Tiger Foundation

Tiger Foundation operates under the principle of being 'Involved, Inspired, Invested' — a phrase that signals this is not a passive checkwriter. Since its founding in 1989, the foundation has deployed over $364 million in grants exclusively within New York City, and it brings a distinctly hands-on philosophy to grantmaking. Staff dedicate approximately 10% of their time to direct technical assistance for grantees: serving on affinity groups, advising on management challenges, and co-designing program improvements. This level of engagement is unusual among NYC foundations and shapes what a successful applicant relationship looks like.

Tiger Foundation strongly favors general operating support over restricted project grants. Scanning the grantee portfolio confirms this: 'General Operating Support' is the stated purpose for the overwhelming majority of 360 recorded grants across 74 distinct grantee relationships. This preference reflects the foundation's trust-based philosophy — they back organizations, not deliverables.

The foundation is explicitly outcomes-driven, rooted in the investment mentality of its Wall Street-connected trustee board (which has included Chase Coleman, Lee Fixel, and other hedge fund leaders associated with Tiger Global Management). Grantees must demonstrate strong and consistent measurable outcomes, skilled leadership at the executive, program, and board levels, cost-effectiveness, and strong financial health.

For first-time applicants, the pathway begins with a Letter of Inquiry submitted through the online portal at tigerfoundation.org. There are no deadlines — the foundation reviews LOIs on a rolling basis year-round. Initial review takes four to six weeks, after which program staff will contact organizations they wish to pursue. What follows is typically a deeper conversation, potential site visit, and invitation to submit a full proposal. Relationship-building with program officers — Amy Barger (Managing Director), Rose Schapiro (Senior Program Officer), and Stephanie Park (Program Officer) — is central to advancing through the process. Organizations that receive multi-year support (like Per Scholas at $3.15M cumulative over 7 grants, or SCO Family Services at $3M over 9 grants) demonstrate that Tiger rewards demonstrated results with deepening investment.

Tiger Foundation's grantmaking has followed a descending arc from a peak of $21.9M total giving in fiscal year 2020 to $13.0M in 2023, with grants paid declining from $19.5M (2020) to $10.4M (2023). This represents a deliberate portfolio contraction, not a capacity crisis — the foundation's assets nearly doubled from $55.7M (2022) to $103.1M (2023) after receiving $51.4M in new contributions. The reduced grantmaking pace relative to asset base suggests the foundation may be in a strategic recalibration period, potentially building reserves ahead of renewed expansion.

The typical grant size is $200,000 (median), with an average of $211,591 across 74 measured relationships. The documented range spans from $2,500 to $1,000,000, though the practical working range for most applicants is $50,000–$300,000, which is what the foundation publicly communicates. All grants are one-year in duration, with renewal contingent on demonstrated performance. Long-term grantees receive rolling one-year renewals rather than multi-year commitments.

By program area, workforce and employment training grantees capture the largest share of cumulative dollars: Per Scholas ($3.15M), Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute ($1.3M), Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow ($1.25M), NPower NY ($775K), and Getting Out and Staying Out ($925K) collectively represent the foundation's commitment to economic mobility pathways. Education — including charter networks (KIPP NY at $2.15M, Achievement First at $850K, Ascend Learning at $950K), public school support (Fund for Public Schools at $2.2M, New Visions for Public Schools at $1.4M), and college access (Bottom Line at $1.4M, Student Leadership Network at $1.18M) — is the largest programmatic bucket by grant count. Family support organizations (SCO Family Services, Center for Family Life, Good Shepherd Services, Children's Aid Society — each between $1.6M and $3M) round out the portfolio.

Geographically, 352 of 360 recorded grants (97.8%) went to New York-based organizations; four went to DC-based advocacy/policy entities and four to Connecticut organizations with NYC service footprints. Budget concentration is heavy in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan — reflecting where NYC poverty is most concentrated.

Tiger Foundation occupies a distinct niche among NYC anti-poverty foundations — larger than grassroots community foundations but more focused than the mega-funders, with an unusually hands-on, outcomes-first culture.

