Scherman Foundation
The Scherman Foundation is an 85-year-old private foundation with an estimated $170M endowment that funds racial-justice movements via trust-based, multi-year general operating grants across five program areas, serving Black-led, immigrant, climate, democracy, and reproductive-justice organizations in the U.S. Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and New York City.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1941
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Scherman Foundation does
The Scherman Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 1941 by Harry Scherman, headquartered in New York City. The foundation stewards an estimated $170M endowment and operates with a small core staff of 4–6 people, deploying capital exclusively into progressive and racial-justice causes through a trust-based grantmaking model. Its 2025 grantmaking reached $11.68M across 162 grants, with approximately 80% of recent grants structured as multi-year general operating support — a deliberate shift away from project-restricted funding toward unrestricted, relationship-driven resourcing of movement organizations.
The foundation's portfolio is organized around five program areas consolidated under a Racial Justice Framework completed in 2024: Black-led Organizing, Climate & Environmental Justice, Democracy, Immigrant Rights, and Reproductive Justice. Geographic activity spans the U.S. Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and New York City. In June 2025 the board raised the annual payout from 6% to 10% of the endowment, committing roughly $10M in additional grantmaking over 2025–2026 through two newly launched vehicles: the Response Fund for rapid-response deployments and the Future Fund for long-horizon capacity building. The board simultaneously delegated rapid-grantmaking authority to staff.
The foundation operates as a co-funder inside several multi-funder collaboratives, including the Change Capital Fund, Neighborhoods First Fund, NYC Climate Justice, and the National Funding Group. Leadership is in transition: President & CEO Mike Pratt announced retirement in October 2025 after 30 years, effective June 2026. The foundation's business model relies on endowment investment returns to fund its annual grantmaking, with the increased payout signaling a deliberate drawdown phase rather than perpetual capital preservation.
Scherman Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Scherman Foundation
- Legal name
- The Scherman Foundation
- Website
- https://scherman.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1941
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Scherman Foundation is an 85-year-old private foundation with an estimated $170M endowment that funds racial-justice movements via trust-based, multi-year general operating grants across five program areas, serving Black-led, immigrant, climate, democracy, and reproductive-justice organizations in the U.S. Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and New York City.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Scherman Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Foundation Grantmaking
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
Keywords
Where Scherman Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Scherman Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Private Foundation Grantmaking: The Scherman Foundation is a private foundation that generates no external revenue. It operates its endowment to make grants to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations. The foundation earns investment returns on its endowment and distributes a portion annually (typically 6%, increased to 10% in 2025–2026) in grants supporting racial justice, organizing, and movement-building.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Core Grantmaking (multi-year general operating and project grants) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Scherman Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
As a private foundation, the Scherman Foundation makes grants to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations working to advance racial justice through five program areas: Arts, Democracy, Environmental & Climate Justice, Reproductive Justice, and Strengthening New York Communities. Grants are primarily multi-year (typically 2-year) general operating support awards, with 80%+ of recent grants unrestricted. The Foundation also operates invitation-only special funds—the Response Fund for rapid response grants and the Future Fund supporting movement-building innovation.
Product overview
The Scherman Foundation is a private philanthropy organization that operates as a grantmaking foundation rather than a technology product company. It does not offer software products or technology services. The Foundation's core offering is its grantmaking programs, including its regular core grantmaking across five program areas (Arts, Democracy, Environmental and Climate Justice, Reproductive Justice, and Strengthening New York Communities) and two special funds: the Response Fund (providing rapid response grants during political crises) and the Future Fund (supporting innovation in movement-building).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Core Grantmaking Program test
Quantifiable outcome
- 162 grants totaling $11.68 million in 2025 across all programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Scherman Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Scherman Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Scherman Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- CandidminorThe foundation is affiliated with Candid (formerly GuideStar), a nonprofit that provides information on foundations and nonprofits. Candid's logo appears on the Collaboratives and Affinity Groups page.
- Change Capital FundcoreThe foundation is a co-founder and ongoing supporter of Change Capital Fund, a funders' collaborative dedicated to neighborhood and citywide organizing in New York City. Mike Pratt serves as Co-Chair of Change Capital Fund.
- Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA)coreThe foundation is an active member of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Mike Pratt served as Chair of the EGA.
- Funders for Reproductive Equity (FRE)minorThe foundation participates in FRE, a funders' collaborative focused on reproductive health, rights, and justice.
