Name of Foundation: Samberg Family Foundation
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Contact Information: Direct message through their website, here.
Phone: 703.351.9405
Coverage Area: United States and Israel
Subject Area: Education, Health, Jewish Life
Assets: $73,644,244, according to most recent available data, from the foundation’s 2013 form 990
Last Year Total Giving: $6,212,333 according to most recent available data, from the foundation’s 2013 form 990
In a Nutshell:
In 1995, hedge fund giant Arthur J. Samberg and his wife Rebecca founded the Samberg Family Foundation with a mission to support “healthy and productive living for children and youth, families and communities.” In addition to philanthropic pursuits, Arthur Samberg is known as the founder of the now-closed Pequot Capital Management, a hedge fund that was once among the largest in the world. More than ten years after the foundation was born, it continues to be run by its founders, as well as their children and spouses.
The Sambergs have a large philanthropic track record aside from the foundation, and have supported major projects at MIT, Columbia and New York Presbyterian Hospital. These gifts suggest that both Boston and New York are a high giving priority for the family and as far as the foundation is concerned, “while we support initiatives that benefit children and youth nationally, we have a special interest and commitment to the New York metro area.”
The foundation’s belief that it is “an imperative to make the world a better place” is rooted in its founders’ Jewish tradition, which inspires though does not define its gifts toward education and health – traditionally these have been given to many non-religious organizations.
Samberg Family Foundation has been in the news most recently for its participation with Blue Meridian Partners, a new “capital aggregation collaboration” spearheaded by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation that will invest upward of a billion dollars into a select group of nonprofits creating national impact for children in poverty.
Major Program Categories:
Within the categories of education, health and Jewish life, the foundation emphasizes supporting projects and organizations with “proven results, strong leadership, and potential for significant, long-term growth and impact.”
In the area of education, it targets providing opportunities for development to children and youth from low-income backgrounds. The foundation’s largest grants have gone to the famed Harlem Children’s Zone, which arguably also hits the target of supporting health-oriented organizations, as well as College Summit, which uses a peer-based model where young leaders and influencers are trained to help their peers look toward college and take the necessary steps to get there.
Health grantees address the “interconnectedness” of poverty and health outcomes. The foundation aims to support mental health, maternal and child health, and health education outcomes in particular. Peer Health Exchange trains college students to teach skills-based health classes in high schools, and Health Leads, a Boston-based organization, provides workshops, consulting and software that enables clinics to connect clients with services more effectively in an effort to bring down the cost of care.
In the area of Jewish life, the foundation has given significantly to support the Birthright Israel Foundation, which provides free first-time trips to Israel for young Jewish people in an effort to strengthen identity and connection to Israel. Avodah: the Jewish Service Corps has also received support from the foundation to connect its Jewish corps members to nonprofit organizations fighting poverty around the United States.
Based on information from the most recent 990 tax forms, 2013 grants from Samberg Family Foundation ranged from $8,000 to one million dollars.
How to Apply: At this time, the foundation is not accepting unsolicited proposals.
Recent News and Grantmaking:
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/75947/philanthropy-catalyzing-next-generation-donors/