Among these peers, Tiger Foundation stands out for three reasons. First, its giving-to-assets ratio (roughly 13% in 2023, higher in prior years at 22–25%) is notably activist for a foundation of its size. Second, Tiger's almost exclusive focus on direct human services — as opposed to advocacy, policy, or systems change — differentiates it from the New York Foundation and Scherman, which skew toward organizing and social justice work. Third, Tiger's general-operating-support-first model aligns it more closely with Robin Hood than with program-restricted funders like the United Way. However, unlike Robin Hood, Tiger is accessible via a self-initiated LOI, making it more reachable for mid-sized organizations without pre-existing relationships.

The most significant recent development at Tiger Foundation is the dramatic balance sheet expansion in fiscal year 2023: total assets grew from $55.7M to $103.1M following $51.4M in contributions received — the largest single-year capital infusion in the foundation's recent history and likely reflecting a major gift or committed capital from one or more trustee families connected to Tiger Global Management. This capital injection occurred even as annual grants paid declined to $10.4M (from $13.7M in 2022), suggesting the foundation may be positioning for a future giving increase.

On the program side, the Seed and Expansion Fund — launched in 2022 — represents a meaningful strategic shift. This vehicle funds earlier-stage organizations and accelerates the replication of proven program models, signaling that Tiger is now open to grantees beyond its traditional portfolio of established, multi-decade NYC institutions.

Staff continuity appears strong: President Charles Buice has led the foundation for at least five years based on IRS filings, and senior program staff (Amy Barger, Rose Schapiro) provide institutional continuity. The website's news section in early 2025 and early 2026 highlighted NYC education data — graduation rate declines among English learners and students with disabilities, and reading proficiency trends — indicating the program team is actively tracking these issues as potential funding priorities. No major leadership departures or strategic plan announcements were identified in public sources for 2025–2026.

Start with the LOI, not a phone call. Tiger Foundation's process is designed around the online LOI portal (tigerfoundation.org/how-to-apply). Unlike some foundations where a warm introduction is required, Tiger explicitly accepts cold LOIs. However, if you have a trustee or current grantee connection, a brief introduction prior to submission is worth pursuing — the trustee board is relatively accessible through NYC's civic and finance networks.

Lead with outcomes data, not narrative. The evaluation criteria explicitly require 'strong and consistent measurable outcomes over time.' Open your LOI with a two-to-three sentence performance summary: your headline metric (e.g., '87% of participants secured employment at or above living wage in 2024'), your scale (number of NYC residents served), and your borough footprint. Program staff filter LOIs quickly — the data must appear in the first half-page.

Use Tiger's own language in your LOI. Mirror the three portfolio names exactly — Education; Family Support; Youth, Workforce, and Justice. State which portfolio you fit in the opening sentence. This is not generic grant-writing advice; it is how Tiger's program staff route submissions internally.

Emphasize organizational-level strength. Because Tiger funds general operating support, your LOI should cover full organizational financials (revenue diversification, reserve levels, recent audits), board composition and engagement, and executive team tenure — not just program-level metrics. The application restrictions explicitly cite 'strong financial position and skilled fiscal management' as requirements.

Avoid these disqualifying elements: capital campaign asks, endowment requests, advocacy or public policy activities (even if they are a small part of your work — omit them in the LOI), and any language suggesting restricted project grants rather than operating support.

For smaller or newer organizations: apply to the Seed and Expansion Fund, which was created in 2022 specifically for earlier-stage organizations and growing program models. This is a distinct track with different expectations around organizational maturity.

Timing: No formal deadlines exist, but submitting in September–November or February–March aligns with typical foundation budget and review cycles. Avoid submitting in December (holiday slowdown) or late July (summer staff schedules).

After submission: expect a four-to-six week acknowledgment window. If program staff reach out, be prepared for a substantive program conversation — Tiger staff are operationally engaged and will ask about your theory of change, data systems, and leadership depth.