Paul E. Singer Foundation

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The Paul E. Singer Foundation (EIN: 27-2009342) is a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation established in 2008 by Paul Singer, founder and president of Elliott Management Corporation. As of the most recent available filings (fiscal year ending November 2024), the foundation has disbursed hundreds of millions in grants, with a strong focus on conservative policy research, free-market economics, U.S. national security, the future of Israel as a Jewish democratic state, Jewish continuity and education, LGBT equality, and health-care innovation.[1] The foundation is one of the funders of A Wider Bridge, an Israeli LGBT rights group which has been accused of 'pinkwashing' Israel's international image.[2][3]

Mission

The foundation's website describes its objectives as follows:

The mission of The Paul E. Singer Foundation is to support innovative and effective organizations that work to strengthen our American democracy and democracies around the world. The PESF’s work to date has focused on supporting research and scholars in the areas of free-market economics, the rule of law, U.S. national security, and the future of Israel, as well as LGBT equality efforts and health-care delivery innovation.[1]

Its profile on the Jewish Funders Network International Conference provides further detail:

The mission of The Paul E. Singer Foundation is to ensure Israel’s survival as an independent and vibrant Jewish state by increasing and broadening support for Israel.
The PESF takes a targeted, results-oriented approach to philanthropy, seeking measurable outcomes of its work in the medium to long term. In addition, The PESF prides itself on its ability to pivot as new challenges present themselves. Currently, the tactics PESF uses include:

Promote Israeli literacy—the ability to make informed opinions about Israel, through education Fighting the media barrage of anti-Israel propaganda, including the BDS movement Promote positive stories/narratives of Israeli global aid Draw young professionals back into their Judaism by providing new points of engagement for them Promote deeper, emotional connections to/relationship with Israel Promote/highlight the work of exceptional Jewish companies or organizations doing meaningful work. Provide volunteer/internship/travel opportunities to give students a transformative professional or personal experience in Israel Draw attention to bias to stymie its growth

Whenever possible, The PESF seeks to leverage its own philanthropic investments by partnering with proven nonprofits and like-minded donors.
In addition, The Paul E. Singer Foundation is a core funder for The Shabbat Project, the Philos Project, and Start-Up Nation Central.[4]

Stand Up for Heroes

In November 2010 the Bob Woodruff Foundation announced that the Paul E. Singer Foundation would serve as the title sponsor for its 4th Annual Stand Up for Heroes event. The event was held to raise funds for injured military personnel and their families.[5]

People

Directors

Directors of the Paul E. Singer Foundation
Name Role Date appointed Date resigned Notes
Paul Singer Founder / Director / President / Treasurer 2010 — Founder and controlling figure; listed as A Director/Pres/Treas since inception[6][7]
Myron Kaplan Director / Secretary 2010 — Founding board member; listed as B Director/Secretary from earliest available filings[6][7]
Terry Kassel Director / Managing Director 2011 — Head of Strategic Human Resources at Elliott Investment Management; B Director since 2011[6][7]
Daniel Senor Director 2011 — Chief Public Affairs Officer at Elliott Investment Management; B Director since 2011[6][7]
Anne G. Dickerson Director 2011 c. 2023 B Director from 2011 through 2022 filings[6]
Daniel Bonner Director / Executive Director 2022 — Promoted to board in 2022; previously staff since 2015; B Director/Executive Director[6][7]
Harry Z. Cohen Director / Head of Strategy 2022 — Promoted to board in 2022; role as Head of Strategy since c. 2021; B Director/Head of Strategy[6][7]
Joshua Levine Treasurer 2023 2023 Listed only in 2023 filing[6]

The foundation maintains a small, stable board drawn primarily from senior personnel at Elliott Investment Management.[6]

Note: Names such as Robert Merz, Deborah Colson, Jonathan Littman, Brian T. Kavanagh, and Michelle Lynn Moody do not appear in IRS Form 990-PF officer listings and appear to be unconfirmed or erroneous.

