Steven and Alexandra Cohen are known in the world of philanthropy for their commitment to the arts, education and children’s health. But this billionaire power couple also has specific geographic interests and prioritizes the needs of local organizations in New York City and the broader tri-state area.
Here’s a look at the Cohen Foundation’s NYC-area giving to help grantseekers get to know this local giver a bit better.
NYC and Connecticut in focus
Although the Cohen Foundation is open to supporting organizations all over the U.S., the bulk of its grants stay close to home in New York and Connecticut. The foundation is based in Stamford, Connecticut, and the Cohens have a big local presence in NYC. Steven Cohen grew up on Long Island and founded the trading firm SAC Capital Advisors.
Support for New York’s largest health organizations
Over the years, the Cohens have given plenty of money to hospitals and health systems in New York. These include the Long Island Jewish Medical and North Shore University Hospital, NYU Langone Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital. This hospital giving is focused on pediatric care, a cause the Cohens have been supporting to the tune of millions of dollars over the years. A Cohen Foundation grant also helped create a veterans’ center to study post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. The Cohens’ daughters were born at Mt. Sinai, and various Mt. Sinai medical center locations have also received grants.
Funding NYC schools in low-income areas
The Cohen Foundation is also a big funder of education in the tri-state area, prioritizing charter schools and education reform. ConnCAN, Harlem RBI and the Equity Project Charter School are some past grantees. The foundation often awards multi-million-dollar grants to universities and well-established education reform organizations. East Harlem is an area of interest for this foundation, in support of the needs of at-risk kids there.
Fighting poverty in New York City
Steven Cohen has served on the board of the Robin Hood Foundation, a major poverty-fighting force in NYC. The Cohens consistently support Robin Hood’s mission to lift up people living in poverty in NYC neighborhoods. Overall, the Cohen Foundation has given around $165 million to charities that help the underserved.
Local RFP opportunities
Prospective grantees can have a challenging time getting the Cohen Foundation’s attention—this funder tends to stick with organizations it is already familiar with and has supported in the past. The foundation is not willing to accept unsolicited grant requests, and it doesn’t even accept any direct mail as part of its sustainability initiative. However, it does occasionally post request for proposal announcements on its website with links to a grant application portal. The best way to keep up with this is by following the foundation on social media.
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