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Non-profit

Kohlberg Foundation

Website:

kohlbergfoundation.org/
Location:

MOUNT KISCO, NY
Tax ID:

13-3496263
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)-PF

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $17,933,951
Expenses: $12,698,569
Assets: $185,870,269
Formation:

1989
Executive Vice President, Treasurer, and Executive Director:

Nancy McCabe

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The Kohlberg Foundation is a private family foundation founded by private equity billionaire Jerome Kohlberg and his wife Nancy in 1989, based in Mt. Kisco, New York. The foundation provides grants to numerous left-of-center organizations, focused on legal policy related to health programs, the environment, and education. 1 In 2017, the Kohlberg Foundation was granted nearly $80 million in donations. 2 In 2019, the foundation received only $21 million in grants. 3

Background

Jerome Kohlberg, the cofounder of the private equity firm Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts, and Company (KKR) and a pioneer of the leveraged buyout, formed the Kohlberg Foundation with his wife in 1989. 4.

At the age of 80, Kohlberg had a net worth of $1.2 billion. 5 Jerome Kohlberg died in 2015. 6 His wife Nancy served as president following her husband’s death until she passed away in August 2022 at the age of 92. 7 The organization’s website has not been updated to reflect a new president being chosen, but as of January 2023 Nancy McCabe is listed as the Executive Vice President, Treasurer, and Executive Director for the Kohlberg Foundation. 8

Grantmaking Activity

While many of the Kohlberg Foundation’s grants go to local organizations in Westchester, New York, the foundation supports many left-of-center organizations affecting policy on a national level.

Legal Advocacy

The Kohlberg Foundation contributes millions of dollars to the William J. Brennan Center for Justice, a major liberal legal policy advocacy group, providing $3 million in support in 2017. 9 The foundation has also supported the Alliance for Justice, a legal policy organization that advocates against the nomination of conservative and Republican-appointed judges and in favor of left-wing and Democratic-appointed ones. 10 In 2021, the Kohlberg Foundation donated $500,000 in grants to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as well as to Southern Poverty Law Center. 11

Environmental Advocacy

The Kohlberg Foundation is a regular funder of local and national environmental groups concerned with global warming and environmentalist energy policies. Environmentalist groups receiving contributions from the foundation include the Environmental Defense Fund and the Center for Biological Diversity. 12

Other Left-of-Center Policy

The Kohlberg Foundation makes grants to a number of general left-of-center advocacy organizations. In 2017, the Indivisible Fund, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, ProPublica, the Marshall Project, and Young Invincibles received support from Kohlberg Foundation. 13 In past years, it has provided seven-figure contributions to the assisted-dying advocacy group Compassion and Choices. 14 In 2021, the Kohlberg Foundation donated roughly $900,000 to grassroots advocacy group Indivisible Civic Engagement, with another $500,000 donated to voter protection advocacy group Protect Democracy. 15

Donation Recipients

References

  1. kohlbergfoundation.org. Accesssed August 15, 2019. http://kohlbergfoundation.org/files/2018/11/ar-fs-2017.pdf
  2. Kohlberg Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part I Line 25
  3. Suozzo, Andrea, Ken Schwencke, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Alec Glassford, and Brandon Roberts. “Kohlberg Foundation Inc, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica, May 9, 2013. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133496263/202043219349104404/full.
  4. “Kohlberg Foundation.” Inside Philanthropy. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/fundraising-in-new-york-city/kohlberg-foundation
  5. “#645 Jerome Kohlberg, Jr.” Forbes.com, February 13, 2006. Accesssed August 15, 2019. https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/1CAW.html
  6. De La Merced, Michael  J. “Jerome Kohlberg Jr., Pioneer of the Private Equity Industry, Dies at 90.” The New York Times, August 1, 2015. www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/business/dealbook/jerome-kohlberg-jr-90-a-pioneer-of-the-private-equity-industry-dies.html.
  7. Wells, Julia. “Nancy Kohlberg, Quiet and Generous Force for Sustainable Living, Dies at 92.” The Vineyard Gazette – Martha’s Vineyard News, September 1, 2022. https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2022/09/01/nancy-kohlberg-quiet-force-sustainable-living-who-gave-generously-dies-92.
  8. “Board & Staff.” The Kohlberg Foundation. Accessed January 20, 2023. http://kohlbergfoundation.org/board-staff/.
  9. Kohlberg Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3
  10. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted September 23, 2019.
  11. “Kohlberg Foundation 2021 Annual Report.” Kohlberg Foundation. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://kohlbergfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/ar-2021.pdf.
  12. Kohlberg Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3
  13. Kohlberg Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3
  14. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of MetaSoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted September 23, 2019.
  15. “Kohlberg Foundation 2021 Annual Report.” Kohlberg Foundation. Accessed January 20, 2023. https://kohlbergfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/ar-2021.pdf.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form PF $17,933,951 $12,698,569 $185,870,269 $1 $0 $0 $0 $0
    2019 Dec Form PF $23,614,156 $22,815,777 $183,606,087 $231 $0 $0 $0 $0
    2015 Dec Form PF $11,931,123 $23,049,438 $254,655,734 $57 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form PF $21,966,634 $27,669,606 $266,804,766 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form PF $14,775,387 $26,390,111 $272,966,282 $290 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form PF $31,292,934 $20,150,570 $283,892,287 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form PF $11,174,232 $20,087,162 $272,142,812 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Kohlberg Foundation

    111 RADIO CIRCLE DR
    MOUNT KISCO, NY 10549-2609