NET WORTH: Unknown
SOURCE OF WEALTH: Goldman Sachs
FUNDING AREAS: Policy, arts & culture, environment, Jewish causes, education, youth
OVERVIEW: Bradley and Carolyn Abelow move their philanthropy through the Abelow Family Foundation, which has a strong record of supporting innovative organizations of any size with small grants. According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded over $120,000 in grants in 2016. The foundation’s most common grant amount is $1,000.
BACKGROUND: Bradley Abelow received a BA in political science from Northwestern University and an MBA from Yale University. He worked for Goldman Sachs, heading the firm’s global operations, and eventually became a partner. Abelow also served as Treasurer of the State of New Jersey in 2006. From 2007 to 2008 he was New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s Chief of Staff. After leaving government, he became COO of the brokerage firm MF Global.
ISSUES:
POLICY: Through his work in government, Bradley Abelow developed a strong interest in policy development. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Century Foundation, which has received $15,000 in grant funding from the Abelow Family Foundation in recent years. The Century Foundation is described as “a progressive nonpartisan think tank that seeks to foster opportunity, reduce inequality, and promote security at home and abroad.” The Abelow Family Foundation has also awarded small grants to support New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
ARTS AND CULTURE: The Abelows have supported innovative arts programs including the Foundry Theatre, an experimental theater company in New York City, and Beats, and Rhymes and Relief, a grassroots music and activism program. The foundation’s arts and culture grants tend to be modest, typically ranging from $100 to $2,500.
ENVIRONMENT: The Abelow Family Foundation is a strong supporter of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, awarding the organization $9,000 in grants over the past few years. Other recipients include Sheep Mountain Alliance, the Black Mesa Water Coalition and the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. Of note is Bradley Abelow’s past work as a political consultant in the area of climate change.
JEWISH CAUSES: The Abelows have supported Jewish organizations in New York Cit and Israel. Past grantees include American Jewish World Service, which received a $25,000 grant for its international development programs; and Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, which was awarded a $10,000 grant to support its Judaism programs.
EDUCATION & YOUTH: The Abelow Family Foundation’s giving in the area of education prioritizes underprivileged and at-risk students. College Horizons, which supports Native American students in their pursuit of higher education, received $50,000 in funding over two years from the foundation. Other grantees in this space include Seeds of Peace, which works internationally to help “teenagers from regions of conflict learn the skills of making peace,” Brown University and Pomona College.
LOOKING FORWARD: The Abelows have supported a broad range of causes and organizations, and their giving is likely to continue in this vein.
CONTACT:
The Abelow Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:
Abelow Family Foundation
Bowling Green Sta., P.O. Box 73
New York City, NY 10274