The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation is a private foundation based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations including Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell-affiliated organizations, Greenwich-area organizations, and groups working in areas such as environmental conservation, education, Jewish life, health, and community engagement.
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation gave $1.3M across 35 grants in 2024 (avg $37K), mostly in New York. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,297,500
- +191.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 35
- -23.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $37,071
- +282.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,600
- Total assets
- $3,409,913
- +9.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (10 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 45 Pecksland Road, Greenwich, CT 06831
Phone: (203) 324-8443
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Weill Cornell Medicine ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
225 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 218 grants of 225 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, New York recipients received 90% of grant dollars, Connecticut recipients 5%, Pennsylvania 2%, and California and Colorado 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 35 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $47K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 66% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 268% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 753% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $353K (2021) to $1.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 35 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Weill Cornell Medicine New York, NY | General | $1,000,000 |
| Roitman Chabad Center at Cornell University Ithaca, NY | General | $100,000 |
| UJA JCC Greenwich Greenwich, CT | General | $45,400 |
| Aliyt Inc Bala Cynwyd, PA | General | $20,000 |
| Colel Chabad Brooklyn, NY | General | $20,000 |
| Group for the East End Bridgehampton, NY | General | $12,500 |
| The Metropolitan Museum New York, NY | General | $12,000 |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Greenwich Inc Greenwich, CT | General | $10,000 |
| Cornell University Ithaca, NY | General | $8,500 |
| Chabad at Duke Durham, NC | General | $7,200 |
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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 | $3,409,913 | $1,147,577 | $1,355,757 | $1,297,500 | 35 | $1,299,420 | $1,002,660 | $172,454 |
| 2023 | $3,129,493 | $1,217,695 | $484,448 | $445,466 | 46 | $450,236 | $884,651 | $114,746 |
| 2022 | $2,381,246 | $1,059,658 | $473,907 | $394,058 | 51 | $404,605 | $532,191 | $110,838 |
| 2021 | $1,907,850 | $2,842,368 | $363,288 | $352,518 | 46 | $355,866 | $1,519,262 | $76,757 |
| 2020 | $718,822 | $44,572 | $370,992 | $356,821 | 47 | — | $35,404 | $67,537 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $172K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Group for the East End describes its work as protecting and restoring eastern Long Island’s environment through education, citizen action, and advocacy. Stratton Mountain School describes its mission as combining competitive winter-sports training with college-preparatory academics. Other 2024 recipients include organizations whose stated missions concern Jewish spiritual practice, wildlife conservation, LGBTQ and Jewish identities, and services for people across the autism spectrum.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 35 grants totaling $1,297,500. Grants ranged from $180 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $3,600. The largest grants included $1,000,000 to Weill Cornell Medicine, $100,000 to Roitman Chabad Center at Cornell University, and $45,400 to UJA JCC Greenwich. Other reported awards included $20,000 each to Aliyt Inc and Colel Chabad, and $12,500 to Group for the East End.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gary Davis, Ellen Davis, and Richard J Bronstein as trustees.
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ellen Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard J. Bronstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
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 The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation
How much does The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation give each year?
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation gave $1.3M across 35 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $445K across 46 grants.
What is The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,600, and its average grant was $37,071, across 35 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation give grants?
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation gives mostly in New York: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Connecticut (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (8 grants), Greenwich, CT (3 grants), Ithaca, NY (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 35) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Weill Cornell Medicine ($1,000,000), Roitman Chabad Center at Cornell University ($100,000) and UJA JCC Greenwich ($45,400), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation?
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $172K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Group for the East End describes its work as protecting and restoring eastern Long Island’s environment through education, citizen action, and advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's EIN?
The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1357318. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ellen-and-gary-davis-foundation-morg_f917d40c1175465a9753e29b5d5721ba
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061357318_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ellen-and-gary-davis-foundation-morg_f917d40c1175465a9753e29b5d5721ba},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 The Ellen and Gary Davis Foundation'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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