Jerome L. Stern Family Foundation

OVERVIEW: Jerome L. Stern Family Foundation focuses much of its grantmaking on the arts and Jewish causes. The family are prominent art collectors and they've contributed some of their collection to local New York City area museums. 

IP TAKE: The Sterns and their foundation keep a low-profile. The foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals either. 

PROFILE: Jerome L. Stern, the late venture capitalist and art collector, was owner of Jerome International Corporation. His wife Ellen, son Geoffrey, and family move their philanthropy through the Jerome L. Stern Family Foundation, which focuses its grantmaking on New York City. 

Grants for Arts and Culture

The Sterns are strong art collectors and support various museums in New York City and beyond. Stern commissioned a Manhattan sculptor to design ''an art barn,'' a private museum devoted solely to contemporary sculpture and modern photography for the Sterns' estate in Long Island. The family are steady patrons of New Museum of Contemporary Art, and once controversially gave contributions to the museum which renamed four bathrooms the Jerome and Ellen Stern Restrooms. Other grantees have included Museum of Modern Art, Neue Galerie New York, Guggenheim Museum, The Met, and the Studio Museum in Harlem. 

Grants for Jewish Causes

The Sterns also steadily support Jewish organizations in New York City via their foundation. He has been a board member of American Friends of the Israel Museum. Grantees have included schools like Yeshiva Karlin Stolin and Abraham Joshua Heschel School, as well as Lincoln Square Synagogue and Museum of Jewish Heritage. 

Important Grant Details

In recent years, annual grantmaking has been below $500,000. Many grants are under $30,000 and rarely exceed $100,000. Again, this is a funder that keeps a low-profile and so networking is key to getting on the Sterns' radar. Assets have been around $9.6 million lately.

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CONTACT:

Jerome L. Stern Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the family but below is contact information:

Jerome L. Stern Family Foundation, Inc.
270 Madison Ave., 16 Fl.
New York City, NY 10016
Telephone: 212-972-8165