Vital Projects Fund Inc
Vital Projects Fund Inc is a private foundation based in New York, NY that operates as a grantmaking organization. Established in 1992 and funded in 2006, the fund was created from the estate of stockbroker Horace W. Goldsmith and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The foundation distributes half of its net assets to support charitable organizations across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$362.9M
+2.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$15.1M
-3.8% YoY
Grant Count
120
-9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$126K
+5.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Vital Projects Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $17.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Vital Projects Fund supports a diverse range of charitable areas including:
- Arts and Culture: Performing arts, dance, theater, music, museums, and visual arts
- Criminal Justice Reform: Particularly known for supporting death penalty abolition efforts and criminal justice policy advocacy
- Education: Higher education and educational initiatives
- Health: Hospital care, in-patient medical care, rehabilitation, and diseases and conditions including HIV and AIDS
- Human Services: Basic and emergency aid, homeless services, and support for special populations
- International Development: International relations and development initiatives
- Environment: Natural resources and environmental protection
- Support for People with Disabilities
The fund has a particular emphasis on left-of-center advocacy and criminal justice policy. As stated by leadership, the fund opposes the death penalty and provides grants to help end it.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs with published guidelines. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invitation-only basis. No public application process or contact information for grant inquiries has been published.
Grant Range
$25,000 - $150,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Vital Projects Fund Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund primarily supports organizations in:
- New York
- California
- District of Columbia
The fund operates across numerous cities and states in the United States, including major urban centers like Los Angeles and Chicago.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- $355,366,295 (as of 2023)
- $362,947,737 (as of 2024)
Annual Giving:
- $15,743,550 (2023)
- $15,142,525 (2024)
Revenue and Expenses:
- Total revenues: $59,706,442 (2023)
- Total expenses: $16,501,669 (2023)
- Investment income and dividends: $11,201,461 (2023)
Staffing: The organization operates with 5 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $362,947,737 | $355,366,295 | $357,215,240 |
| Revenue | $50,271,344 | $59,706,442 | $7,084,980 |
| Expenses | $17,089,845 | $16,501,669 | $15,563,684 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,547,373 | $17,086,018 | $16,154,741 |
| Net Investment Income | $49,612,069 | $58,530,859 | $8,372,111 |
| Distributable Amount | $17,432,633 | $16,520,922 | $17,659,414 |
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
201 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Community Funds Inc ($900,000), Duke University ($340,000), Hopewell Fund ($262,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABILITY CENTER OF VIRGINIA VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| ABOLITIONIST LAW CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| ACLU OF MICHIGAN FOUNDATION DETROIT, MI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $225,000 |
| ACLU OF NEW JERSEY FOUNDATION NEWARK, NJ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| ADVANCING REAL CHANGE BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| ADVERTISING COUNCIL NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ALABAMA APPLESEED MONTGOMERY, AL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $80,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| ARCHIVES OF AMERICAN ART WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| ARIZONA CAPITAL REPRESENTATION PROJECT TUCSON, AZ | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
David F. Menschel serves as President, Director, and Treasurer. He is a Yale Law School graduate and former attorney at the Innocence Project.
Other directors include Marianne Sammarco and Jay Rivlin.
The fund is connected to the Menschel family philanthropic interests, which include arts and culture, education, health, New York City community, and human rights and criminal justice.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID F MENSCHEL | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR/TREASURER | 25 | $100,000 |
| MARIANNE SAMMARCO | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 20 | $75,000 |
| JAY RIVLIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | $40,000 |
| LAUREN E MENSCHEL | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 375 Park Ave Ste 3601 New York City, NY 10152-3700
Telephone: 973-472-6250
Tax ID: 13-3711340
Tax-Exempt Status: 501(c)(3) Private Foundation
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vital Projects Fund Inc fund?
The Vital Projects Fund supports a diverse range of charitable areas including: • **Arts and Culture**: Performing arts, dance, theater, music, museums, and visual arts • **Criminal Justice Reform**: Particularly known for supporting death penalty abolition efforts and criminal justice policy advocacy • **Education**: Higher education and educational initiatives • **Health**: Hospital care, in-patient medical care, rehabilitation, and diseases and conditions including HIV and AIDS • **Human Ser…
How do I apply for a grant from Vital Projects Fund Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $25,000 - $150,000 • Full range: $10,000 - $2,705,000 • Annual giving: Approximately $15-17 million • Number of grants: Approximately 132 grants annually **Application Process:** The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs with published guidelines. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invitation-only basis. No public application process or contact informati…
Where does Vital Projects Fund Inc make grants?
The fund primarily supports organizations in: • New York • California • District of Columbia The fund operates across numerous cities and states in the United States, including major urban centers like Los Angeles and Chicago.
What size grants does Vital Projects Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Vital Projects Fund Inc awarded 120 grants totaling $15.1M — an average of about $126K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Vital Projects Fund Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Vital Projects Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $17.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Vital Projects Fund Inc's EIN?
Vital Projects Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3711340. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Vital Projects Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Assets
$9.1B
Grants
19,253
Total Given
$1.2B
Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$12.7B
Grants
7,424
Total Given
$3.0B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Jewish Communal Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
4,673
Total Given
$953.3M
The Ayco Charitable Foundation
COHOES, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
4,719
Total Given
$287.7M
Impactassetsinc
BETHESDA, MD
Assets
$3.0B
Grants
2,733
Total Given
$580.1M
Charities Aid Foundation America
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Assets
$444.9M
Grants
10,157
Total Given
$466.3M
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
CHARLESTON SC, SC
Assets
$52.7M
Grants
1,860
Total Given
$41.4M
The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$518.0M
Grants
2,485
Total Given
$212.1M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Vital Projects Fund Inc on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Vital Projects Fund Inc to a real strategy.