The Daniel L. Nir and Jill E. Braufman Family Foundation is a private foundation founded in 2004 by Daniel Nir, the founder and former CEO of hedge fund Gracie Capital, and his wife, Jill Braufman. 1 The foundation has contributed to many left-of-center causes, including abortion-activist organizations. 2
Foundation owners Braufman and Nir personally donate to the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates. 3 4
Founders’ Political Contributions
During the 2020 election cycle, Jill Braufman contributed to Planned Parenthood Action Fund, ActBlue (PAC), Mind the Gap, Biden for President PAC, Arizona Democratic Party, and over 40 Democratic candidates for state and federal offices. 3 Braufman also contributes to EMILY’s List, an organization that focuses on electing Democratic pro-abortion women into office. 5
Daniel Nir contributed to Planned Parenthood Action Fund, ActBlue (PAC), Biden for President PAC, and seven other Democratic candidates. 4
Funding
The Daniel L. Nir and Jill E. Braufman Family Foundation reported 2021 revenues of $1,184,875 and expenses of $1,213,070. 6
In 2021 the foundation donated to several pro-abortion advocacy groups including Center For Reproductive Rights, Guttmacher Institute, Physicians For Reproductive Health, National Institute for Reproductive Health, and National Network of Abortion Funds. 2
The foundation donated to liberal think tank and advocacy group William J. Brennan Center for Justice that advocates for ending mass incarceration and supports racial and ethnic preferences, 7 left-of-center media criticism outfit Media Matters for America, 8 several organizations that support the arts, and many Jewish causes and organizations in Israel, including Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and the American Israel Education Foundation. 2
The foundation also donates to Voter Registration Project, also known as Everybody Votes, 9 a voter mobilization program that targets groups more likely to vote left-of-center such as African-American, Latino, Native American, low-income, women, and younger voters, 10 and The Patriotic Millionaires Research Center, a group of millionaires that support left-of-center economic policies. 11 9
Leadership
Philanthropist Jill Braufman is president of the foundation. 2 Braufman graduated from Brown University and the Parsons School of Design. She founded and managed an interior design business for six years. In 2001 she decided to focus full-time on politics and philanthropy, donating to the arts, education, and pro-abortion organizations. 12
She is also on the board of abortion activist organization National Institute for Reproductive Health.13 Braufman is board president of The Center for Arts Education and a board member of Partnership with Children, both of which focus on children’s education, 14 with a specific focus on Black and brown students impacted by “systemic racism.” 15
Hedge fund millionaire Daniel Nir is treasurer of the foundation. 2 Nir graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and The Wharton School with economics degrees. He is the founder and former CEO of Gracie Capital, a New York based hedge fund. 16
According to the 2021 tax return, Barry Berger is secretary of the foundation. 17 He is an attorney in New York City practicing elder law and estate planning. 18
References
- Mark David. “Hedge Fund Founder Daniel Nir Asks $7.3 Million for Freshly Rehabbed Encino Estate.” Yahoo! Finance. May 11, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hedge-fund-founder-daniel-nir-185715202.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGqROHCNqGBSdkmXELMNv13h-KfYOkhlHr5W7_MhFdXbCsTAOSmBLG0t3ynjZWyVLLqNrJjzXcfxHYcja8dobNAQ6O2VoolVeG4fiVYg67Oqa7-tsrdwLDXNQvvte5E3trWvz8kk2eXNfuicpiUsygkRe9v95WZ1By9BeaewlBGD
- Daniel L. Nir and Jill Braufman Family Foundation. Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF – Part XIV). 2021.
- “Jill Braufman.” CampaignMoney.com. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.campaignmoney.com/finance.asp?pg=10&type=in&criteria=braufman&ra=147900&rc=99&prevpage=9&cycle=20&fname=jill
- “Daniel Nir.” CampaignMoney.com. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.campaignmoney.com/finance.asp?pg=4&type=in&criteria=nir&ra=38632&rc=31&prevpage=3&cycle=20&fname=daniel
- “Individual contributions – Jill E. Braufman.” FEC Campaign finance data. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=jill+braufman&contributor_name=jill+e.+braufman&contributor_name=jill+erika+braufman
- Daniel L. Nir and Jill Braufman Family Foundation. Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF – Part I). 2021.
- “Issues.” Brennan Center for Justice. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.brennancenter.org/issues
- Media Matters for America website. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.mediamatters.org/
- Daniel L. Nir and Jill Braufman Family Foundation. Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF – Part XV). 2019.
- Everybody Votes website. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.everybodyvotes.com/
- Patriotic Millionaires website. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://patrioticmillionaires.org/
- “Jill Erika Braufman.” Little Sis. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://littlesis.org/person/90125-Jill_Erika_Braufman
- “Staff & Board.” NIRH National Institute for Reproductive Health – Who We Are. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://nirhealth.org/staff/
- “Board of Directors.” Partnership with Children – About. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://partnershipwithchildren.org/board/
- “Our History.” Partnership with Children. Accessed June 16, 2023. https://partnershipwithchildren.org/history/
- [1] Katherine Kallergis. “Hedge funder Daniel Nir nabs Surf Club Four Seasons penthouse for $12M.” The Real Deal. December 14, 2017. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://therealdeal.com/miami/2017/12/14/hedge-funder-daniel-nir-nabs-surf-club-four-seasons-penthouse-for-12m/
- Daniel L. Nir and Jill Braufman Family Foundation. Return of Private Foundation. (Form 990-PF – Part VII). 2021.
- “Barry S. Berger.” Attorneys.Org. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.attorneys.org/barry-s-berger-1127764