The Jerome L. Greene Foundation is a left-of-center grantmaking organization. The foundation is based in New York City and focuses its grants in the area. Left-wing groups that have received funding from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Planned Parenthood, and Democracy Alliance.¹

Background

The Jerome L. Green Foundation was founded in 1978 by Jerry Greene, a New York City real estate attorney. As a member of the Lincoln Center’s board of directors and as a trustee of the Juilliard School, Greene used the foundation to fund the arts. Greene also supported Columbia Law School and medical institutions in New York City.²

Upon Greene’s passing in 1999, his wife, Dawn Greene, became the CEO of the foundation. Dawn Greene served as CEO until 2010 when she passed away and her daughter Chris Greene took over. Chris Greene shifted the foundation’s focus toward left-of-center causes, providing support to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.³ Today, the Jerome L. Greene Foundation provides millions in funding to left-wing groups.⁴

Advocacy Grantmaking

In 2017, the Jerome L. Greene Foundation gave funds to the ACLU to support the organization’s Voting Rights Project and the Reproductive Freedom Project.⁵ The Voting Rights Project has opposed laws that protect the integrity of the vote, including voter identification, requiring proof of citizenship, and removing long-term inactive voters from the rolls.⁶ The Reproductive Freedom Project advocates pro-abortion positions. The ACLU has commonly joined Planned Parenthood in suing states that attempt to limit abortion.^{7 8}

Between 2014 and 2016, the foundation gave $3.5 million to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and a New York City subsidiary of the organization.^{9 10} PPFA is the largest abortion provider network in the United States.¹¹

Between 2014 and 2016, The Jerome L. Greene Foundation gave at least $1.8 million to Echoing Green. Echoing Green is a left-of-center group that through its fellowship program provides leadership and support to other left-wing organizations.^{12 13} Climate Defense Project,¹⁴ PushBlack, and We the Protesters all count Echoing Green as a financial supporter. ¹⁵

Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) received $500,000 from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation in 2016.¹⁶ CPD is connected to left-wing organizations with its board members having worked for the NAACP, AFL-CIO, and the American Civil Liberties Union.¹⁷ CPD has pushed for gun control, more labor regulations, less school choice, and environmentalist energy policy.¹⁸

NEO Philanthropy, a fiscal clearinghouse for left-wing projects, received $395,000 from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation.¹⁹ Between 2014 and 2016, the Jerome L. Greene Foundation gave over $225,000 to the Threshold Foundation, a left-of-center grantmaking organization.^{20 21} The Threshold Foundation’s origins date back to 1981 when John Mailman brought together wealthy environmentalists to collaborate and fund left-wing environmental and left-progressive social groups.²²

The Greene foundation has also given to include the George Soros-associated think tank Institute for New Economic Thinking, ProPublica, and Democracy Alliance.^{23 24}

1. “Social Justice.” Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Accessed August 27, 2019.  https://jlgreene.org/grantee-categories/social-justice/.
2. “Our History.” Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://jlgreene.org/history/.
3. “Our History.” Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://jlgreene.org/history/.
4. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
5. “Our History.” Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://jlgreene.org/history/.
6. Mukpo, Ashoka. “The Battle Over Voting Rights In America Is Red-Hot. Here’s What Has Changed Since 2010.” American Civil Liberties Union. American Civil Liberties Union, October 31, 2018. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://www.aclu.org/issues/voting-rights/voting-rights-2010.
7. “ACLU, Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood File Motion for Preliminary Injunction on Georgia Abortion Ban.” American Civil Liberties Union, July 23, 2019. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-center-reproductive-rights-planned-parenthood-file-motion-preliminary-injunction.
8. “Planned Parenthood and ACLU Take Missouri to Court over Abortion Bans.” American Civil Liberties Union, July 30, 2019. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/planned-parenthood-and-aclu-take-missouri-court-over-abortion-bans.
9. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
10. “Jerome L. Greene Foundation INC – Form 990 for Period Ending Dec 2014 – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed August 29, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/132960852/2016_02_PF/13-2960852_990PF_201412.
11. Planned Parenthood Federation of America. 2014-15 Annual Report. 2015. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/2114/5089/0863/2014-2015_PPFA_Annual_Report_.pdf.
12. “Jerome L. Greene Foundation INC – Form 990 for Period Ending Dec 2014 – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed August 29, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/132960852/2016_02_PF/13-2960852_990PF_201412.
13. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
14. “Echoing Green – FY 2018 Form 990” Accessed August 29, 2019. https://echoinggreen.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FY18-FORM990.pdf
15. “Echoing Green – FY 2017 Form 990” Accessed August 29, 2019. https://echoinggreen.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FY17-FORM990.pdf
16. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
17. “Board.” The Center for Popular Democracy. Accessed August 29, 2019. https://populardemocracy.org/about-us/board.
18. Torres, Ritchie, and Lisa Bender. “Here Are the City Policies That Democrats Need to be Talking About.” Next City. July 22, 2016. Accessed August 29, 2019. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/dnc-lawmakers-city-policies-democrats.
19. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
20. “Jerome L. Greene Foundation INC – Form 990 for Period Ending Dec 2014 – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed August 29, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/132960852/2016_02_PF/13-2960852_990PF_201412.
21. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
22. “Origin.” Threshold Foundation. Accessed 29, 2019. https://www.thresholdfoundation.org/origin.
23. “Jerome L Greene Foundation Inc, Form 990PF – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, November 14, 2017. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132960852/201723189349101107/IRS990PF.
24. “Social Justice.” Jerome L. Greene Foundation. Accessed August 29, 2019. https://jlgreene.org/grantee-categories/social-justice/.