The Pershing Square Foundation
The Pershing Square Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York, established in 2006. It supports leaders and organizations working on societal, environmental, and health challenges, and its giving includes life-sciences research prizes as well as support for nonprofit and mission-driven organizations.
The Pershing Square Foundation at a glance
In short: The Pershing Square Foundation gave $10.9M across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $195K), mostly in New York. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $10,932,500
- -48.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- -17.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $195,223
- -37.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $250,000
- Total assets
- $414,591,902
- +2.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (10 of 26, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (60% 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 Pershing Square Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. The prize programs have separate application processes.
- Review Cycle
- October 26, 2026, for the 2027 Sohn Cancer Prize.
- Deadline
- October 26, 2026, for the 2027 Sohn Cancer Prize.
- Contact
Mailing address: Eisner Advisory Grp 733 3Rd Ave, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 949-8700
Website: https://pershingsquarephilanthropies.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Pershing Square Foundation
Who The Pershing Square Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ($1.5M across 7 grants). Together the top 10 received $8.3M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($250,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
364 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 144 grants of 364 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in New York, New York. In 2024, 60% of its grant dollars went to recipients in New York, followed by Massachusetts (12%), California (9%), Connecticut (6%), and Florida (5%). Its 2027 Sohn Cancer Prize guidelines say the prize is open to institutions across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Pershing Square Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 26 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $275K; repeat grants $511K. How we count
Medians: $225K first-time, $325K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 81% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 56% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $10.9M (2024) to $59.0M (2021). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $10.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Cambridge, MA | Research project: "programmable therapeutics: building the foundation for the next wave of medicine" | $750,000 |
| Amchai Miami, FL | General Support | $500,000 |
| The Rockefeller University New York, NY | Support for research project entitled, stimulating synaptic protein degradation for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases | $300,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $250,000 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Pershing square sohn prize for young investigators in cancer research | $250,000 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY | Pershing square sohn prize for young investigators in cancer research | $250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Pershing Square Foundation?
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 | $414,591,902 | $36,151,858 | $25,697,755 | $10,932,500 | 56 | $14,497,855 | $24,972,435 | $26,117,931 |
| 2023 | $404,137,799 | $22,153,964 | $32,804,224 | $21,154,319 | 68 | $23,740,675 | $13,369,824 | $23,690,138 |
| 2022 | $414,726,662 | $106,285,874 | $28,156,319 | $15,214,108 | 41 | $17,152,364 | $88,035,212 | $22,620,435 |
| 2021 | $346,223,156 | $346,633,563 | $66,444,081 | $58,983,963 | 84 | $60,082,823 | $343,074,374 | $19,301,099 |
| 2020 | $94,797,736 | $21,235,439 | $35,388,302 | $30,631,195 | 115 | — | $5,240,172 | $11,804,451 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support exceptional leaders tackling important issues. Its broader philanthropic approach emphasizes innovative leaders addressing major societal, environmental, and health challenges. The areas described by Pershing Square Philanthropies include health and life sciences, education, economic development, and innovation; its website also identifies challenges such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, poverty, incarceration, and wrongful conviction.
The foundation supports research through programs including the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize and the MIND Prize, as well as organizations working in other fields. For example, Rockefeller University describes its own mission as conducting biomedical and other scientific research for the benefit of humanity. Citizens’ Alliance describes its mission as increasing citizens’ participation and influence in government, the economy, and the community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $10,932,500. Grant amounts ranged from $7,500 to $750,000, with a median of $250,000. Among the largest listed grants were $750,000 to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for a programmable-therapeutics research project; $500,000 to Amchai for general support; and $300,000 to Rockefeller University for research on stimulating synaptic protein degradation to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Other $250,000 grants included support for the Pershing Square Sohn Prize for young investigators in cancer research and the MIND Prize.
The foundation’s website describes three annual life-sciences prize programs: the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, the MIND Prize, and the Lotus Award. It says recipients receive $250,000 per year for three years and join a network of researchers. The 2027 Sohn Cancer Prize is open to institutions across the United States; its guidelines describe a letter-of-intent process, with finalists invited to present. The guidelines state that the 2027 application deadline is October 26, 2026.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists William A. Ackman and Neri Oxman as trustees, Olivia Tournay Flatto as president, and Andrea Markezin as treasurer.
The Pershing Square Foundation is led by Olivia Tournay Flatto, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Olivia Tournay Flatto
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$345K (2020) → $418K (2024)
Neri Oxman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William A. Ackman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Markezin
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $418K, to Olivia Tournay Flatto (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Pershing Square Foundation
How much does The Pershing Square Foundation give each year?
The Pershing Square Foundation gave $10.9M across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $21.2M across 68 grants.
What is The Pershing Square Foundation's typical grant size?
The Pershing Square Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $250,000, and its average grant was $195,223, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Pershing Square Foundation that year got $275K on average.
Where does The Pershing Square Foundation give grants?
The Pershing Square Foundation gives mostly in New York: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (12%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (24 grants), Ithaca, NY (6 grants), New Haven, CT (5 grants) and Cambridge, MA (3 grants).
Does The Pershing Square Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 7% of The Pershing Square Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Pershing Square Foundation's largest grantees?
The Pershing Square Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ($1,540,000 across 7 grants), New York University ($1,122,000 across 6 grants) and Cornell University ($1,030,000 across 6 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($250,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Pershing Square Foundation?
The Pershing Square Foundation reported $414.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $14.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Pershing Square Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support exceptional leaders tackling important issues. Its broader philanthropic approach emphasizes innovative leaders addressing major societal, environmental, and health challenges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Pershing Square Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 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.
Does The Pershing Square 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Pershing Square Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Pershing Square Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-pershing-square-foundation-morg_1e8f8ce59c37477f82d075a68fc14ab2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208068401_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Pershing Square Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-pershing-square-foundation-morg_1e8f8ce59c37477f82d075a68fc14ab2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Pershing Square 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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