The Zegar Family Foundation

The Zegar Family Foundation operates as a proactive, invitation-driven philanthropic vehicle founded in 2007 by Charles Zegar — a computer scientist and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P. — and his wife Merryl Snow Zegar, who serves as Managing Director. With $297.7 million in assets and a track record of methodically expanding annual giving from $3.2 million in FY2012 to $24.1 million in FY2023, the foundation reflects the Zegars' deliberate, systems-oriented approach to social change.

The foundation's philosophy centers on "meaningful tangible impact for a better world" — language that signals a preference for outcomes-measurable work over awareness campaigns or purely symbolic advocacy. The grantee roster reveals a consistent bias toward established institutions capable of deploying capital efficiently: New York University ($5.7M across 6 grants), The Nature Conservancy ($5.1M combined), and UC Santa Barbara ($3.2M combined) anchor the portfolio. At the same time, the Zegars fund smaller advocacy and direct-service organizations — Safe Passage Project ($1.13M), Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center ($500K) — indicating openness to emerging nonprofits alongside anchor institution partners.

Grantmaking is entirely invite-driven. The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited applications or letters of inquiry. However, Charles and Merryl Zegar actively solicit innovative ideas via email (info@zegarff.org), and their site notes they are "always open to new ideas from new sources." This language signals that cold outreach is possible — but it must arrive with a compelling, novel concept rather than a templated funding request.

First-time applicants should understand several structural realities. The Zegars serve as Financial Director and Managing Director respectively without compensation, pointing to deeply personal, values-driven decision-making with no program staff to influence. COO Lan Thi Pham ($230,764 in FY2022) handles operations but does not appear to direct grant decisions. This is a small family foundation where Charles and Merryl Zegar are the de facto program officers. Relationship-building through shared networks — Philanthropy New York, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (a long-standing grantee), and climate-focused funder coalitions — offers the most reliable path to the Zegar table. The April 2024 Giving Pledge commitment signals continued asset deployment and potential portfolio expansion in the years ahead.

The Zegar Family Foundation has more than quintupled its annual grantmaking over the past decade, escalating from $3.2 million in total giving in FY2012 to $24.1 million in FY2023 — a 652% increase over eleven years. That trajectory reflects both compounding asset growth (from $79.5 million in 2012 to $297.7 million in FY2024) and the founders' decision to accelerate philanthropic deployment, with the 2024 Giving Pledge formalizing that intent. Separate intelligence indicates approximately $27 million was awarded in 2024, suggesting continued upward momentum.

Across the 337 recorded grants in the foundation's history, the average grant totals $213,375, with a median of $137,500 and a range spanning $2,500 to $1,458,914. The typical_grant_size dataset (74 records) confirms an average of $220,382 — consistent with the broader dataset. These figures point to a funder comfortable with six-figure commitments and capable of seven-figure relationships for trusted partners.

Geographic concentration is pronounced. New York-based organizations account for approximately 153 grants (45% of the portfolio), California recipients claim 105 (31%), and Washington D.C.-area nonprofits represent 35 grants (10%). Together, these three markets account for 86% of all recorded grants.

By program area, environment and climate capture the largest share of high-value grants: Carbon Mapper ($3M), The Nature Conservancy ($5.1M combined), European Climate Foundation ($1.5M), Sunrise Project ($750K), Earthjustice ($600K), and Center for Biological Diversity ($450K) together exceed $11 million. Immigration justice and civil rights form the second cluster: ACLU ($700K), National Immigration Law Center ($700K), Safe Passage Project ($1.13M), Make The Road NY ($550K), HIAS ($525K), and Center for Constitutional Rights ($450K) collectively exceed $4.5 million. Education and research is anchored by NYU ($5.7M), Columbia ($1.5M), and UCSB ($3.2M). Arts and culture is led by World Trade Center Performing Arts Center ($3M) and Lower East Side Tenement Museum ($1.07M). Human services — food security and economic opportunity — round out the portfolio at roughly $4 million identified.

Multi-year relationships dominate the top of the portfolio. Every top-10 grantee has received between 2 and 9 separate grants, confirming that the foundation strongly values sustained partnerships over one-time awards.

