Petrucci Family Foundation Inc.

## Approach Strategy

The Petrucci Family Foundation is a preselected-only private family foundation — they do not accept unsolicited proposals. This fundamentally shapes how grantseekers should engage with them.

### Relationship-Building Path Since the foundation selects its own grantees, the most viable path is through relationship cultivation with the Petrucci family and their network:

• James G. Petrucci is the founder and principal trustee. He is also the founder and CEO of J.G. Petrucci Company, Inc., a major commercial real estate development firm in the Lehigh Valley/NJ corridor. Engaging with J.G. Petrucci Company's community events and sponsorships (such as their K9 Sponsorship Program) can create touchpoints.
• Jeanne Petrucci serves as trustee and is involved in the foundation's arts and education initiatives.
• Emilia Rose Sochovka, Joseph Ronald James Petrucci, and Michael Petrecca round out the board of trustees.

### Alignment Signals Organizations most likely to receive funding share these characteristics: 1. Education-focused, especially private K-12 schools in New Jersey (Delbarton School, Villa Walsh Academy, The Peck School are recurring top recipients) 2. Nutrition and health organizations (Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, Eatwell Exchange) 3. Faith-based institutions (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Carelbach Shul) 4. Community service organizations serving NJ, PA, or NY communities 5. Arts and culture organizations, particularly those aligned with the PFF Collection of African American Art

### Recommended Approach Rather than submitting cold proposals, organizations should: - Attend J.G. Petrucci Company community and philanthropic events - Seek introductions through mutual connections in the Morristown, NJ educational community - Demonstrate alignment with the foundation's core values of education, nutrition, and community opportunity - Build visibility in New Jersey philanthropic networks, especially the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers

## Funding Patterns

### Annual Giving Trends The Petrucci Family Foundation has demonstrated steady, growing grantmaking activity:

### Grant Size Distribution - Median grant: $5,000–$10,000 - Most common range: $1,000–$25,000 (38 of 45 grants in 2024) - Maximum single grant: $238,500 (Delbarton School, 2024) - Overall range: $1,000–$607,000

### Concentration Pattern The foundation exhibits a top-heavy distribution: the largest 3-5 grants typically account for 50-60% of total annual giving, while 30+ smaller grants of $1,000-$7,500 make up the long tail. This suggests a core portfolio of deeply supported institutions supplemented by broader community giving.

### Sector Allocation - Education: ~55% of total giving (driven by Delbarton School, Villa Walsh Academy, The Peck School) - Nutrition/Health: ~15% (Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, Eatwell Exchange, Matheny School) - Religious/Faith: ~10% (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Carelbach Shul) - Community Development: ~10% (Baker Industries, Community Response, Raritan Headwaters) - Arts/Culture: ~5% (Halo Arts Project, PFF Collection activities) - Other: ~5% (Saint Rock Haiti Foundation, international causes)

### Asset Growth vs. Giving The foundation's assets have grown significantly from $3.8M (2011) to $20.8M (2024), fueled by $2M+ in annual contributions (primarily from the Petrucci family). Despite this asset growth, annual giving has remained in the $500K–$1.1M range, representing a 3-5% payout rate.

## Peer Comparison

The following table compares the Petrucci Family Foundation to similarly-sized New Jersey family foundations focused on education:

### Key Observations 1. Asset-to-giving ratio: The Petrucci Foundation's 3-5% payout is typical for private foundations and meets the IRS minimum distribution requirement. 2. Grant volume: At 45 grants/year, the foundation is moderately active — comparable to other family foundations in its asset class. 3. Preselected model: The foundation's closed application process is common among family foundations of this size. The Hyde & Watson Foundation stands out as a notable NJ peer that does accept open applications. 4. Geographic concentration: Like most NJ family foundations, the Petrucci Foundation gives primarily within the tri-state area, with 42% of grants going to NJ organizations in 2024. 5. Distinctive niche: The foundation's dual focus on education and nutrition/healthy eating is relatively unique among NJ family foundations, as is the PFF Collection of African American Art.

## Recent Activity

### 2024 Grantmaking Highlights The foundation distributed $680,678 across 45 grants in its most recent filing year. Notable grants include:

• Delbarton School (Morristown, NJ): $238,500 — the foundation's largest single grant, continuing a pattern of major support for this Benedictine preparatory school
• Villa Walsh Academy (Morristown, NJ): $58,500 — another Morristown-area Catholic school receiving significant recurring support
• Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics (Chicago, IL): $57,500 — reflecting the foundation's growing commitment to nutrition education
• The Peck School (Morristown, NJ): $35,000 — independent K-8 school in the Morristown education cluster
• Eatwell Exchange (Miami, FL): $30,000 — nutrition-focused nonprofit, part of the foundation's health/nutrition vertical
• The Matheny School & Hospital (Peapack, NJ): $26,000 — special needs education and care facility

### PFF Collection of African American Art The foundation continues to operate and expand its Collection of African American Art, housed at 171 NJ-173, Asbury, NJ. The collection's stated mission is to "reconcile the divide separating Black Art from the American Canon." The collection maintains active exhibition programs, viewing rooms, and an online presence, representing a significant cultural initiative beyond traditional grantmaking.

### Financial Health - Total assets: $20.8M (up from $14.3M in 2019) - 2024 contributions received: $2.0M (82% of revenue) - Investment income: $407K (dividends + interest) - Total revenue: $2.44M - The foundation's growing asset base and consistent contribution inflows from the Petrucci family indicate strong financial health and sustained philanthropic commitment.

### Leadership Stability All five trustees (James G. Petrucci, Jeanne Petrucci, Emilia Rose Sochovka, Joseph Ronald James Petrucci, and Michael Petrecca) serve part-time without compensation, consistent with a closely-held family foundation model.

## Application Tips

### Critical: This is a Preselected-Only Foundation The Petrucci Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Any direct grant application will not be considered. Instead, focus on the strategies below.

### How to Get on the Radar 1. Network through the Morristown, NJ education community. The foundation's top three grantees (Delbarton School, Villa Walsh Academy, The Peck School) are all in the Morristown area. Leaders of these institutions may be able to provide introductions.

2. Engage with J.G. Petrucci Company events. James Petrucci's commercial real estate firm hosts community philanthropy events, K9 sponsorship programs, and leadership initiatives. Attending these creates natural relationship-building opportunities.

3. Align with their specific focus areas: - Education (especially K-12, private/independent schools) - Nutrition and healthy eating (a distinctive niche) - Community development in NJ/PA/NY - Arts and culture, especially African American art - Faith-based community service

4. Demonstrate impact at the right scale. The foundation typically gives $1,000–$25,000 for new relationships, with only long-standing partners receiving $50K+ grants. Position your ask accordingly.

5. Contact the foundation administrator. Christina Volpe (cvolpe@petruccifamilyfoundation.org) manages foundation communications. A brief, personalized introduction email explaining your mission alignment is more appropriate than a formal proposal.

### What Makes Organizations Stand Out Based on the grantee portfolio, the foundation favors organizations that: - Serve communities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or New York - Have a clear educational or nutritional mission - Are established 501(c)(3) organizations with track records - Provide direct services (not intermediary organizations) - Have connections to the Catholic/independent school community in northern NJ

### What to Avoid - Do not send unsolicited grant proposals — they will be disregarded - Do not approach during busy periods for J.G. Petrucci Company (major development milestones) - Do not request amounts above $25,000 for a first-time relationship - Do not position your organization as needing emergency or one-time funding — the foundation favors recurring relationships