Ann Kaplan and Robert Fippinger
/SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs
FUNDING AREAS: Arts & Culture, Education & Youth, Women's Organizations
OVERVIEW: Anne Kaplan and Robert Fippinger move their philanthropy through the Frances Alexander Foundation. The couple has funded arts and culture, education and women’s organizations. Much of their grantmaking is directed toward organizations in New York City. According to available tax filings, the foundation wared just over $127,000 in grants in 2018.
BACKGROUND: Ann F. Kaplan holds a B.A. from Smith College and an M.B.A. from Columbia University. She joined Goldman Sachs in 1977 and rose to head the firm’s municipal bond department, eventually making partner. In 2003, she became the CEO of the Financial Circle Group, a wealth management membership organization backed by Goldman Sachs. She is currently a partner at Circle Wealth Management, an investment advisory firm. Robert Fippinger graduated from Duke University. He earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in law from Northwestern University. He is a partner at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, a law firm in New York City, and an author.
ISSUES:
ARTS & CULTURE: Kaplan and Fippinger have supported the arts broadly, reflecting their separate areas of interest. Kaplan serves on the board of trustees of New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design, while Fippinger serves on the boards of directors of the American Symphony Orchestra and the Maine Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. Additional past grantees include Playwrights Horizons, the Actors Fund of America, the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the American Ballet Theatre, the New York Public Library, and the Paley Center for Media.
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Kaplan and Fippinger do not articulate specific initiatives for their education funding. Past grantees include Smith College, Hunter College, Lehigh University, the Harlem Children's Zone and Prep for Prep, a New York City-based mentoring and leadership program for gifted students. .
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS: Ann Kaplan has supported several organizations involved in promoting financial education and wealth management for women. She has served on the board of LearnVest, a financial education organization founded by Harvard alumna and supported a financial education program at her alma mater Smith. Through their foundation, Kaplan and Fippinger have also supported the Women's Forum of New York, the Women's Refugee Commission, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media, the National Council for Research on Women, the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Jewish Women's Archive, an organization that documents the experiences achievements of Jewish women.
LOOKING FORWARD: Kaplan and Fippinger will likely to continue to fund their areas of interest and, perhaps, expand their support of women’s organizations.
CONTACT:
The Frances Alexander Foundation does not provide a clear avenue for getting in touch with the couple, but below is an address:
The Frances Alexander Foundation
730 Park Ave. No. 18C
New York City, NY 10021
