Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation prioritizes K-12 education in New York City. It has recently broadened its scope to support educational initiatives operating in other areas in the U.S. To a lesser extent, it supports higher education. 

IP TAKE: The Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation mainly supports initiatives aimed at helping New York City’s underserved students. The foundation does give out quite a few multi-year grants.

This laser-focused funder is not accessible, transparent or approachable. Torotora Sillcox does not maintain a website and does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals. An address and phone number are provided below. Expect this couple to stay laser-focused on education, particularly at the city level in New York. A tough nut to rack, but a number has been provided below if you have general questions.

PROFILE: The Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation was founded in 2000 by Leslie Sillcox, a former CIO at Goldman Sachs, and her husband, Mark. Leslie Sillcox graduated from Trinity College in 1978 with a degree in history. In 1984, she joined Goldman Sachs, making partner in 1992. Sillcox was responsible for Goldman's technology efforts; she was named a managing director in 1996, and joined Goldman Sachs' management committee in 1999 from where she retired as CIO in 2001.

Based in New York, the foundation initially aimed to “contribute to the steadily growing number of young people in New York City who overcome socioeconomic barriers to graduate from public high school—and then from college—prepared for meaningful employment and robust civic participation." The foundation has since branched out to support educational organizations and programs in other parts of the U.S. This funder prefers a low public profile and does not maintain a website.

Grants for K-12 and STEM Education

In its earliest days, the Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation was closely aligned with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s agenda for school reform. Among its early grantees were New York City educational initiatives including the Polytechnic High School of Engineering, New Visions for Public Schools, the Partnership for Inner City Education and PowerMyLearning, which aims to strengthen relationships between students, families and schools throughout the city. The foundation has also given to national initiatives for K-12 education including the National Math and Science Initiative and the New York City-based Institute for Student Achievement, which helps public school districts across the U.S. improve outcomes for at-risk students. Other K-12 grantees include the International Network for Public Schools, New York City’s Outward Bound Schools and Bottom Line, a college preparation program serving urban high school students in Boston, Chicago and New York. 

The couple also has an interest in STEM education. They have funded Posse STEM, City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, and 100Kin10, recently pledging $1 million to fund initiatives that increase the number of low-income New York City public school students engaged in rigorous STEM courses through the recruitment and support of effective STEM teachers.

Grants for Higher Education and New York

Funding for higher education prioritizes public colleges and universities in the greater New York City area. Past grantees include Long Island’s Nassau Community College, the City University of New York and LaGuardia Community College in Queens. Tortora Sillcox has also given to Leslie Sillcox’s alma mater, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. In 2006 the couple established the Tortora Sillcox Family Scholarship at Trinity, where Sillcox was once a trustee.

Important Grant Details:

This funder’s grantmaking has ranged from $2.5 million to $5 million annually in recent years. Its average grant size is about $50,000, but grants have been as high as $1 million in a few cases. While K-12 education in New York City is a strong priority, this funder appears to be offering support to some national organizations as well. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s recent tax filings. 

The Tortora Sillcox Foundation does appear to accept unsolicited applications for funding or provide information about how to get in touch. An address and phone number are provided below. 

PEOPLE:

Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only). 

CONTACT:

Tortora Sillcox Family Foundation 

77 Water St., 9th Fl. 

New York, NY 10005-4414

(212) 440-0800