- Funders Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP)minorThe foundation participates in FCCP, a philanthropic affinity group dedicated to enhancing democratic participation.
- Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA)minorThe foundation is a member of GIA. Marianna Schaffer serves as co-Chair of New York Grantmakers in the Arts.
- National Funders for People Organizing (NFG)coreThe foundation is a member of NFG, a funders' collaborative supporting people-powered social change and community organizing across the country.
- Neighborhoods First FundcoreThe foundation is Co-Chair of Neighborhoods First Fund, a funders' collaborative focused on housing justice, tenant organizing, and community development in New York City.
- NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of ColorminorThe foundation supports the NYC Fund for Girls and Young Women of Color, a collaborative addressing racial and gender equity for girls and young women of color in New York City.
- Philanthropy New YorkminorThe foundation is a member of Philanthropy New York, a regional association of grantmakers in the New York metro area. Mike Pratt served as Chair of Philanthropy New York.
- Youth Organizing and Culture Change Fund (YOC)minorThe foundation supports the Youth Organizing and Culture Change Fund, which supports youth-led organizing and cultural activism. The foundation has made grants to this collaborative.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Scherman Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Surdna Foundation: New York-based family foundation funding arts, climate, and equitable economies. Comparable in NYC-anchored grantmaking, focus on BIPOC-led organizations, and mission-aligned investing of the endowment.
- Borealis Philanthropy: Philanthropic intermediary specifically dedicated to advancing racial justice and LGBTQ+ equity through pooled and re-granting funds. Strongly comparable model as a funder collaborative supporting BIPOC-led organizing, with significant response-fund experience.
- Arcus Foundation: Private foundation funding social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and great ape conservation. Comparable in operating as a relatively lean, mission-driven foundation deploying multi-year general operating support to movement organizations.
- Open Society Foundations: Global private foundation funding movement-building, democracy, and racial justice. Comparable in programmatic scope (democracy, climate, rights) and emphasis on long-term, flexible general operating support to civil-society organizations.
- Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation: Small New York-based foundation focused on environmental justice, reproductive rights, and movement-building. Closely comparable in programmatic priorities, lean staffing, and trust-based philanthropy ethos.
- Marguerite Casey Foundation: Seattle-based private foundation focused on racial equity, economic justice, and community-led power-building. Directly comparable in prioritizing grassroots organizing, multi-year general operating grants, and movement infrastructure.
- Tides Foundation: San Francisco-based public charity and fiscal sponsor that channels philanthropy to social-justice and movement-building organizations. Comparable grantmaking focus on advocacy, racial equity, and rapid-response infrastructure.
- Ford Foundation: Large private foundation with deep commitment to racial justice, civic engagement, and creative arts. Direct peer given overlap in mission-driven, multi-year general operating support to BIPOC-led organizing and movement-building organizations.
- Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock: Private foundation funding grassroots organizing for human rights, civil liberties, and environmental justice. Comparable in prioritizing BIPOC-led organizing, rapid-response grantmaking, and movement infrastructure investment.
Broad incumbents
- The Kresge Foundation: Large private foundation with broader program areas (education, health, arts, climate, equity). Comparable in deploying significant multi-year general operating support and operating a social-justice portfolio, but at much greater scale and program breadth.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Scherman Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceScherman Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Scherman Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Scherman Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Scherman 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 Scherman Foundation
What does Scherman Foundation do?
As a private foundation, the Scherman Foundation makes grants to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations working to advance racial justice through five program areas: Arts, Democracy, Environmental & Climate Justice, Reproductive Justice, and Strengthening New York Communities. Grants are primarily multi-year (typically 2-year) general operating support awards, with 80%+ of recent grants unrestricted. The Foundation also operates invitation-only special funds—the Response Fund for rapid response grants and the Future Fund supporting movement-building innovation.
Is Scherman Foundation a public or private company?
Scherman Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Scherman Foundation founded?
Scherman Foundation was founded in 1941. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Scherman Foundation based?
Scherman Foundation is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Scherman Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: private Foundation Grantmaking.
Who are Scherman Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Surdna Foundation, Borealis Philanthropy, Arcus Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, Tides Foundation, Ford Foundation and Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock. The Kresge Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Scherman Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Scherman Foundation.
What industry is Scherman Foundation in?
Scherman Foundation's product category is Private Foundation Grantmaking. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAN, Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAM, Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.