David Berg Foundation Inc.

The David Berg Foundation operates on a strictly invitation-only grantmaking model — it explicitly does not accept unsolicited proposals. This is the single most important fact for any grant seeker to internalize: there is no open portal, no annual RFP cycle, and no application form to submit. The foundation was established in 1994 by David Berg (1904–1999), a New York real estate lawyer, developer, and art collector whose passions — Jewish communal life, Israeli statehood, museum culture, immigration history, and services for vulnerable populations — define its enduring priorities. Today, Michele C. Tocci serves as President and Director and is the foundation's sole compensated professional, earning $722,865 in FY2023 (up from $460,356 in 2015). This trajectory signals a one-person executive shop with deep personal relationships at its core and increasing investment in proactive, relationship-driven grantmaking.

The foundation's grantee profile reveals a strong preference for large, established institutions. Its top recipients include NLI USA Inc (National Library of Israel, $1M for book acquisitions and exhibitions), New York Legal Assistance Group ($535,000 across 3 grants), Harvard Law School ($400,000 across 2 grants), Hebrew Home at Riverdale ($350,000), Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law ($450,000 combined), and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee ($350,000). These are not emerging nonprofits — they are anchor institutions with decades of operational history. First-time grantees should understand they are evaluated against this peer set of high-capacity, well-established organizations.

Relationship progression at an invitation-only foundation like Berg typically moves from informal cultivation — attendance at shared events, connections through board networks, visibility at Philanthropy New York convenings — to a conversational brief or short written summary, followed by a formal grant letter if mutual interest is confirmed. Site visits may occur for larger requests. Multi-year relationships dominate the top grantee list: many recipients appear across 2–4 documented grant rounds, suggesting the foundation builds sustained partnerships rather than one-off gifts.

First-time applicants should prioritize presence in New York Jewish philanthropic networks and at cultural events (exhibition openings, law school convenings, Holocaust remembrance gatherings) where foundation leadership may be present. Demonstrating Jewish community impact, organizational longevity, and clear alignment with one of the five program pillars — museums/exhibitions, archives/libraries, combating antisemitism, legal services, or Jewish community assistance — is essential before any solicitation conversation begins.

Based on 202 grants totaling $9,621,260 in the tracked grantee database, the median grant is $27,500 and the average is $47,630. The range is substantial: the smallest grants in the dataset fall below $5,000, while the largest single award — $1,000,000 to NLI USA Inc (National Library of Israel) for book acquisitions and exhibitions — sits at the extreme upper end. Typical project grants cluster between $25,000 and $100,000; multi-year general operating relationships accumulate to $150,000–$535,000 over the recorded period.

Annual total giving has shown meaningful fluctuation across the past decade: $7,218,994 in FY2012, $7,589,849 in FY2015, $5,413,620 in FY2020, $4,554,564 in FY2021, $6,525,734 in FY2022, and $5,049,539 in FY2023. The 5-year average (2019–2023) is approximately $5.1M per year. The payout rate in FY2023 was approximately 5.5% against total assets of $92.6M — modestly above the regulatory 5% minimum. With assets growing to $95.7M in FY2024 and net investment income of $5.5M in revenue, the foundation has the capacity to sustain or incrementally increase its historical giving level.

Geography is overwhelmingly New York-centric: 160 of 202 tracked grants (79%) flow to NY-based organizations, reflecting the foundation's Manhattan roots and institutional relationships. Washington DC receives 12 grants (6%), primarily through national organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Pennsylvania accounts for 10 grants (5%), notably via University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business ($375,000 across 3 grants). Massachusetts (7 grants, predominantly Harvard Law School) and New Jersey (3 grants) round out the geographic footprint.

By program area (estimated from grant purpose descriptions): cultural institutions, museums, and exhibitions account for approximately 35% of giving; legal services and legal education represent roughly 30%; Jewish community services (elderly care, food programs, social services) comprise about 20%; Holocaust memory and antisemitism programming account for roughly 10%; and emergency and humanitarian response makes up approximately 5% — a category that expanded meaningfully following the October 7, 2023 attacks. The foundation funds both general operating support (recurring annual grants to Citymeals-on-Wheels, $225,000 total; American Friends of Leket Israel, $150,000 total) and project-specific grants for exhibitions, archive digitization, and publications.

The table below compares the David Berg Foundation to peer Jewish philanthropic private foundations. Peer asset and giving figures marked (est.) are based on publicly available 990 data and industry sources and should be verified independently.

