Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Purchase, NY EIN: 23-7011002

The Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation is a private foundation established in 1969 and based in Purchase, New York. Founded by financier Edgar "Ed" Wachenheim III and his wife Sue, the foundation operates as a substantial grantmaking institution with a notably low public profile. The foundation does not maintain a website and maintains a selective, invitation-only approach to grantmaking.

Key facts about Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation

EIN: 23-7011002
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025): $28,284,750
Grants made (2025): 29
Average grant: $975,336
Median grant: $100,000
New grantees (estimate): 34% first-time grantees (10 of 29, 2025)
Total assets: $592,791,507
Primary geography: New York (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals: No
How to apply: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation's 29 itemized 2025 grants were New York (91%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), Rye, NY (5 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Greenwich, CT (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation open to new grantees?

34%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 10 of 29 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $953K; repeat grants $987K. How we count

Medians: $38K first-time, $100K repeat.

62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Giving grew 36% from 2022 to 2025. Method
In 2025 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation

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Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$592.8M

+22.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$28.3M

-12.8% YoY

Grant Count

+11.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$975K

-21.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation reported a distributable amount of $35.2M for 2025 — 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 does not publicly disclose a formal mission statement. However, tax filings and grantmaking patterns indicate primary funding focus in the following areas:

Education (K-12 and higher education)
Arts and Culture
Democracy and International Affairs
Health
Jewish Causes

The foundation prioritizes institutions with which the Wachenheim family maintains personal connections, often through board memberships and long-term relationships.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$1,000 to $13,500,000

Average Grant

approximately $679,500

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation prioritizes the New York City and Tri-state area (New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey), with particular emphasis on institutions in these regions where the family maintains connections.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $25.8M (91%)

District of Columbia $1.8M (6%)

Connecticut $400K (1%)

Massachusetts $290K (1%)

Florida $5K (0%)

Share of all 29 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Massachusetts New York Pennsylvania Texas Washington

Cities

New YorkRyeWilliamstownWashingtonGreenwichBostonKatonahPort ChesterSaratoga SpringsValhallaBrewsterCoronaBrooklynSacramentoBronClaremontDallasLong Island CityMercer IslandNew Hyde Park

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year Ending October 2024:

Total Assets: $484,631,262
Total Revenue: $127,242,217
Total Expenses: $33,707,665
Total Liabilities: $0

Tax-Exempt Status: April 1969 (EIN: 23-7011002)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2025	2024	2023
Total Assets	$592,791,507	$484,631,262	$412,705,929
Revenue	$137,996,447	$127,242,217	$7,265,446
Expenses	$29,836,202	$33,707,665	$21,491,945
Qualifying Distributions	$28,290,250	$32,458,000	$21,070,200
Net Investment Income	$137,763,817	$99,881,152	$13,577,343
Distributable Amount	$35,224,333	$33,317,886	$25,301,494

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 2, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

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 2025

Grant Size Distribution

131 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include The Museum of Modern Art ($12,135,000), Memorial Sloan-Kettering ($7,500,000), Council on Foreign Relations ($3,000,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART New York, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$12,135,000
MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING New York, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$7,500,000
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS New York, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,000,000
HOSPITAL FOR SPECIAL SURGERY FOUNDATION New York, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000,000
OCEANA INC Washington, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000,000
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE Washington, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$750,000
SKIDMORE COLLEGE Saratoga Springs, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$650,000
THE CARVER CENTER Port Chester, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$500,000
WNET New York, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$250,000
EAGLE HILL SCHOOL Greenwich, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$200,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Edgar Wachenheim III serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation. He is a financier and investor who graduated from Williams College in 1959 and received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He serves as chairman of Greenhaven Associates, a New York money-management firm. Edgar Wachenheim is trustee emeritus and former board president of Rye Country Day School (1983–1993).

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2025 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Edgar Wachenheim III	President, CEO	0.5	—
Sue W Wachenheim	Vice President	0.5	—
Lance R Wachenheim	Treasurer	0.5	—
Kim W Wagman	Secretary	0.5	—
Chris a Wachenheim	Director	0.5	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

**2024:** The Council on Foreign Relations announced a $50 million gift from the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim Foundation to establish the Wachenheim Center for Peace and Security.

$200K Wachenheim Foundation Challenge Grant for Rye Town Park - MyRye.com

2025

**2025:** The Sue and Edgar Wachenheim Foundation pledged $200,000 toward the Friends of Rye Town Park's tower building restoration project, contingent on the group raising a matching $200,000 by June 30, 2025. The tower building, which opened in 1909, is registered on the National and New York State historical registries.

$200K Wachenheim Foundation Challenge Grant for Rye Town Park - MyRye.com

2022

**2022:** The Jay Heritage Center in Rye announced receipt of a $1.5 million gift to open the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III Exhibit and Performance Center.

CFR Receives a $50 Million Gift From the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation fund?

The foundation does not publicly disclose a formal mission statement. However, tax filings and grantmaking patterns indicate primary funding focus in the following areas: • **Education** (K-12 and higher education) • **Arts and Culture** • **Democracy and International Affairs** • **Health** • **Jewish Causes** The foundation prioritizes institutions with which the Wachenheim family maintains personal connections, often through board memberships and long-term relationships.

How do I apply for a grant from Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation make grants?

What size grants does Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation award?

In 2025, Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $28.3M — an average of about $975K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation reported a distributable amount of $35.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation's EIN?

Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7011002. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.