The Zegar Family Foundation occupies a distinctive niche in American family philanthropy: a rapidly growing, founder-led vehicle with near-$300M in assets, progressive multi-issue priorities, and deeply personal grant decision-making. Comparing it against four foundations of similar asset scale reveals both its distinctive programmatic breadth and its unusually high giving rate.

What distinguishes Zegar is programmatic breadth combined with above-average giving velocity. At $24.1 million in annual giving against $297.7 million in assets, the foundation deploys roughly 8% of assets annually — well above the 5% minimum required of private foundations and significantly more aggressive than many family foundations of comparable size. Pritzker Traubert concentrates entirely on Chicago's urban economy. The Ivy Foundation funds a single disease category. Neither Lambertus nor Kirkland discloses sufficient public data for direct comparison. Zegar's willingness to respond to emailed concept pitches — even within an invitation-only structure — makes it comparatively accessible among family foundations at this asset scale.

The most significant recent development is the April 2024 Giving Pledge signing by Charles and Merryl Zegar. The pledge publicly commits them to donating the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes and is expected to accelerate the foundation's giving velocity over the next decade. This announcement is consistent with FY2024 data showing assets climbing to $297.7 million — up $28.2 million (10.5%) from $269.5 million in FY2023 — driven by $56.3 million in total revenue for the fiscal year.

Independent platform reporting indicates the foundation awarded approximately $27 million in grants during 2024 across roughly 105 awards — making it one of the most productive giving years in the foundation's 17-year history if confirmed by the 990-PF filing.

Prior to 2024, the foundation's most significant public initiative was its 2021 participation in a 20-funder coalition that collectively mobilized more than $223 million to reduce global methane emissions. The Zegar contribution was channeled through Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors via the Funders Collaborative in Oil and Gas ($1M to Rockefeller Family Fund) and related climate vehicles.

No leadership or trustee changes are publicly documented for 2025-2026. Charles M. Zegar remains Financial Director and Merryl Snow Zegar remains Managing Director, both without compensation. COO Lan Thi Pham continues as the sole paid staff member. The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile — no press releases, no annual reports, no public events — consistent with its invitation-only culture. Prospective grantees should not expect to track new funding announcements through traditional nonprofit news channels.

Securing funding from the Zegar Family Foundation requires abandoning the standard grant application playbook. The foundation does not publish RFPs, does not accept LOIs through any formal portal, and does not maintain open grant cycles. What works is a relationship-first approach grounded in documented alignment with the Zegars' priorities.

Know the portfolio before reaching out. The grantee list (available via ProPublica EIN 13-7548507) is a detailed roadmap. Environmental organizations working on methane reduction, ocean plastics, carbon monitoring, or biodiversity — particularly those collaborating with Nature Conservancy, Carbon Mapper, or Earthjustice — are natural candidates. Immigration law, civil rights, and economic opportunity organizations fitting the profile of Safe Passage Project, HIAS, or Make The Road NY are similarly well-positioned. Arts organizations with New York or Santa Barbara ties carry a geographic edge.

Use the email pathway strategically. Charles and Merryl Zegar accept emailed ideas at info@zegarff.org — this is a direct channel to the decision-makers. Write 300 words or fewer: problem statement, your innovative approach, expected measurable impact, and your organization's relevant track record. Do not attach a full proposal. Address the email to Charles and Merryl Zegar by name. Subject line should be factual and specific — not promotional.

Leverage shared philanthropic networks. The Zegars are Philanthropy New York members. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (grantee, $4.35M lifetime) hosts multiple collaborative vehicles where co-funders interact. A warm introduction through a current Zegar grantee's board member or a fellow funder-collaborative participant is the most reliable path to a first conversation.

Emphasize multi-year systems change. Every top-10 grantee has received grants across 3-4 years. The Zegars build long-term funding relationships. Proposals should articulate a 3-5 year theory of change with measurable milestones, not a single project budget.

Calibrate your first ask to portfolio norms. The median grant is $137,500 and average is $220,382. For a first engagement without an existing relationship, a request in the $50,000-$150,000 range is most appropriate. Multi-million-dollar relationships (NYU, Nature Conservancy) developed over many grant cycles — do not anchor an initial ask above $200,000.

Expect a patient timeline. The foundation has no program staff. Charles and Merryl personally review correspondence on their own schedule. Do not follow up within 30 days of initial outreach.