Kohlberg Foundation Inc.

The Kohlberg Foundation operated as an invitation-only, founder-relationship-driven grantmaker throughout its three-decade history. Founded in 1989 by Jerome Kohlberg Jr. — co-founder of private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company — and his wife Nancy Kohlberg, the foundation channeled the couple's personal convictions rather than a competitive grant program open to the public. The foundation is closing in 2025. Both founders are deceased (Jerome in 2015, Nancy on August 25, 2022), and the wind-down is proceeding in accordance with their wishes. No new organizations will be considered for funding.

For organizations already in the portfolio, final legacy distributions were concentrated in 2022, when giving spiked to $21.05 million — more than $8 million above the 2021 level — before declining to $11.9 million in 2023. Remaining distributions are directed exclusively to long-standing grantee relationships managed by President and Treasurer Nancy McCabe.

A detailed review of the top 50 grantees reveals a portfolio that diverged significantly from the foundation's stated mission of "health, medical research, education, and environment." Democracy and voting rights organizations dominated the actual giving, receiving an estimated 40%+ of documented grants. The second-largest category was criminal justice reform and prisoner education, anchored by Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison ($3.85 million across 10 grants) and Sponsors Inc. ($5.7 million across 5 grants). Investigative journalism received sustained support through CUNY Graduate School of Journalism ($4 million), Investigative Reporters and Editors ($1.15 million), and The Marshall Project ($500,000).

Nancy Kohlberg's personal passions shaped the portfolio's evolution. Her early interest in sustainable agriculture — demonstrated through Cabbage Hill Farm and the Flying Pig restaurant in Westchester — informed early environmental grantmaking. Her later commitment to election integrity drove the democracy portfolio, which included eight grants to Indivisible Civic Engagement ($4.95 million total), eight grants to Civic Nation ($2.1 million), and five grants to Protect Democracy Project ($2.7 million).

All 489 recorded grants emerged through personal trustee relationships rather than any competitive process. The foundation never maintained a public application portal and explicitly stated it accepts no unsolicited proposals. For grant seekers working with the organization, multi-year general operating support was the norm, with mature relationships progressing to "permanent reserve" legacy gifts of $1 million or more.

Total documented giving across 489 recorded grants amounts to $71.2 million, with an average grant of $145,696 and a median grant of $62,650. Individual grants ranged from $500 to $2 million for single-year awards, with cumulative multi-year relationships reaching as high as $5.7 million (Sponsors Inc.) and $4.95 million (Indivisible Civic Engagement).

Annual giving varied sharply year to year. The foundation distributed $22.8 million in 2019, $10.6 million in 2020, $12.7 million in 2021, $21.1 million in 2022 (spike driven by legacy wind-down gifts), and $9.6 million in 2023 (24 awards). Peak giving occurred in the 2012–2015 era, when distributions averaged $20–$28 million annually from assets of $254–$284 million. Total assets have declined from $284 million in 2012 to $209 million in 2024 as distributions outpaced investment returns.

Geographic distribution (by grant count): New York dominated at 200 grants, followed by Massachusetts at 107 (concentrated in the Martha's Vineyard area), Washington DC at 93 (national policy organizations), California at 16, and Pennsylvania at 11.

Estimated giving by program area: - Democracy/voting rights organizations: ~42% of documented giving - Criminal justice reform and prisoner education: ~20% - Investigative journalism and media: ~12% - Local community services (Westchester NY, Martha's Vineyard MA): ~9% - Veterans programs: ~5% - Health and medical institutions: ~5% - Environment and sustainable agriculture: ~4% - DAF transfers to family accounts: ~3%

Anchor grantees received concentrated funding: the top 10 recipients collectively accounted for approximately $31 million — roughly 43% of all documented giving. Organizations receiving $1 million or more across their relationship include Sponsors Inc., Indivisible Civic Engagement, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, Protect Democracy Project, Brennan Center for Justice, Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, and Civic Nation. Multi-year "permanent reserve" legacy gifts — signaling deepest institutional trust — were awarded to five organizations in the wind-down phase.

The Kohlberg Foundation occupied a distinctive niche: a mid-size private foundation ($185–$209 million in assets) with an outsized commitment to democracy and voting rights relative to its stated mission, operating entirely through founder relationships rather than a formal program staff.

