The Donald and Barbara Zucker Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1998 by real estate developer Donald Zucker and his wife Barbara Hrbek Zucker. The foundation received tax-exempt status in May 2009 and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. Based in New York City, the foundation distributes approximately $10 million annually across a diverse portfolio of charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.1M
-21.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.6M
-7.4% YoY
Grant Count
217
-23.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
+20.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Donald and Barbara Zucker reported a distributable amount of $426K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving reflects the personal interests and legacy of the Zucker family, with primary focus areas including:
- Healthcare and medical institutions
- Medical education and medical research, particularly Alzheimer's disease
- Jewish causes
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Wildlife preservation
- Youth and social services
Grantmaking
The foundation does not appear to have a public website or published application guidelines. Contact information for grant inquiries is not publicly available.
Grant Range
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How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in the New York area, with additional support for national organizations. Grantmaking focuses particularly on New York, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $17,080,620
- Total Revenues: $5,502,142
- Total Expenses: $9,612,685
- Total Giving: $9,600,774
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $21,800,000
- Total Revenues: $6,970,000
- Total Expenses: $10,400,000
- Annual Giving: $10,366,723
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,080,620 | $21,798,256 | $25,181,459 |
| Revenue | $5,502,142 | $6,971,101 | $-123,039 |
| Expenses | $9,612,685 | $10,391,245 | $11,570,047 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,601,784 | $10,366,723 | $11,515,476 |
| Net Investment Income | $291,241 | $369,058 | $216,008 |
| Distributable Amount | $426,218 | $5,683 | $153,146 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Northwell Health Foundation ($2,000,000), The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1,000,000), Laguardia Community College Foundation ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF OYSTER BAY & EAST NORWICH OYSTER BAY, NY | CHARITABLE | $500 |
| CHAMAH NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| TETON SCIENCE SCHOOL JACKSON, WY | CHARITABLE | $1,000 |
| THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $1,000 |
| ARMED SERVICES YMCA WOODBRIDGE, VA | CHARITABLE | $35 |
| HILLEL INTERNATIONAL WASHINGTON, DC | CHARITABLE | $100 |
| MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $180 |
| PROJECT HOPE HARLAN, IA | CHARITABLE | $100 |
| WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT TOPEKA, KS | CHARITABLE | $25 |
| THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Donald Zucker is the founder of the Donald Zucker Company and has been a prominent New York real estate developer since 1961. He has served in advisory roles to several New York City mayors. The Zuckers are recognized as Northwell Health's leading lifetime donors.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD ZUCKER | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BARBARA HRBEK ZUCKER | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| LAURIE ZUCKER LEDERMAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BARBARA ZUCKER ALBINDER | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2017, Hofstra University and Northwell Health announced the naming of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in recognition of the couple's sustained support. Their gifts totaling $61 million included:
Hofstra University, Northwell Health announce naming of medical school in$50 million to create a permanent endowment for scholarship support to students in the Zucker School of Medicine
$10 million to create and endow the Barbara Hrbek Zucker Emerging Scientists Program at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research to support postdoctoral fellows and early career faculty development
Feinstein Institutes awarded $2.3M, joins global bipolar disorder ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Donald and Barbara Zucker fund?
The foundation's giving reflects the personal interests and legacy of the Zucker family, with primary focus areas including: • Healthcare and medical institutions • Medical education and medical research, particularly Alzheimer's disease • Jewish causes • Arts and culture • Education • Wildlife preservation • Youth and social services
How do I apply for a grant from The Donald and Barbara Zucker?
**Grant Activity:** • 255 grants awarded in 2023 • 192 grants awarded in 2022 • 120 grants awarded in 2021 **Grant Sizes:** • Typical awards range from $10 to $2,000,000 • Recent major grants include $2,000,000 to Northwell Health Foundation, $1,000,000 to The Inn, and $1,000,000 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art **Application Process:** The foundation does not appear to have a public website or published application guidelines. Contact information for grant inquiries is not publicly available.
Where does The Donald and Barbara Zucker make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in the New York area, with additional support for national organizations. Grantmaking focuses particularly on New York, the District of Columbia, and Virginia.
What size grants does The Donald and Barbara Zucker award?
In 2024, The Donald and Barbara Zucker awarded 217 grants totaling $9.6M — an average of about $44K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Donald and Barbara Zucker required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Donald and Barbara Zucker reported a distributable amount of $426K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Donald and Barbara Zucker's EIN?
The Donald and Barbara Zucker's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3932106. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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