Kandell Fund

OVERVIEW: The Kandell Fund primarily funds grantmaking related to arts, culture, health, and human services.

IP TAKE: The foundation does not maintain a website, which restricts transparency about grantmaking strategies and guidelines. Its lack of public profile suggests it prefers to choose its own grantees to support, as indicated by its decision to not accept unsolicited proposals. However, call this foundation to introduce your work to them to get on their radar.

Tax filings show that this funder may support an organization for more than one year, which makes its grantmaking a crowded, competitive space. But luckily, that makes this a supportive funder — once you get through the door.

PROFILE: Established in 1952, the Kandell Fund was launched by the late Leonard Kandell, a developer and investor in Manhattan real estate for more than half a century. The foundation is steered by his daughters Alice and Leslie Kandell. The foundation does not maintain a website, which restricts transparency about grantmaking strategies and guidelines. Tax filings suggest that the Kandell Fund primarily funds grantmaking related to arts, culture, health, and human services.

Grants for the Arts

The Kandell Fund’s grantmaking strongly supports arts and cultural organizations in New York City. Alice is a longtime art collector interested in Himalayan culture. She worked in India as a photographer, capturing thousands of color slides, as well as black-and-white photographs. Kandell donated approximately 15,000 photographs of the former Indian kingdom Sikkim to the Library of Congress. Arts grantmaking includes support of museums and performing arts institutions.

Important Grant Details:

Grants range from $100 to $15,000. In a recent year, the foundation gave away $208,500. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on New York City. Past local grantees include Met Museum, Met Opera, Symphony Space, American Cancer Society, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

The foundation keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

The Kandell Fund
59 East 54th Street
New York, NY 10022
(212) 755-3063