The Pershing Square Foundation
The Pershing Square Foundation, also known as Pershing Square Philanthropies, is a private foundation established in 2006 by Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital. Based in New York City, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization designated for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. Since its establishment, the Foundation and its affiliated entities have committed more than $930 million in grants and investments across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$414.6M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.9M
-48.3% YoY
Grant Count
56
-17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$195K
-37.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Pershing Square Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation invests in pioneering individuals, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies working to solve major societal, environmental, and health challenges. Primary funding areas include:
- Health & Life Sciences — including cancer research and neurodegenerative disease research
- Education
- Economic Development & Economic Opportunity
- Arts & Urban Development
- Innovation
- Environment
- Racial Justice
- Criminal Justice Reform
The foundation does not articulate specific quantified goals for its giving but maintains a grants database demonstrating support for a broad range of causes, including work with marginalized groups.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates two prestigious annual awards for scientific research:
Grant Range
$250,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Domestic: New York City is a geographic priority for U.S. grantmaking
- Global: International work appears to prioritize Africa and Israel
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2024:
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $415,000,000 |
| Total Revenue | $36,151,858 |
| Total Expenses | $25,700,000 |
| Total Liabilities | $0 |
The foundation ranks in the top 1% of U.S. foundations by assets (Rank #356 of 159,550).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $414,591,902 | $404,137,799 | $414,726,662 |
| Revenue | $36,151,858 | $22,153,964 | $106,285,874 |
| Expenses | $25,697,755 | $32,804,224 | $28,156,319 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $14,497,855 | $23,740,675 | $17,152,364 |
| Net Investment Income | $24,972,435 | $13,369,824 | $88,035,212 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,117,931 | $23,690,138 | $22,620,435 |
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
241 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Pershing Square Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Broad Institute of Mit and Harvard ($750,000), Amchai ($500,000), The Rockefeller University ($300,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE BRONX, NY | PERSHING SQUARE SOHN PRIZE FOR YOUNG INVESTIGATORS IN CANCER RESEARCH | $250,000 |
| AMCHAI MIAMI, FL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| AMERICAN ALUMNI OF GLASGOW UNIVERSITY INC WASHINGTON, DC | MCNAB CENTRE AT UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW | $200,000 |
| CHANCELLOR MASTERS & SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD | OXFORD SCHOLAR CONVENING | $10,000 |
| CITIZENS ALLIANCE BUFFALO, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | THE MIND (MAXIMIZING INNOVATION IN NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY) PRIZE | $250,000 |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | DOUBLE HELIX MEDALS DINNER | $150,000 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY | SUPPORT FOR THE RESEARCH OF THE LYDEN LAB | $10,000 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY | THE MIND (MAXIMIZING INNOVATION IN NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY) PRIZE | $250,000 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY | THE MIND (MAXIMIZING INNOVATION IN NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY) PRIZE | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
| Name | Title | Hours/Week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| William A. Ackman | Trustee | 1 | $0 |
| Neri Oxman | Trustee | 1 | $0 |
| Olivia Tournay Flatto | President | 40 | $418,000 |
| Diana Won | Program Director | 40 | $183,000 |
| Yael Hungerford | Program Director | 40 | $76,000 |
| Emily Hotaling | Program Manager | 40 | $101,000 |
| Molly Zollo-Venecek | Program Manager | 40 | $101,000 |
| Andrea Markezin | Treasurer | 7 | $0 |
| Peyton Mayer | Executive Assistant | 40 | $91,000 |
The foundation maintains dedicated paid staff and is likely staffed based on reported board members and key employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM A ACKMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NERI OXMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANDREA MARKEZIN | TREASURER | 7 | — |
| OLIVIA TOURNAY FLATTO | PRESIDENT | 40 | $417,605 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Pershing Square Foundation awarded the MIND Prize to eight pioneering researchers in neuroscience research in 2026, continuing its commitment to supporting innovative work in neurodegenerative disease research. The foundation has demonstrated recent grant activity, with grantees including organizations focused on economic opportunity, health, environment, and innovation across both U.S. and global contexts.
The Pershing Square Foundation Awards \u201CMIND\u201D Prize to Eight Pioneering\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Pershing Square Foundation fund?
The foundation invests in pioneering individuals, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies working to solve major societal, environmental, and health challenges. Primary funding areas include: • **Health & Life Sciences** — including cancer research and neurodegenerative disease research • **Education** • **Economic Development & Economic Opportunity** • **Arts & Urban Development** • **Innovation** • **Environment** • **Racial Justice** • **Criminal Justice Reform** The foundation does not art…
How do I apply for a grant from The Pershing Square Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • 56 grants recorded in recent filings • Median grant size: $250,000 • Grant range: $7,500 to $750,000 • Total giving (2024): $10,932,500 **Award Programs:** The foundation operates two prestigious annual awards for scientific research: • **PSSCRA Cancer Prize** — awarded to scientists conducting cancer research • **MIND Neuroscience Prize** — awarded to researchers working in neurodegenerative disease research **Application Process:** With the exception of the medical resea…
Where does The Pershing Square Foundation make grants?
• **Domestic:** New York City is a geographic priority for U.S. grantmaking • **Global:** International work appears to prioritize Africa and Israel
What size grants does The Pershing Square Foundation award?
In 2024, The Pershing Square Foundation awarded 56 grants totaling $10.9M — an average of about $195K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Pershing Square Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Pershing Square Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Pershing Square Foundation's EIN?
The Pershing Square Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8068401. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Pershing Square 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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