The David Berg Foundation occupies a distinct mid-size niche among Jewish philanthropic foundations — large enough to make six-figure multi-year commitments to anchor institutions, but concentrated enough to maintain a highly personal, relationship-driven grantmaking style that larger foundations cannot replicate. Its invitation-only model most closely resembles the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, which is similarly New York-based, cultivates long-term institutional relationships, and focuses on Jewish scholarship and culture. Unlike the Jim Joseph Foundation or Nathan Cummings Foundation — which operate open, competitive processes and fund at 8–10x the scale — Berg concentrates giving on a small cohort of high-capacity organizations with demonstrated track records. For grant seekers already in relationship with major Berg grantees (Center for Jewish History, Jewish Museum, Cardozo Law School, NYLLAG), the foundation is a natural secondary funder to cultivate through those shared institutional networks.

The most consequential strategic shift at the David Berg Foundation in recent years is its expanded portfolio in emergency response and antisemitism programming, a direct response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent global rise in antisemitism. The foundation publicly stated it accelerated humanitarian emergency aid, including $250,000 to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and $100,000 to IsraAID US, and added hospital aid, trauma relief, and international legal advocacy as explicit grantmaking categories. Its antisemitism programming now encompasses campus initiatives, synagogue security training, Holocaust education, and military education programs — a broadening beyond the foundation's historically culture- and legal-services-focused portfolio.

In governance, H. Jerome Zoffer departed his long-held role as Secretary/Director in July 2023 — the most significant board transition in recent years. The board now consists of four members: Michele C. Tocci (President/Director), William D. Zabel (Treasurer/Director), Valerie Tocci Longobardi (Director), and any successor to Zoffer's secretary role. President Tocci's compensation rose from $625,390 in FY2020 to $722,865 in FY2023, reflecting deepening investment in professional leadership.

The foundation's exhibition sponsorship portfolio is actively expanding in 2025–2026, with confirmed support for: "The Recordings: Voices from the Shoah Tapes" at the New York Historical Society (November 2025 – March 2026); "Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition" at the Museum of the Bible (November 2025 – September 2026); "Anne Frank: The Exhibition" at the Center for Jewish History (January–October 2025); "Jewish Worlds Illuminated" at the Grolier Club (September–December 2025); and "Defiance: Jewish Women and Design" at the Jewish Museum Berlin (July–November 2025). The foundation now reports supporting 40+ exhibitions, including international venues — a geographic broadening of its historically New York-centric cultural program.

The foundational tip for any organization pursuing the David Berg Foundation is this: it does not accept unsolicited proposals, and conventional grant-seeking strategies will fail. There is no online portal, no annual cycle to calendar, and no program officer to cold-email. Every pathway to a grant runs through a pre-existing relationship. What follows is calibrated to this invitation-only reality.

Cultivate through Philanthropy New York. The foundation is a PNY member. Attending convenings — particularly those focused on Jewish philanthropy, arts, or legal aid — is one of the few legitimate venues for proximity to foundation leadership. Michele C. Tocci, as the sole professional, is the decision-maker; her time is limited and high-value. Position your organization as a peer in that room, not a supplicant.

Partner with existing grantees. If your organization can co-produce an exhibition, co-publish archival research, or co-develop a legal education curriculum with a current Berg grantee — NLI USA, Center for Jewish History, New York Legal Assistance Group, Cardozo Law School — you create a warm introduction through an already-trusted institution. The foundation's grantee list functions as its professional network.

Use the right alignment language. Berg grantees consistently frame work around: "Jewish values," "cultural treasures," "civil legal services for vulnerable populations," "archival preservation," "Holocaust memory," and "combating antisemitism." Authentic alignment with these frames — backed by documented Jewish community impact — is essential. Generic civil legal aid or generic museum programming without explicit Jewish community connection is unlikely to resonate.

Track and attend exhibition openings. With 40+ sponsored exhibitions publicly listed at bergfoundation.org, opening receptions are legitimate relationship-building venues. When a Berg-supported show opens near your institution, attend and cultivate relationships with co-sponsors, curators, and host institution leaders who have active Berg connections.

Post-October 7, pivot your pitch. Emergency response, antisemitism on campus, synagogue security, and Israel-connected humanitarian programming are now active, expanded priorities. Organizations with programming in these areas should ensure their language reflects this strategic shift when positioning for cultivation.

Prepare a 2-page brief, not a full proposal. When a relationship conversation opens, have ready: organization history and track record, specific program or project summary, Jewish community impact metrics, annual budget with top funders, and a clear ask tied to one of the five program pillars. Do not send this unsolicited — have it ready to deliver promptly when invited.

Budget for a 12–24 month timeline. The gap between initial contact and a first grant at invitation-only foundations is measured in years. Sustained visibility and patience are prerequisites.