Staff

Key Staff and Employees of the Paul E. Singer Foundation
Name Role Date appointed Date resigned Notes
Michele Packman Director of Operations c. 2016 — Long-serving compensated key employee managing operations[6][7]
Aaron MacLean Senior Director 2021 — Compensated senior role from 2021[6]
Julia Schulman Director, Jewish and Israel Philanthropy c. 2022 — Leads funding in Jewish and 'Israel'-related areas[6]
Keegan Callanan Director, Higher Education c. 2022 — Oversees higher education grants[6]
Deborah Hochberg Senior Advisor c. 2014 — Long-term compensated role, formerly Director of Strategy[6]
Daniel Bonner Program Officer / Director, Jewish/Israel 2015 2022 Promoted to Executive Director and board in 2022[6]
Harry Z. Cohen Director and Head of Strategy 2021 2022 Promoted to board director in 2022[6]
Max Karpel COO & Counsel c. 2017 c. 2019 Compensated 2017–2019[6]
Joel Winton Director, American Values c. 2018 c. 2020 Compensated 2018–2020[6]
Carrie Filipetti Director, Portfolio c. 2014 c. 2016 Compensated 2014–2016[6]
Chaya Glasner Program Officer c. 2016 c. 2017 Compensated 2016–2017[6]
Rachel Davidson Director, Jewish/Israel c. 2014 c. 2014 Compensated in 2014[6]
Robert Nicholson Research Associate c. 2014 c. 2014 Compensated in 2014[6]
Joseph Kristol Program Manager, American Values c. 2020 c. 2020 Compensated in 2020[6]
Jordan Hirsch General Counsel c. 2023 c. 2023 Compensated in 2023[6]

Staff listings reflect compensated employees and officers reported in IRS Form 990-PF filings, many of whom focus on programmatic areas including support for the Zionist entity and related causes.[6]

The foundation is controlled by Paul Singer and has a small board of directors, with listings drawn primarily from IRS Form 990-PF filings available through public nonprofit databases.[8]

Note: Earlier reported names such as Robert Merz, Deborah Colson, Jonathan Littman, and Michelle Lynn Moody do not appear in recent public 990-PF officer listings and may reflect outdated or unconfirmed information.

Grants

The foundation has disbursed hundreds of millions in grants since inception, with a focus on conservative think tanks, pro-Israel organizations, Jewish education and continuity programs, national security initiatives, and select LGBT equality efforts. Large portions of funding are routed through donor-advised funds such as the J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund (administered by National Philanthropic Trust), which serve as pass-through vehicles. Below is a summary table of major and recurring grants based on IRS Form 990-PF filings (fiscal years ending November 2021–2024). Amounts are in USD and represent direct grants or DAF contributions visible in public excerpts. Full exhaustive lists are available in the complete 990-PF PDFs on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (EIN 27-2009342).

Grants overview (2010–2024)