Kohlberg's per-asset giving rate of approximately 4.6% in 2023 aligns with peer foundations and the IRS 5% minimum distribution requirement. Its heavy concentration in democracy and voting rights — far exceeding its stated mission — makes it most comparable to Wellspring Philanthropic Fund and Democracy Fund, both of which funded many overlapping grantees (Brennan Center for Justice, Protect Democracy Project, NAACP Legal Defense Fund). Unlike Democracy Fund, Kohlberg never developed formal program staff or published a public strategy; all grantmaking reflected personal trustee judgment throughout. Organizations in Kohlberg's portfolio seeking successor funders should prioritize outreach to Wellspring and Democracy Fund, which have similar programmatic commitments and some capacity to accept new grantees.

The defining event of the Kohlberg Foundation's recent history is its planned closure in 2025, announced on the foundation's website following the deaths of both founders. Jerome Kohlberg Jr. died in 2015; Nancy Kohlberg, who served as President throughout the foundation's history and was the primary driver of its later grantmaking, died on August 25, 2022.

Fiscal year 2022 recorded a dramatic surge in giving to $21.05 million — the highest level since 2019 — driven by final legacy distributions. Notable wind-down gifts included $2 million to the Kunhardt Film Foundation (described as "final payment for permanent reserve fund to support film projects"), $3.4 million to Sponsors Inc. (described as "legacy gift for permanent reserve"), and $2 million in payouts distributed to sibling DAF accounts for Andrew Kohlberg and James Kohlberg at National Philanthropic Trust. Additional $1 million distributions went to Pam Kohlberg's Fidelity Charitable account, Karen Davis's Bank of America Charitable account, and Les Fagen's Schwab Charitable account — transferring an estimated $5 million in philanthropic assets to family-controlled vehicles.

By 2023, annual giving had declined to $9.57 million across 24 awards as the wind-down progressed. Assets stood at $207.2 million. Nancy McCabe continues as President and Treasurer, overseeing final distributions with Vice President Les Fagen and Secretary Jennifer Magnone. Officer compensation for McCabe was $398,794 in 2023.

No public announcements about new grant programs or 2025–2026 funding rounds have been issued, consistent with the closure timeline and the foundation's historically minimal public profile.

The foundational reality: the Kohlberg Foundation accepts no unsolicited proposals and is closing in 2025. For organizations not already in the portfolio, direct funding approaches are not viable. The following guidance is directed at two audiences: (1) organizations with existing relationships navigating the wind-down, and (2) grant seekers using Kohlberg's grantee portfolio to identify successor funders.

For existing grantees pursuing final distributions:

• Contact Nancy McCabe directly. All communications should go through the President and Treasurer at % Kisco Management Corp, PO Box 429, Armonk, NY 10504, phone (914) 415-4142. There is no online portal or email submission system.
• Frame final requests as permanent reserve or endowment gifts. The largest wind-down grants were explicitly labeled "legacy gift for permanent reserve" — organizations with endowment infrastructure should frame final asks in this language to signal alignment with the foundation's closure intent.
• Document the full relationship history. In any final written request, summarize all prior grants received, total cumulative funding, and key outcomes. Foundations in wind-down mode want to know their investment was well-used before making final distributions.
• Be concrete about use of funds. Grant descriptions in the 990 data show the foundation favored specific program names ("New Beginnings," "Finish Line Scholarships," "Protect Student Veterans Initiative") over vague "general support" language. Even unrestricted requests were tied to named programs.
• Submit a formal letter on organizational letterhead. The foundation never used online portals or standardized forms. A 2–3 page letter directly addressing the wind-down context is the appropriate format.

For successor funder identification:

• Democracy/voting rights: Democracy Fund and Wellspring Philanthropic Fund are the closest programmatic matches, funding many overlapping Kohlberg grantees. Brennan Center for Justice's donor network is another avenue.
• Criminal justice and prisoner education: Ford Foundation's Just Cities program, Open Society Foundations' Criminal Justice initiative, and Vera Institute of Justice's funder network all align with Kohlberg grantees like Hudson Link and College & Community Fellowship.
• Investigative journalism: Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation's press freedom portfolio, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation support organizations like IRE and The Marshall Project.
• Local NY/MA community services: The Community Foundation of Westchester and Rockland and the Martha's Vineyard Community Foundation are direct successor options for local grantees.