Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation
The Thomas L. Kempner Jr. Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1987 by Thomas L. Kempner Jr., co-founder of Davidson Kempner Capital Management. Based in Southampton, New York, the foundation has been tax-exempt since June 1987 and operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$326.4M
+6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.6M
-34.2% YoY
Grant Count
22
-12.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$526K
-25.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $15.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports organizations working in education, the environment, and the performing arts. Grant-making priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Environmental conservation
- Youth development programs
- Healthcare facilities
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 to $5,478,666
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's geographic focus aligns with Thomas Kempner's personal and professional connections, with primary emphasis on:
- Southampton, New York
- New York City
- New Haven, Connecticut
- Boston, Massachusetts
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Connecticut and California (secondary focus)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (as of 2024):
- Total assets: $326,388,820
- Annual giving: $11.87 million
- Total giving (2024): $11,575,752
Historical Financial Data:
- 2023 revenue: $4.17 million
- 2023 expenses: $19.6 million
- 2023 total assets: $307 million
- 2023 total liabilities: $871,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $326,388,820 | $306,675,675 | $307,756,994 |
| Revenue | $12,343,171 | $4,170,879 | $1,394,172 |
| Expenses | $12,598,256 | $19,593,149 | $17,852,745 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,868,453 | $17,894,120 | $16,683,682 |
| Net Investment Income | $16,182,615 | $13,172,209 | $18,828,671 |
| Distributable Amount | $15,307,518 | $14,583,908 | $15,500,348 |
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
90 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Communal Fund ($3,235,000), Mount Sinai Hospital ($2,000,000), Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc ($1,250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVEMENT FIRST CHARTER SCHOOL NEW HAVEN, CT | CT GENERAL OPERATIONS | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | FUTTER FUND FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY | $250,000 |
| BLETCHLEY PARK | BLOCK B LEARNING CENTRE | $175,425 |
| BUSINESSES UNITED IN INVESTING LENDING AND DEVELOPMENT REDWOOD CITY, CA | SUPPORT AND LICENSED PARTNERSHIPS | $350,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY NEW YORK, NY | ESSENTIAL CENTRAL PARK FUND | $166,667 |
| HARLEM VILLAGE ACADEMIES NEW YORK, NY | ACCELERATED MATHEMATICS PHASE II | $944,000 |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL BOSTON, MA | DEAN'S INNOVATION FUND | $250,000 |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL BOSTON, MA | ANNUAL FUND | $5,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNAL FUND NEW YORK, NY | DAF REPLENISHMENT -THOMAS L. KEMPNER JR. FOUNDATION INC. FUND | $3,235,000 |
| MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL NEW YORK, NY | PRESIDENT'S STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FUND | $2,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Thomas L. Kempner Jr. - President and Founder
- Education: Yale University (Bachelor of Arts), Harvard Business School (MBA)
- Co-founder of Davidson Kempner Capital Management
- Board member of the Ford Foundation
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS KEMPNER JR | PRESIDENT/TREASURER | 2 | — |
| KATHERYN C PATTERSON | VICE PRES/SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| TREVOR KEMPNER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| THOMAS N KEMPNER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JESSICA S KEMPNER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| HOLLY R RAUB | CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER | 24 | $110,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Thomas L. Kempner Jr. was named to the Board of Trustees of the Ford Foundation, reflecting his prominence in the philanthropic community.
Ford Foundation Names Thomas L. Kempner Jr. to Board of Trustees - Ford FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation fund?
The foundation supports organizations working in education, the environment, and the performing arts. Grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Environmental conservation • Youth development programs • Healthcare facilities
How do I apply for a grant from Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 to $5,478,666 • Application method: Invitation only—does not accept unsolicited applications • The foundation makes between 16-25 grants annually • Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board to pre-selected organizations • The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines **Recent Activity:** • 2024 annual giving: $11.87 million • 2023 annual giving: $19.6 million in expenses • Total giving (2024): $11,575,752
Where does Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation make grants?
The foundation's geographic focus aligns with Thomas Kempner's personal and professional connections, with primary emphasis on: • Southampton, New York • New York City • New Haven, Connecticut • Boston, Massachusetts • San Francisco Bay Area • Connecticut and California (secondary focus)
What size grants does Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation award?
In 2024, Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $11.6M — an average of about $526K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $15.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation's EIN?
Thomas L Kempner Jr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3407819. 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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