The following table summarises major and recurring grants based on publicly available IRS Form 990-PF filings and related documentation. All amounts are in USD. The table is sorted alphabetically by grantee name (ignoring "The" prefix). Data for 2025 is not yet available.{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Grants from the Paul E. Singer Foundation ($) ! Grantee !! 2010 !! 2011 !! 2012 !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016 !! 2017 |- | Abraham Joshua Heschel School || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | AFNSC || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Aish HaTorah || 250,000 || 75,000 || 75,000 || — || 150,000 || — || — || — |- | All Stars Project Inc || — || — || — || — || — || 25,000 || 25,000 || 25,000 |- | Alliance for School Choice || — || — || — || — || 250,000 || — || — || — |- | America Gives Inc || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | America-Israel Friendship League || 50,000 || 50,000 || 160,000 || — || — || — || — || — |- | American Enterprise Institute || 500,000 || 712,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | American Friends of Magen David Adom || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | American Friends of the Hebrew University || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | American Friends of Vibe Israel || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 25,000 |- | American Friends of Yahad in Unum || — || 50,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | American Israel Education Foundation || 500,000 || 1,000,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | American Jewish Committee || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — || — || — |- | American National Red Cross || — || — || — || — || 10,000 || — || — || — |- | Americans for Oxford Inc || — || — || — || — || 43,500 || — || — || — |- | Artadia || 20,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Artis Contemporary Israeli Art Fund Inc || — || — || — || — || — || — || 75,000 || — |- | Aspen Jewish Community Center || — || — || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — |- | BBYO Inc || — || — || — || — || 750,000 || — || — || 175,000 |- | Birthright Israel || 500,000 || 1,000,000 || — || — || — || — || — || 1,162,500 |- | Blair House Foundation || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Boundless Israel || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 125,000 |- | B'nai B'rith Youth Organization || 200,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Business Executives for National Security || — || — || — || — || 5,000 || — || — || — |- | Camp Ramah in New England Inc || — || — || — || — || — || — || 720 || — |- | Center for Israel Education || — || — || — || — || 75,000 || — || — || — |- | Central Park Conservancy || — || — || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || 534,500 |- | Chabad of Martha's Vineyard || — || — || — || — || — || — || 103,700 || 575,000 |- | Chabad on Campus International Inc || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 100,000 |- | Children of Fallen Patriots || — || — || — || — || 100,000 || — || — || — |- | Citizen Schools Inc || — || — || — || — || 75,000 || — || — || — |- | Claremont Institute || 50,000 || 50,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston || — || 250,000 || 600,000 || — || — || — || — || — |- | Congregation Beth Elohim || — || — || — || — || — || 100,000 || — || 260,000 |- | Congregation Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 5,000 |- | Council on Foreign Relations || 370,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America || — || — || — || — || — || 5,000 || 5,000 || 250,000 |- | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute || — || — || — || — || 375,000 || — || — || — |- | Donors Trust || — || 1,155,605 || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Ethics and Public Policy Center || 220,000 || 138,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Facing History and Ourselves || 150,000 || 100,000 || 150,000 || — || — || — || — || — |- | Food Bank of Northern Nevada || — || — || — || — || — || 5,000 || — || — |- | Foundation for Excellence in Education || — || — || — || — || 100,000 || — || — || — |- | Friends of Israel Disabled Veterans Beit Halochem || — || — || — || — || 10,000 || — || — || — |- | Friends of the European Foundation || 500,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Friends of the Israel Defense Forces || 36,000 || 36,000 || 40,000 || — || — || — || — || — |- | Friends of United Synagogue Youth || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 100,000 |- | FMW Nonprofit Solutions || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 100,000 |- | Grace After Fire || 250,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Harlem Children's Zone || — || — || — || — || — || 25,000 || — || 25,000 |- | HelpUsAdopt.org || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 7,500 |- | Hudson Institute || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 100,000 |- | Human Rights Campaign Foundation || — || — || 500,000 || — || — || — || — || — |- | Imagination Productions || — || — || 150,000 || — || — || — || — || — |- | iTrek Inc || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — || 200,000 || 175,000 |- | Israel America Academic Exchange || — || — || — || — || 300,000 || — || 300,000 || — |- | Israel Independence Fund || 50,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | Israel Project || 500,000 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |- | IsraAID (US) Global Humanitarian Assistance Inc || — || — || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — |- | Jewish Agency for Israel || — || — || — || — || 550,000 || — || — || — |- | Jewish Agency for Israel – NA Council || 400,000 || — || — || 450,000 || 535,830 || — || 300,000 || — |- | Jewish Book Council || — || — || — || — || — || — || 55,000 || — |- | Jewish Braille Institute of America || — || — || — || — || 25,000 || — || 25,000 || — |- | Jewish Community Center in Manhattan || — || — || — || — || 75,000 || — || 75,000 || — |- | Jewish Community Relations Council of NY || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — || 300,000 || — |- | Jewish Federations of North America || — || — || — || 1,250,000 || — || — || 1,000,000 || — |- | Jewish Funders Network || — || 25,000 || 10,000 || — || 125,000 || — || 1,360,000 || — |- | Jewish Heritage Programs || — || — || — || — || 100,000 || — || — || — |- | Leukemia & Lymphoma Society || — || — || — || — || — || — || 15,000 || 1,260,000 |- | Manhattan Institute || 325,000 || 600,000 || 500,000 || — || 2,735,000 || — || 2,075,000 || 1,800,000 |- | Melanoma Research Alliance Foundation || — || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — || — |- | Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation || — || — || — || — || — || 10,000 || — || — |- | National Italian American Foundation || — || — || — || — || — || 50,000 || — || — |- | New York City Police Foundation || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 200,000 |- | New York Historical Society || — || — |

See also


Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Paul E. Singer Foundation Website About. Accessed 22 May 2015; updated with recent 990-PF data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
  2. ↑ A Wider Bridge Website Our Funders. Accessed 30 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Toshio Meronek, 'Exposing Israel’s ‘Pinkwashing’', Common Dreams, 23 June 2014, accessed 30 June 2015
  4. ↑ Jewish Funders Network International Conference Website Paul E. Singer Foundation. Accessed 23 June 2015; updated with current priorities.
  5. ↑ PR Newswire The Paul E. Singer Foundation to Serve as Title Sponsor for the Bob Woodruff Foundation 4th Annual Stand Up for Heroes. Accessed 23 June 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer Paul E Singer Foundation [1], accessed 4 February 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Cause IQ Paul E Singer Foundation [2], accessed 4 February 2026.
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ProPublica990