Oclo Inc.

Oclo Inc. operates as a quintessential invitation-only private foundation rooted in the New York Jewish philanthropic tradition. With $47.1 million in assets and annual giving of $2.0–$3.1 million, the foundation functions as a vehicle for deeply personal, relationship-driven grantmaking led by President Susan Wexner and an all-volunteer board of more than 10 directors. No compensation is paid to any officer or director, underscoring that this is a community of trusted insiders rather than a professionally staffed institution.

The foundation's giving philosophy centers on institutional sustainability and community continuity. Its signature initiative, the IDEAS (Initiative for Day Educational Advancement and Sustainability) program, exemplifies this orientation: IDEAS provides an 18-month structured pilot for participating Jewish day schools, pairing each institution with experts in marketing, recruitment, retention, and fundraising, while also providing direct grants to engage consultants. The program reflects a capacity-building model — not mere check-writing, but systemic strengthening of grantee institutions. This philosophy carries across the broader portfolio: top grantees like the Center for Israel Education Inc. ($693,489 across 3 grants), Yeshiva University ($378,254 across 3 grants), and Camp Hachshara ($163,401 across 3 grants) have all received repeated, multi-year support, confirming that Oclo rewards proven partners over time.

First-time applicants face a fundamental structural barrier: Oclo does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation's IRS filings list application instructions as 'none' and describe grantmaking as contributions to pre-selected organizations. There is no portal, LOI cycle, or RFP process. Any strategy that opens with a cold submission will not succeed.

For organizations operating in Jewish education, aging services, or Israel-focused healthcare, the productive path runs through the New York Jewish philanthropic community. Events hosted by the Jewish Theological Seminary, Yeshiva University, Prizmah (the Jewish day school network), or the Association of Jewish Aging Services create natural environments where board member overlaps and warm introductions are possible. Demonstrating institutional excellence, clear financial sustainability plans, and deep alignment with Jewish communal values are the core attributes that resonate with this funder.

Oclo Inc.'s grantmaking data reveals a focused, stable philanthropist with consistent annual output and a strong preference for multi-year relationships over one-time gifts.

Annual giving trajectory: Total giving has grown from $1.74M in FY2012 to a peak of $3.15M in FY2022, representing an 81% increase over a decade. FY2023 recorded $2.54M in total giving ($2.19M in grants paid). The slight moderation from FY2022's peak reflects normal investment portfolio management rather than strategic contraction. FY2024 revenue reached $4.52M — $3.1M from investment asset sales and $1.3M in dividends — signaling strong capacity for continued annual giving at or above $2.5M.

Grant size distribution: Across 15 most-recent grants on record, the median grant is $73,629, the average is $150,044, and the maximum is $529,152. Across all 49 documented grants totaling $6.35M, the blended average is $129,666. The practical range for substantive grants runs from $25,000 to $400,000, with the handful of grants exceeding that ceiling reserved for the foundation's core multi-year relationships.

Program area breakdown (estimated from grantee data): - Jewish education (~67% of documented giving): The IDEAS Charitable Program alone received $2.78M across 3 grants (44% of total grantee disbursements). Day school support, summer camps (Camp Hachshara, Camp Ramah, Eden Village, Greene Family Camp), campus educator training (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations, JTSA), and Israel education (Center for Israel Education) account for the balance. - Healthcare and aging (~20%): Association of Jewish Aging Services ($400,000 for tele-health), Yeshiva University ($378,254 for geriatric/palliative care programs), Israel Healthcare Foundation ($209,050 for medical equipment), PEF Israel Endowment Fund ($150,000), and Children's Hospital Medical Center ($100,000). - Human services and community (~10%): Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies ($362,242 for poverty/hunger), Ohel Children's Home ($149,159 for special needs), and Jewish community centers. - Holocaust education and cultural programming (~3%): Names Not Numbers Inc. ($208,000) and Zamir Choral Foundation ($80,000).

Geographic concentration: 67% of grantees (33 of 49) are New York-based. Georgia (3), Minnesota (2), and New Jersey (2) account for most out-of-state activity, primarily through national Jewish organizations with New York affiliates.

