits based in the United States, does not make grants directly to individuals, and does not accept direct mail. It is currently accepting applications through a webform for its Brain Health Research RFP.
- Review Cycle
- The Brain Health Research RFP deadline is September 24, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET.
- Deadline
- The Brain Health Research RFP deadline is September 24, 2026, at 4 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 46 Cummings Point Rd, Stamford, CT 06902-7912
Phone: (203) 890-4750
Website: https://www.steveandalex.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cohen Veterans Network Inc ($51.0M). Together the top 10 received $94.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
748 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 196 grants of 748 (26%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Connecticut (46%) and New York (35%), followed by California (8%), Maryland (4%), and Wisconsin (2%). Its stated grantmaking supports U.S.-based public 501(c)(3) organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 191 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc gives
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+19%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 278% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $91.5M (2020) to $130.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 191 grants totaling $130.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cohen Veterans Network Inc Stamford, CT | Veterans | $51,000,000 |
| New York Presbyterian Hospital New York, NY | Behavioral Health | $11,649,000 |
| Fiorello H Laguardia Community College Foundation Queens, NY | Workforce Development | $7,147,493 |
| New York Presbyterian Hospital New York, NY | Healthcare | $5,500,000 |
| City Harvest Inc Brooklyn, NY | Hunger Relief | $4,200,000 |
| Digital Harbor Foundation Baltimore, MD | Diagnostics | $2,867,894 |
| Abilis Greenwich, CT | Human Services | $2,520,000 |
| Regents of the University of California at Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Research | $2,092,320 |
| Usona Institute Inc Fitchburg, WI | Research | $2,000,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University New York, NY | Therapeutics | $1,806,458 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $537,222,157 | $142,192,267 | $132,540,772 | $130,036,842 | 191 | $131,046,941 | $142,144,640 | $47,189,153 |
| 2023 | $527,570,662 | $138,232,432 | $131,128,413 | $128,674,204 | 196 | $129,082,838 | $138,209,761 | $43,947,722 |
| 2022 | $520,466,643 | $124,033,209 | $124,092,267 | $122,355,773 | 202 | $122,547,469 | $123,993,541 | $42,108,268 |
| 2021 | $520,525,701 | $106,006,756 | $110,086,713 | $109,607,117 | 158 | $109,664,626 | $105,976,628 | $40,167,478 |
| 2020 | $524,605,658 | $98,007,018 | $94,019,474 | $91,464,675 | 1 | — | $97,968,902 | $35,693,203 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $47.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy and community service by showing what giving can do. It supports public 501(c)(3) nonprofits based in the United States and does not make grants directly to individuals.
Its grants span health, research, human services, education, workforce development, hunger relief, and other needs. Examples illustrate the range of organizations supported: Abilis says it supports people with developmental disabilities and their families in Lower Fairfield County; Career Resources says it provides jobseekers throughout Connecticut with training and support to succeed in the workforce; and City Harvest’s 2024 grant was designated for hunger relief. These are descriptions of the grantees’ work, not stated foundation program definitions.
The foundation also holds the Edge of Medicine Summit, bringing together stakeholders to share research, clinical expertise, and patient experiences on health issues including Lyme disease, adolescent mental health, and women’s health. Its filing describes an investment in FlightPath Bioscience to advance Lyme disease treatment research.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported more than $144 million in giving to nonprofits across the United States in 2025, through 273 grants. Its 2024 filing lists 191 grants totaling $130,036,842, with a median grant of $100,000 and awards ranging from $5,000 to $51 million.
Among the largest grants listed for 2024 were $51 million to Cohen Veterans Network for veterans; $11,649,000 to New York-Presbyterian Hospital for behavioral health; $7,147,493 to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia Community College Foundation for workforce development; and $4.2 million to City Harvest for hunger relief. Other major recipients included Digital Harbor Foundation ($2,867,894), Abilis ($2,520,000), and Usona Institute ($2 million).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Steven A. Cohen as vice president and treasurer, Alexandra M. Cohen as president and secretary, and Joshua Cohen as a director.
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc is led by Alexandra M. Cohen, President & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alexandra M. Cohen
President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joshua Cohen
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven A. Cohen
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc
How much does Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc give each year?
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc gave $130.0M across 191 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $128.7M across 196 grants.
What is Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $680,821, across 191 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc give grants?
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's top state is Connecticut, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (35%) and California (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (45 grants), Stamford, CT (9 grants), Brooklyn, NY (9 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (8 grants).
Does Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 191 grants with a stated purpose on Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Human Services" (32 grants), "Workforce Development" (32 grants) and "Hunger Relief" (32 grants).
Who are Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Cohen Veterans Network Inc ($51,000,000), New York Presbyterian Hospital ($17,149,000 across 2 grants) and Fiorello H Laguardia Community College Foundation ($7,157,493 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc?
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc reported $537.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $131.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to inspire philanthropy and community service by showing what giving can do. It supports public 501(c)(3) nonprofits based in the United States and does not make grants directly to individuals. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's EIN?
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1627638. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/steven-and-alexandra-cohen-foundation-inc-morg_a85b1b52b4bc41d99233dd9212f4e436
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061627638_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Steven \& Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/steven-and-alexandra-cohen-foundation-inc-morg_a85b1b52b4bc41d99233dd9212f4e436},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc'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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