Silverweed Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Silverweed Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, the arts and Jewish causes.

IP TAKE: The foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. Since Silverweed does not accept unsolicited requests for funding, interested grantseekers will need to network if they want to be noticed by this funder.

PROFILE:  The Silverweed Foundation was established in 1989. It is steered by lawyer Karen J. Freedman, who is the is the founder and executive director of Lawyers For Children, and her sisters Nina and Susan. The foundation does not maintain a website, which makes it difficult to locate further information on its priority areas and grantmaking strategies. According to tax filings, the Silverweed Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, the arts and Jewish causes.

Grants for Education, Arts and Culture, and Jewish Causes

Karen is the founder and executive director of Lawyers For Children, and has created projects to serve vulnerable young people in the foster care system. The Silverweed Foundation’s grantmaking steadily supports Lawyers for Children. Karen also supports her alma maters Wesleyan and NYU School of Law. Nina, meanwhile, is a Kenyon College alumna and serves on the board. Susan has been president of Public Art Fund, another important grantee, since 1986. The organization was founded by the Freedman sisters’ mother Doris Chanin Freedman in 1977. The family also supports WNYC Radio. Their late father, Alan Freedman, was the founder and chairman of the WNYC Foundation.

Past grantees include American Jewish Committee, Ethical Culture Fieldston School (Karen attended the school), Big Apple Circus, Municipal Art Society (Alan and Doris once served as presidents), Lincoln Center Theater, Gordon Parks Foundation, WNET and UJA Federation.

Important Grant Details

Grants range from $1,000 to $150,000. In a recent fiscal year, the foundation gave away around $1.2 million. The Silverweed Foundation keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

Silverweed Foundation
c/o Anchin - 1375 Broadway
New York, NY 10018