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Non-profit

William E. Simon Foundation

Website:

wesimonfoundation.org/
Location:

NEW YORK, NY
Tax ID:

13-6217788
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)-PF

Budget (2019):

Assets: $45,245,934
Type:

Private Foundation
Formation:

1967
Co-Chairs:

Peter Simon

William E. Simon, Jr.
Budget (2022):

Total Revenue: $6,732,119
Total Expenses: $17,248,011
Total Assets: $35,061,362 1

References

  1. William E Simon Foundation Inc, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2022, Part I.

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The William E. Simon Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation that intends to help inner-city youth and families gain greater access to education and other community-based services. The Foundation’s goal is to empower families to find independence and personal success so they may more fully participate in a free, democratic society. 1 The Foundation aims to provide the proper environment, opportunities, and encouragement to youth in Jersey City and the South Bronx that will enable them to become independent, contributing members of society. 2

The William E. Simon Foundation supports programs meant to strengthen the free enterprise system while supporting moral and spiritual values, including individual freedom, initiative, self-discipline, thrift, and faith in God. 3 It makes contributions to right-leaning public policy advocacy groups that align with its values. 4

Programs

The William E. Simon Foundation’s programs focus on education, faith, and family. The Foundation supports K-12 educational institutions that provide alternatives to traditional public schools, which use more effective teaching models and have high student achievement outcomes. The Foundation supports religious schools, other independent schools, public charter schools, and private scholarship programs. Additionally, the Foundation supports policy research on education choice and reform. 5

The Foundation provides funding to faith-based institutions to support their efforts to provide for the needs of youth while fostering their faith. The Foundation claims that personal faith can result in improved prospects for inner-city youth by creating positive effects on their decision-making. The Foundation also provides support to organizations that defend religious liberty. 6

The Foundation supports organizations that help strengthen families and organizations that bring caring adults into the lives of children. The Foundation recognizes that children need stability, protection, nurturing, discipline, and positive adults role models which can be provided by mentorships, parenting skills programs, and continued research on best practices for building positive and constructive relationships between adults and children. 7

Public Policy Grantmaking

The William E. Simon Foundation awards grants to public policy organizations with both regional and national focuses, which align with its charitable work on issues regarding K-12 education, faith, and family. 8 The Foundation’s featured grantees in these categories include the American Federation for Children Growth Fund, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and the Manhattan Institute, respectively. 9

The Foundation announced that it would be sunsetting its grant program in 2023. Since its founding in 1967, the Foundation has awarded nearly $290 million to organizations that meet its mission. 10

Board of Directors

Peter Simon is a co-chair of both the William E. Simon Foundation and Simon Quick Advisors. Simon is an emeritus trustee of Lafayette College and a trustee of both the Richard Nixon Foundation and the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Simon is a former member of the New Jersey State Board of Education and a former trustee of the Alliance for School Choice. 11

William E. Simon, Jr. is a co-chair of both the William E. Simon Foundation and the Cynthia L. and William E. Simon, Jr. Foundation, and partner at Simon Quick Advisors. Simon is an adjunct assistant professor at UCLA in the School of Law and in the Department of Economics. Simon formerly worked as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York under then-U.S. Attorney Rudolph Giuliani. In 2002, Simon was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in California. 12

James Piereson is the former president of the William E. Simon Foundation, and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where he is director of the Center for the American University. Piereson sits on the boards of the Pinkerton Foundation, the TWS Foundation, the Center for Individual Rights, the Philanthropy Roundtable, the Foundation for Cultural Review, and DonorsTrust. Piereson is a former executive director and trustee of the John M. Olin Foundation and former member of the Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution. 13

Dan Mosley is a partner at BDT and Company and chair of the board of the Pinkerton Foundation. Mosley sits on the boards of the William S. Paley Foundation, the Edward John Noble Foundation, and the Thomas J. Watson Foundation. 14

Leigh Simon Porges is a former municipal bond trader for Glickenhaus and Company. Porges sits on the board of Good Grief and on the Parents Council at Vassar College. 15

Mary Simon Streep is a trustee of New England College and a former trustee of the Parents Television Council (now the Parents Television and Media Council). 16

Bill Wachenfeld is a former trustee of the Liberty Science Center, former president of the Charles Hayden Foundation, and a former member of the New Jersey Economic Council. 17

Other members of the board include Aimee Simon Bloom, Julie Simon Munro, and Katie Simon. 18

References

  1. “Our Approach.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=118.
  2. “Our Approach.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=118.
  3. “Our Approach.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=118.
  4. “Featured Grantees.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=11&Itemid=107.
  5. “Our Programs.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=9&Itemid=144.
  6. “Our Programs.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=9&Itemid=144.
  7. “Our Programs.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=9&Itemid=144.
  8. “Our Programs.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=9&Itemid=144.
  9.  “Featured Grantees.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=11&Itemid=107.
  10. “Home.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/.
  11. “J. Peter Simon, Co-Chairman.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:j-peter-simon&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  12. “William E. Simon, Jr., Co-Chairman.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56:william-e-simon-jr&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  13. “James Piereson, President (Retired).” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58:james-piereson&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  14. “Daniel L. Mosley.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50:daniel-l-mosley&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  15. “Leigh Simon Porges.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54:leigh-simon-porges&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  16. “Mary Simon Streep.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:mary-simon-streep&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  17. “William T. Wachenfeld.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57:william-t-wachenfeld&catid=20&Itemid=146.
  18. “Board of Directors and Staff.” William E. Simon Foundation. Accessed March 16, 2024. https://wesimonfoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=20&Itemid=146
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: July 1, 1967

    • 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
    2019 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $45,245,934 $1,967,707 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2015 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $64,302,180 $5,147,384 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $81,523,986 $6,011,669 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $90,244,005 $9,779,997 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $92,523,052 $8,058,976 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2011 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $97,331,827 $9,595,587 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2010 Dec Form PF $0 $0 $102,955,176 $6,008,533 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    William E. Simon Foundation


    NEW YORK, NY