Forth Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The Forth Foundation is a New York City private foundation led by President Hutham S. Olayan. The Olayan name is closely associated with Suliman Olayan, the late Saudi billionaire founder of the Olayan Group — one of the largest diversified business groups in Saudi Arabia. Hutham Olayan, his daughter, is a prominent businesswoman who served as CEO of Olayan America and is on the board of multiple major corporations. The foundation is administered by Robert F. Raucci (Vice President), who also appears connected to Georgetown University funding.

The Forth Foundation's giving pattern reveals a Middle Eastern diaspora philanthropist making significant concentrated bets on Arab refugee assistance and US academic/medical institutions with personal connections. The dominance of ANERA (American Near East Refugee Aid) grants — totaling over $770,000 across 2022-2023 alone — signals a deep commitment to Palestinian and Arab refugee welfare that has intensified dramatically in recent years.

Critical insight: This foundation is fully preselected. All grants are awarded at the personal discretion of the Olayan/Raucci leadership. The website (forthfoundation.org) shows a "launching soon" placeholder. No cold applications will be accepted.

The only realistic path to this foundation is through personal relationships in Hutham Olayan's network: Arab-American civic organizations, Georgetown University alumni connections, or through ANERA's organizational network.

## Funding Patterns

The foundation experienced a dramatic transformation in 2021 when it received a $3.6M contribution, inflating assets from a modest $331K to $3.8M. This single infusion reshaped the foundation's capacity and strategy entirely.

Historical giving: - 2023: $331,812 (2 grants — both to ANERA refugee programs, $200K + $131K) - 2022: $525,128 (3 grants — ANERA $440K, Graduate Center $60K, Hospital for Special Surgery $25K) - 2021: $58,000 (3 grants — Graduate Center $30K, Madison Square Park $25K, Columbia Business School $3K) — transitional year - 2020: $0 (no grants during COVID) - 2019: $0 - 2018: $107,500 (2 grants — American University of Beirut $100K, Southampton Hospital $7.5K) - 2017: $8,500 (Southampton Hospital) - 2011: $345,200 (5 grants — Georgetown University Olayan-Raucci Scholarship, St. Bernard's School, etc.)

Key observations: The 2022 ANERA grant of $440,128 to the SAMA Project is the largest single grant in foundation history. The shift from US elite institutions to Arab refugee work in 2022-2023 may reflect the Gaza/Arab Spring context and Hutham Olayan's personal values. Total giving 2022-2023 of $856,940 represents the foundation's most active two-year period.

Current assets: Grantmakers.io shows $2.69M as of FY2023 (most recent IRS filing available), down from $3.8M peak as distributions exceeded contributions.

## Peer Comparison

The Forth Foundation sits within the broader ecosystem of Saudi-American and Arab-American diaspora philanthropy concentrated in New York City. Its recent pivot to Palestinian refugee aid aligns it with post-2022 Gaza crisis philanthropists. For organizations seeking similar funding, ANERA itself runs programmatic funding competitions and may be more accessible than the Forth Foundation directly. The American University of Beirut has also received Olayan-family support and may be a networking node.

## Recent Activity

FY2023 (most recent IRS filing): - ANERA SAMA Project (Washington DC): $200,000 — refugee aid - ANERA SOHA Project (Washington DC): $131,812 — refugee aid - Total: $331,812 across 2 grants

FY2022: - ANERA SAMA Project: $440,128 — refugee aid (largest foundation grant on record) - The Graduate Center Foundation (NY): $60,000 — education - Hospital for Special Surgery (NY): $25,000 — medical

Website: forthfoundation.org shows "Launching Soon" (GoDaddy-hosted, identical template to Martino Foundation). This "launching soon" pattern may indicate the Raucci administration manages multiple family foundations on the same website hosting account.

Note: The SAMA and SOHA project names likely refer to specific ANERA programs ("SAMA" means sky/height in Arabic; "SOHA" is a name). ANERA operates in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, and other Arab countries.

Foundation EIN 205369388 was granted exempt status in March 2007. No staff compensation is paid to any officer.

## Application Tips

Bottom line: Do not apply cold. This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications (preselected only) and maintains no public-facing grant portal.

For organizations that may encounter the Forth Foundation's network:

1. ANERA-affiliated organizations: The foundation's two-year near-exclusive focus on ANERA refugee programs suggests Hutham Olayan or Robert Raucci has a personal relationship with ANERA's leadership. Organizations working within ANERA's network (Lebanon refugee services, Palestine humanitarian aid, Jordan youth development) may benefit from warm introductions through ANERA.

2. Georgetown University connection: Multiple grants reference Georgetown University and the "Olayan-Raucci Scholarship." Georgetown alumni or development officers may be able to facilitate introductions. The Olayan School of Business at the American University of Beirut is named for the Olayan family.

3. Arab-American civic organizations: NYC-area organizations serving Arab-American communities, particularly those with ties to Lebanon, Palestine, or Saudi Arabia, may align with the foundation's values.

4. Hospital for Special Surgery / NYC medical institutions: HSS and similar elite NYC medical centers appear in the giving history. Organizations in the NYC medical philanthropy ecosystem may have indirect access.

Monitor forthfoundation.org for any website launch that might signal a formalized application process. The "launching soon" page has an email signup for updates.