The Overbrook Foundation
The Overbrook Foundation is a private family foundation, founded in 1948, that grants funding to nonprofit organizations working on environmental conservation and human rights causes in the United States and Latin America from its New York headquarters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Overbrook Foundation does
The Overbrook Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1948 by Frank and Helen Altschul, headquartered in New York City. It provides grants to nonprofit organizations working in two program areas: Environment (climate crisis mitigation, biodiversity conservation, coastal restoration, forests, and sustainable materials) and Human Rights (reproductive health/rights/justice, democracy defense, and human rights in Latin America). Across 75 years the Foundation has deployed over $240 million across more than 12,000 grants to over 2,000 unique organizations, originally funded by a combined bequest of more than $45 million from the founders' estates in 1981 and 1985.
The Foundation operates a trust-based philanthropy model rather than a commercial business model. It does not sell products or services and does not accept unsolicited grant inquiries; it selects grantee partners through a curated process led by a professional staff and a family-controlled Board of Directors. Its operating geography spans the United States and Latin America (notably Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, and Central America). Notable grantees include Amazon Conservation, Human Rights Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Rainforest Alliance, Lambda Legal, Grist, CHOICES, the National Redistricting Foundation, the Lawyering Project, and UPROSE, among others.
The Foundation's recent strategic moves include launching a multi-million-dollar Democracy Initiative in 2021, formalizing reproductive rights as a major focus post-Dobbs, divesting from fossil fuels in 2015, and a leadership transition in 2022 when President Eric Weingartner succeeded Stephen Foster after 20+ years. The Foundation co-founded the Civil Marriage Collaborative in 2005 (a 12-funder consortium that deployed over $150 million toward marriage equality strategy) and helped organize the 2014 People's Climate March. The Foundation is governed by a Board that includes multiple third-generation Altschul family members and is led by Chair Joyce Fensterstock.
The Overbrook Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Overbrook Foundation
- Legal name
- The Overbrook Foundation
- Website
- https://overbrook.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Overbrook Foundation is a private family foundation, founded in 1948, that grants funding to nonprofit organizations working on environmental conservation and human rights causes in the United States and Latin America from its New York headquarters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Overbrook Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Philanthropic Grantmaking
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
Keywords
Where The Overbrook Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Overbrook Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
The Overbrook Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Overbrook Foundation is a private family foundation that provides grant funding, coordination, and strategic support to nonprofit organizations working on two core program areas: the Environment Program (climate action, coastal restoration, forest conservation, and sustainable materials) and the Human Rights Program (reproductive health/rights/justice, democracy defense, and support for human rights defenders in Latin America). The Foundation operates through grantmaking funded by an endowment established by its founders Frank and Helen Altschul, and does not sell products or accept unsolicited grant inquiries.
Product overview
The Overbrook Foundation is a family philanthropy organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer commercial products or services. The Foundation operates through grantmaking programs focused on two core areas: the Environment Program (supporting climate action, coastal restoration, forests, and sustainable materials) and the Human Rights Program (advancing reproductive health/rights/justice, defending democracy, and supporting human rights defenders in Latin America). The Foundation's work is conducted through partnerships with grantee organizations rather than through commercial product offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Environment Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,000 organizations funded across 75 years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Overbrook Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Overbrook Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Overbrook Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Overbrook Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Large U.S. family foundation funding climate, democracy, and reproductive rights — overlapping with Overbrook's program areas and serving similar grantee populations, but at a much larger scale.
- Open Society Foundations: Large private foundation focused on human rights, democracy, and justice globally. Comparable to Overbrook's Human Rights Program, especially regarding Latin America and reproductive rights, but operating at much greater scale.
- Ford Foundation: Among the largest U.S. private foundations; funds social justice, democracy, and climate work globally. Overlap with Overbrook on human rights/reproductive rights/Democratic governance themes, though operating at substantially greater scale.
- MacArthur Foundation: One of the largest U.S. private foundations, making major grants in climate solutions, human rights, and justice — directly comparable to Overbrook's Environment and Human Rights program focus, but with a much larger endowment and global footprint.
- Packard Foundation: Family foundation with significant climate, ocean, and lands program work; comparable to Overbrook's investment in coastal restoration, forests, and biodiversity conservation.
Direct peers
- Arcus Foundation: Family foundation with explicit dual focus on social justice (including LGBTQ rights) and environmental conservation; historical overlap with Overbrook through marriage equality and climate work, and similar programmatic duality.
- ClimateWorks Foundation: Climate-focused intermediary funder supporting advocacy, policy, and on-the-ground climate mitigation; Overbrook's environment program shares grantees and a program area focus on climate and forests.
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund: Family foundation with parallel structure and twin program focus on climate/sustainable development and human rights/democratic participation — a near-direct structural peer to Overbrook's Environment and Human Rights programs.
Others
- Prosperity Now (formerly CFED): Nonprofit philanthropy and advocacy organization working on economic equity; less direct match but functional parallel as an intermediary funder/advocate in social justice spaces Overbrook serves.
Emerging players
- Tides Foundation: Public charity and fiscal sponsor that channels philanthropic capital to progressive and environmental nonprofits, sharing Overbrook's grantee ecosystem and trust-based philanthropy approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Overbrook Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Overbrook Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Overbrook Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
The Overbrook Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Overbrook Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Overbrook Foundation
What does The Overbrook Foundation do?
The Overbrook Foundation is a private family foundation that provides grant funding, coordination, and strategic support to nonprofit organizations working on two core program areas: the Environment Program (climate action, coastal restoration, forest conservation, and sustainable materials) and the Human Rights Program (reproductive health/rights/justice, democracy defense, and support for human rights defenders in Latin America). The Foundation operates through grantmaking funded by an endowment established by its founders Frank and Helen Altschul, and does not sell products or accept unsolicited grant inquiries.
Is The Overbrook Foundation a public or private company?
The Overbrook Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Overbrook Foundation founded?
The Overbrook Foundation was founded in 1948. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Overbrook Foundation based?
The Overbrook Foundation is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The Overbrook Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Packard Foundation. Direct peers are Arcus Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Prosperity Now (formerly CFED) is listed as an others. Tides Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Overbrook Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Overbrook Foundation.
What industry is The Overbrook Foundation in?
The Overbrook Foundation's product category is Philanthropic Grantmaking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.