The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation is a left-of-center philanthropic organization that has given over $1 billion in gifts to organizations to improve children’s health care and education, the underserved, the arts, the environment, and Lyme disease research. ¹ The Foundation has given lesser grants to left-leaning groups and universities such as $1,606,211 to Duke University in 2019. ²

Funding

In fiscal year 2021, the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation received $106,006,756 in revenue, held $520,525,701 in assets, and paid out $110,086,713 in expenses. ³

Leadership

Steven and Alexandra Cohen launched the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation in 2001, focusing on various areas within philanthropy and community service such as a hospital for women and newborns, a psychedelic research center, and hurricane relief efforts. ⁴

Alexandra M. Cohen is president and secretary of the Foundation. ⁵ Cohen and her husband own the New York Mets and she is also president of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation. She was named one of the “50 Most Powerful Women U.S. Philanthropy” by Inside Philanthropy and sits on the Bob Woodruff Foundation Honorary Leadership Council. ⁶ Steven Cohen is a hedge fund manager and is worth approximately $20 billion. ⁷

Grantmaking

The Foundation contributed or planned to give $128,513,643 in fiscal year 2021. ⁸ The Foundation gave $32 million to the Cohen Veterans Network in 2018, 2019, gave $85 million to the Cohen Veterans Network in 2020 and gave $47 million to the same Network in 2021. From 2018 through 2021, the Foundation gave approximately $100,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative, $100,000 to the 100 Black Men of America, Inc., $120,000 to Solar One, $510,000 to the Hispanic Federation, $850,000 to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, $3,163,950 to the Duke University, $1,500,000 to the Robin Hood Foundation, and $1,300,000 to Success Academy Charter Schools. ⁹

1. “About.” 2019. Steve and Alex Cohen Foundation. November 18, 2019. https://www.steveandalex.org/about/.
2. Return of Private Foundation (990-PF). 2019. Part XV, Supplementary Information. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61627638/03_2021_prefixes_01-11%2F061627638_201912_990PF_2021030917789141
3. Return of Private Foundation (990-PF). 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/61627638/202203189349104275/full
4. “About.” 2019. Steve and Alex Cohen Foundation. November 18, 2019. https://www.steveandalex.org/about/.
5. Suozzo, Andrea, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, and Brandon Roberts. n.d. “Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Inc, Fiscal Year Ending Dec. 2021.” ProPublica. Accessed November 28, 2023.
6. “Meet Alexandra M. Cohen.” 2019. Steve and Alex Cohen Foundation. October 31, 2019. https://www.steveandalex.org/team/alexandra-cohen/.
7. Membership, Forbes. n.d. “Steve Cohen.” Forbes. Accessed November 29, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/profile/steve-cohen/?sh=2d76294b63f8.
8. Return of Private Foundation (990-PF). 2021. Part XIV, Supplementary Information. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/61627638/202203189349104275/full
9. Return of Private Foundation (990-PF). 2019. Part XV, Supplementary Information, Attachments 13-14. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/61627638/03_2021_prefixes_01-11%2F061627638_201912_990PF_2021030917789141