Syncopation Foundation Trust

Syncopation Foundation Trust is a family foundation managed by trustees David Shainok and Diana D. Wu from their offices at Andersen Tax LLC in midtown Manhattan. The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis — it does not accept unsolicited proposals. All 68 historical grants across its filing history carry the blanket purpose descriptor "GENERAL USE," indicating the trustees personally identify and vet recipient organizations rather than running a competitive application process.

The foundation's giving reveals two dominant philanthropic pillars. The first is civic engagement and voter participation, with substantial multi-year commitments to Vote.org ($300,000), Voter Registration Project ($200,000), Accelerate Change ($175,000), AFCOMAS ($175,000), and The Voter Participation Center ($75,000). The second is Israel-related causes, including PEF Israel Endowment Funds ($475,000 — the single largest recipient), New Israel Fund ($65,000), and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ($45,000).

For organizations hoping to attract the foundation's attention, the pathway is relationship-driven rather than application-driven. The trustees have shown willingness to make repeat, growing commitments to organizations they believe in — Vote.org received two grants totaling $300,000, and Accelerate Change received three grants totaling $175,000. Organizations working in voter participation, civic engagement, health research (particularly lung cancer via Go2 Foundation, $70,000 across multiple grants), and progressive education in the New York City area have the strongest alignment with the foundation's demonstrated interests.

Syncopation Foundation Trust has experienced remarkable growth since its founding in 2018. Total giving has scaled from $139,467 in 2019 to approximately $738,000 in 2024 — a more than 5x increase over five years. Total assets grew from $4.7M (2019) to $16.3M (2024), fueled by substantial annual contributions from the Shainok-Wu family, including a $6.5M contribution in 2023 alone.

Across 68 total grants, the foundation's grant distribution shows a wide range: - Median grant: $15,000 - Average grant: $26,810 (skewed by several large awards) - Range: $95 (The Wharton Business School) to $100,000 (Tides Foundation, single grant) - Largest cumulative recipient: PEF Israel Endowment Funds at $475,000 across 5 grants

Geographic distribution is heavily concentrated in New York (36 of 68 grants, 53%), followed by Washington, DC (7 grants), Massachusetts (7), California (6), Maine (4), Maryland and Pennsylvania (3 each), and Illinois (1).

By category, the giving breaks down approximately as follows: - Civic engagement/voter participation: ~$650,000 (29% of total $2.25M lifetime giving) - Israel-related causes: ~$645,000 (29%) - Health: ~$220,000 (10%) — Hospital for Special Surgery ($150,000), Go2 for Lung Cancer ($70,000) - Education: ~$120,000 (5%) — Saint Ann's School ($80,000), Plymouth Church School ($30,000), Math-M-Addicts ($25,000) - Other: Brooklyn Public Library, Feeding America, Iyengar Yoga Association, WNYC/WQXR, Wikipedia

The foundation takes no officer compensation ($0 for both trustees across all filing years) and has minimal operating expenses, directing 95%+ of expenditures to grants.

Syncopation Foundation Trust sits among mid-sized private foundations in the Public Benefit (NTEE W) category with $16.3M in assets.

Syncopation Foundation Trust distinguishes itself from these peer foundations through its rapid asset growth trajectory — nearly tripling from $5.2M to $16.3M in just four years (2020-2024). Its payout rate of approximately 4.5% of assets exceeds the IRS-required minimum of 5% of net investment assets, though its total giving relative to total assets remains moderate. The foundation's focused giving strategy — concentrating on voter participation and Israel-related causes — differs from more diversified peer foundations in this asset range.

The most recent publicly available IRS filing data (2024) shows Syncopation Foundation Trust made 14 grants totaling approximately $738,000, continuing its upward trajectory from 8 grants totaling $595,000 in 2023. The foundation received approximately $4 million in new contributions in 2024, growing total assets to $16.3M.

The 2023 filing year was notable for a $6.5 million contribution — the largest single-year inflow in the foundation's history — which nearly doubled assets from $6.9M to $12.8M. This suggests the Shainok-Wu family may be executing a wealth transfer strategy, progressively endowing the foundation for larger future grantmaking.

No recent leadership changes have been reported. David Shainok and Diana D. Wu continue as the sole trustees, both serving without compensation. The foundation's administration remains with Andersen Tax LLC at 1177 Avenue of the Americas, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10036, with Alison Andersen as the point of contact.

The foundation does not maintain a public website, and no press releases, media coverage, or public announcements were found in web searches. This is consistent with its profile as a low-profile family foundation operating on a preselected-only basis.

This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. It operates on a preselected-only basis, meaning the trustees David Shainok and Diana Wu personally identify and select grant recipients. There is no public application form, portal, or deadline.

That said, organizations aligned with the foundation's demonstrated interests can take several steps to position themselves for consideration:

• Alignment is essential. The foundation's giving concentrates on civic engagement/voter participation, Israel-related causes, health research (particularly lung cancer), and progressive K-12 education in New York City. Organizations outside these areas are unlikely to receive support regardless of merit.

• New York presence matters. Over half of all grants (53%) go to New York-based organizations. Having a physical presence or significant programmatic activity in New York City substantially increases the likelihood of being noticed by the trustees.

• Cultivate through shared networks. The trustees are based in New York's professional community. Organizations funded by the Tides Foundation, PEF Israel Endowment Funds, or the broader voter participation ecosystem may have warm introduction pathways.

• Demonstrate impact at scale. The foundation's largest grants go to organizations with national reach and measurable outcomes — Vote.org's voter registration platform, the Voter Registration Project's state-level organizing. Smaller grants ($5,000-$25,000) go to community institutions with which the trustees likely have personal connections (Brooklyn Public Library, Iyengar Yoga Association, Math-M-Addicts).

• Be patient with timing. The foundation makes 8-17 grants per year and has shown a pattern of increasing support to returning grantees over multiple years. Initial grants tend to be smaller, with subsequent grants growing as the relationship matures.

• Contact route: Correspondence can be directed to the foundation c/o Alison Andersen, Andersen Tax LLC, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10036. Phone: (646) 213-5100.