The James & Merryl Tisch
The James & Merryl Tisch Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1992 in Delaware and New York. Located in New York City, the foundation was founded by James S. Tisch, President and CEO of Loews Corporation, and his wife Dr. Merryl H. Tisch, an educator and civic leader. The foundation operates with a selective, invitation-only grantmaking approach and maintains a low public profile.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$189K
-62.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$20.3M
+12.3% YoY
Grant Count
10
+11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.0M
+1.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James & Merryl Tisch reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving primarily supports:
- Education (strongest priority area)
- Children and youth services
- Jewish organizations and causes
- The arts and culture
- Health associations and healthcare
- Social services
- Policy organizations
Grantmaking
In 2024, notable grants included:
Grant Range
$3,000 to $19,805,123
How to Apply
es
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving primarily centers on New York City, with some funding activity in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total assets: $189,489
- Total revenues: $7,951,039
- Total expenses: $20,336,988
- Total giving: $20,305,123
- Annual grants made: $9,956,850
2023 Data:
- Revenue: $20.5M
- Expenses: $18.2M
- Annual giving: $18,075,166 (9 awards made)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $189,489 | $507,342 | $249,804 |
| Revenue | $7,951,039 | $20,482,479 | $2,533,039 |
| Expenses | $20,336,988 | $18,169,603 | $14,327,307 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $20,305,123 | $18,075,166 | $14,232,670 |
| Net Investment Income | $182,174 | $4,555,542 | $2,478,402 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,597,689 | $2,294,812 | $2,822,212 |
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
47 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Communal Fund ($19,805,123), International Rescue Committee ($250,000), Metropolitan Museum of Art ($60,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALFRED E SMITH MEMORIAL FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR STUTTERING NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $25,000 |
| CITIZEN'S BUDGET COMMISSION NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $19,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $250,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNAL FUND NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $19,805,123 |
| METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $60,000 |
| MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $50,000 |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $5,000 |
| POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $3,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO MUSUEM OF ART SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO FURTHER EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, MEDICAL, CULTURAL, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES. | $38,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- James S. Tisch - Founder, President and CEO of Loews Corporation; Chairman of WNET; Board member of The New York Public Library
- Dr. Merryl H. Tisch - Founder, educator and civic leader; Chairman of the SUNY Board of Trustees; formerly served as Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents
The foundation was established by the late Laurence A. Tisch, co-owner of Loews Corporation and former CEO of CBS television network (1986-1995), along with James S. and Wilma S. Tisch.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES S TISCH | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MERRYL H TISCH | SNR. VICE PRESIDENT, DIREC | — | — |
| ALAN H HIRSCHFELD | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | — | — |
| BARRY L BLOOM | TREASURER | — | — |
| BARBARA LAWRENCE | SECRETARY | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Tisches have made transformational gifts to major New York institutions:
**The New York Public Library:** Merryl and James Tisch made a significant gift to transform education programs with a focus on literacy and digital equity
Merryl and James Tisch Gift Will Transform Education Programs at The New**WNET:** The couple gave $15 million to create Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center
LAURIE M. TISCH ILLUMINATION FUND LAUNCHES $10 MILLION PLAY TO THRIVE INITIATIVE**Educational Institutions:** Supported Merryl's alma mater Barnard College and James's alma mater University of Pennsylvania
**Mount Sinai School of Medicine:** Made a seven-figure gift supporting the Tisch Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center
Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center Receives Comprehensive Cancer Center DesignationFrequently Asked Questions
What does The James & Merryl Tisch fund?
The foundation's giving primarily supports: • **Education** (strongest priority area) • **Children and youth services** • **Jewish organizations and causes** • **The arts and culture** • **Health associations and healthcare** • **Social services** • **Policy organizations**
How do I apply for a grant from The James & Merryl Tisch?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $3,000 to $19,805,123 • The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited proposals • Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to preselected charitable organizations • No formal grant programs with published criteria or application processes **Recent Grant Activity:** In 2024, notable grants included: • Jewish Communal Fund: $19,805,123 • International Rescue Committee (IRC): $250,000 • Metropolitan Museum of Ar…
Where does The James & Merryl Tisch make grants?
The foundation's giving primarily centers on **New York City**, with some funding activity in California.
What size grants does The James & Merryl Tisch award?
In 2024, The James & Merryl Tisch awarded 10 grants totaling $20.3M — an average of about $2.0M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The James & Merryl Tisch required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The James & Merryl Tisch reported a distributable amount of $2.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The James & Merryl Tisch's EIN?
The James & Merryl Tisch's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3693587. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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