The following foundations operate in the same asset tier (~$47M) and NTEE category (T — Philanthropy & Grantmaking) as Oclo Inc., providing a useful benchmark on scale, though most peer foundations in this bracket do not publicly disclose their program focus or annual giving.

Oclo Inc. stands out within this peer group for one reason above all others: transparency of purpose. While the other five foundations in this asset bracket disclose no public information about their funding priorities or application processes, Oclo's 990-PF filings and grantee data reveal a coherent, sector-specific strategy concentrated in Jewish communal life. This focused identity — anchored by the IDEAS program and a consistent set of returning grantees — distinguishes it from the opaque private family vehicles that typify this asset tier. For grant seekers, this specificity is both a filter and a signal: if your mission aligns with Jewish education, aging, or Israel-linked healthcare, Oclo is one of the most clearly legible invitation-only funders in the $47M asset class.

Public information about Oclo Inc.'s recent activities is extremely limited. The foundation maintains no accessible public-facing website — oclo.org is behind Cloudflare security verification and yields no content — and the foundation issues no press releases, annual reports, or public communications. No news coverage of Oclo Inc. was found in searches covering 2025 and 2026.

What is documented through Form 990-PF filings: In FY2023, the foundation disbursed $2.19M in grants and $2.54M in total giving, continuing a decade-long pattern of stable, consistent grantmaking. FY2024 showed total revenue of $4.52M driven by strong investment activity, with net assets growing slightly to $47.1M from $45.4M in FY2023.

The most notable personnel change on record is the death of Director M. Oberman, noted in filings through October 2019 — the only confirmed change in board composition across available filing years. President Susan Wexner has held her combined President/Secretary/Treasurer/Director role continuously across all available filings.

The IDEAS Charitable Program — the foundation's principal programmatic initiative — accounted for $1,791,952 in program expenses in the most recent filed period, confirming it remains the operational centerpiece of the foundation's grantmaking. No new programmatic launches, geographic expansions, or leadership appointments were identified through web research for 2025 or 2026.

The single most critical fact for grant seekers to internalize about Oclo Inc. is that it does not accept unsolicited applications. IRS filings explicitly list application instructions as 'none,' and the foundation's grantmaking is characterized as contributions to pre-selected charitable organizations. There is no open portal, no LOI cycle, no RFP process. Any strategy beginning with a cold submission will not advance.

The realistic path to Oclo Inc. funding runs through human relationships — specifically within the New York Jewish philanthropic community. The following guidance reflects the foundation's documented behavior:

Know your alignment precisely. Oclo's confirmed priorities are Jewish day school sustainability, Jewish aging and tele-health services, Israel-focused healthcare and education, Holocaust education, and Jewish youth camp programming. Organizations that cannot demonstrate a clear, mission-level connection to at least one of these areas should redirect their efforts elsewhere.

Map board member overlaps. The foundation's 10+ directors — including Levy, Weissman, Feit, Agus, Feinstein, Kanner, Lopata, Stern, and Graff — almost certainly serve on other boards within the New York Jewish communal ecosystem. Research their other affiliations. Events hosted by Yeshiva University, the Jewish Theological Seminary, Prizmah, or the Association of Jewish Aging Services are high-probability venues for natural introductions.

Study the existing grantee cohort. Organizations like the Center for Israel Education Inc., Ohel Children's Home, Names Not Numbers, and the Zamir Choral Foundation have received repeated, multi-year support. Understanding what distinguishes these institutions — their leadership quality, institutional track record, and financial health — will help you calibrate your positioning.

Frame sustainability, not just programming. The IDEAS program's explicit focus on 'core sustainability markers' (marketing, recruitment, retention, fundraising) signals that Oclo values organizations capable of demonstrating long-term institutional durability. A proposal narrative centered on organizational resilience will land better than one emphasizing program novelty.

Timing expectations: Since no open application cycle exists, relationship cultivation is a year-round, multi-year effort. Budget 12–24 months for introductions and relationship development before expecting any funding consideration. Do not approach board members with grant requests at an initial meeting.