The Jacobson Family Foundation
The Jacobson Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1997 and based in New York, NY. The foundation was founded by billionaire businessman Mitchell Jacobson and his wife Kathy Howard-Jacobson. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization supporting a diverse range of charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.6M
-5.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
-57.4% YoY
Grant Count
57
+16.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
-63.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jacobson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to:
- Jewish causes and organizations — particularly supporting Jewish community centers and educational institutions
- Higher education — with particular emphasis on law and business education
- Health and public health — including in-patient medical care, hospital care, and addressing various diseases and conditions
- Education — spanning K-12 and higher education initiatives
- Religion — with focus on Judaism
- The arts
- Social services and human services
- Philanthropy and foundations
Grantmaking
The foundation lacks transparency regarding its grantmaking priorities and application procedures. The foundation does not maintain a website, making it difficult to locate information on priority areas and grantmaking strategies. There is no clear way to submit grant proposals.
Grant Range
Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $1.3 million
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates across multiple states including:
- California
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Washington
Primary grantmaking is concentrated in New York, with significant activity in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total assets: $65.5 million (as of fiscal year 2023)
- Annual giving: $5.2 million (fiscal year 2023)
- Annual revenue: $939,276 (fiscal year 2023)
- Annual expenses: $5.2 million (fiscal year 2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,588,753 | $65,472,806 | $59,681,156 |
| Revenue | $591,029 | $939,276 | $6,440,555 |
| Expenses | $2,254,863 | $5,205,694 | $2,942,456 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,226,898 | $5,190,966 | $2,918,212 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,567,173 | $982,655 | $1,174,560 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,141,585 | $2,947,600 | $2,911,900 |
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
237 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Israel Education Foundation ($625,000), New York-Presbyterian Fund Inc ($407,772), Lincoln Center for Performing Arts ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SID JACOBSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER EAST HILLS, NY | CHARITABLE | $12,500 |
| PALM BEACH COUNTRY CLUB FOUNDATION PALM BEACH, FL | CHARITABLE | $2,000 |
| American Israel Education Foundation WASHINGTON, DC | EDUCATIONAL | $625,000 |
| Central Park Conservancy NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| NORTON MUSEUM OF ART WEST PALM BEACH, FL | CHARITABLE | $24,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL MUSEUM NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SHALVA NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| GLEN OAKS CLUB PHILANTHROPIC FUND New york, NY | CHARITABLE | $750 |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF PALM BEACH COUNTY WEST PALM BEACH, FL | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| Birthright Israel Foundation New York, NY | Religious | $18,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by uncompensated directors:
- Mitchell Jacobson — Director/VP
- Kathy Howard-Jacobson — Director/President
- J Robert Small — Treasurer/Secretary
- Marjorie Gershwind Fiverson — Director/VP
- Stacey Bennett — Director
All officers and directors serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MITCHELL JACOBSON | DIRECTOR / VP | — | — |
| KATHY HOWARD-JACOBSON | DIRECTOR / PRESIDENT | — | — |
| J ROBERT SMALL | TREASURER / SECRETARY | — | — |
| Marjorie Gershwind Fiverson | DIRECTOR / VP | — | — |
| STACEY BENNETT | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has a history of supporting educational institutions and Jewish organizations. Mitchell Jacobson's background includes serving as CEO of MSC Direct (an office and industrial equipment distributor) from 1995 to 2005, and he currently serves as an Executive Officer of Central Street Capital, a private equity firm. Kathy Howard-Jacobson serves as a vice president of the board of Sid Jacobson JCC.
The Richard O. Jacobson Foundation gives $4.5 million to improve pediatric\Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Jacobson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to: • **Jewish causes and organizations** — particularly supporting Jewish community centers and educational institutions • **Higher education** — with particular emphasis on law and business education • **Health and public health** — including in-patient medical care, hospital care, and addressing various diseases and conditions • **Education** — spanning K-12 and higher education initiatives • **Religion** — with focus on Judaism • **The arts…
How do I apply for a grant from The Jacobson Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $5.2 million (fiscal year 2023) • Total assets: $65.5 million • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Grant range: Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $1.3 million • Number of grants: 49 grants in recent fiscal year **Notable Grants:** • Seven-figure gift directed to NYU School of Law, home to the Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business • Support for Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center on Long Island • Support for The Shefa School **Application Proces…
Where does The Jacobson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates across multiple states including: • California • Connecticut • District of Columbia • Florida • Illinois • Maryland • Massachusetts • New York • Pennsylvania • Washington Primary grantmaking is concentrated in New York, with significant activity in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts.
What size grants does The Jacobson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Jacobson Family Foundation awarded 57 grants totaling $2.2M — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Jacobson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jacobson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Jacobson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Jacobson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3922461. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Jacobson Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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