Neubauer Family Foundation: Grants for Philadelphia

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

IP TAKE: The foundation keeps a low public profile, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. Funding prioritizes local, Philadelphia funders and higher education giving.

PROFILE: Established in 1998, the Neubauer Family Foundation was established by Joseph Neubauer and family. Joseph was chairman and chief executive of the Aramark Corporation, a worldwide provider of food, hospitality and other professional services. His wife, Jeanette, created marketing firm J.P. Lerman & Co. The foundation does not maintain a website, which restricts information regarding its grantmaking strategies and guidelines. According to tax filings, the Neubauer Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to the arts, education, and Jewish causes.

The foundation often provides program support to local causes in its region of focus. Its education giving prioritizes higher educational institutions with which the family has a personal connection, as well as K-12 education in Philadelphia. The Neubauers are major patrons of University of Chicago, Joseph’s alma mater. The couple started the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders. Its flagship program, the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership, takes charter, private and Philadelphia School District principals and arms them with high-level management training. The foundation’s arts grantmaking appears to prioritize performing arts institutions.

Grants range from $500 to around $9.2 million. In a recent year, the foundation gave away approximately $29.5 million. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on the Philadelphia area, as well as cities like Chicago and New York. The foundation recently directed some $22.6 million to a donor advised fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation, obscuring the full scope of giving. Past local grantees include Barnes Foundation (whose board Joseph chairs); University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia Orchestra Association; Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia; Drexel University; and The School District of Philadelphia.

Special consideration is given to charitable organizations that operate in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Requests should be made using the National Network of Grantmakers Common Grant Application. The foundation does not list any deadlines.

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CONTACT:

Rebecca Cornejo, Executive Director, Neubauer Family Foundation
1717 Arch Street, Suite 4050
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 606-1784
rebecca@neubauerfamilyfoundation.org