The Tow Foundation Inc
Invitation OnlyNew Canaan, Connecticut · EIN 06-6484045 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2025)$46.8M
Organizations funded206
Typical grant$100,000
Total assets$415.9M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $50,000 and $250,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2025 the foundation checked the box saying it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
82% of grants went outside Connecticut.
Grants paid in tax year 2025
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Biomedical research building | $5,000,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | The initiative in radiotheranostics | $1,600,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | Southeastern, PA | Donor advised fund contribution 1 | $1,422,021 |
| New York Genome Center Inc | New York, NY | Women's genetics center | $1,400,000 |
| The Hospital for Special Surgeries | New York, NY | Realizing the promise of precision medicine and tissue regeneration in autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases | $1,240,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | The tow initiative in computational immuno-oncology | $1,200,000 |
| Immigrant Justice Corps | New York, NY | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc | New York, NY | West project capital campaign | $1,000,000 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | Ai-Based myeloma research | $1,000,000 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | Community and civic engagement center | $1,000,000 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Inc | Brooklyn, NY | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | Southeastern, PA | Donor advised fund contribution 3 | $700,000 |
| Norwalk Hospital Association | Norwalk, CT | The claire tow intensive care unit (icu) at norwalk hospital | $600,000 |
| Bard College | Annandaleonhudson, NY | The leonard and claire tow chair in democracy and education | $500,000 |
| Better Angels Society | Washington, DC | Ken burns film: crime and punishment in america | $500,000 |
| Brooklyn College Foundation Inc | Brooklyn, NY | Tow mentoring initiative | $500,000 |
| Connecticut Children's Foundation Inc | Hartford, CT | Strengthening the connections to opportunities for prevention engagement (scope) | $500,000 |
| Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism Cuny Foundation Inc | New York, NY | Relaunch of the tow-knight center | $500,000 |
| National Black Theater Workshop Inc | New York, NY | General operating support | $500,000 |
| New York Shakespeare Festival | New York, NY | The public theater's capital campaign | $500,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Establishment of the leonard tow professorship of journalism | $500,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Ai and journalism: a research initiative at the tow center for digital journalism | $500,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Endowed professorship/linda P. fried distinguished professor | $500,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | Southeastern, PA | Donor advised fund contribution 5 | $500,000 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Inc | Brooklyn, NY | General operating support | $450,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | Southeastern, PA | Donor advised fund contribution 6 | $447,498 |
| Now Matters Now | Bellevue, WA | General operating support | $415,000 |
| Norwalk Hospital Association | Norwalk, CT | Pulmonary fellowship program | $400,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Als center challenge grant | $400,000 |
| Homeboy Industries | Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $334,000 |
| Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project | Oxnard, CA | General operating support | $334,000 |
| New Venture Fund | Washington, DC | Communities for just schools fund | $334,000 |
| New York State Community Arch | Syracuse, NY | Wellness workforce collaborative | $334,000 |
| Our Children's Trust | Eugene, OR | General operating support | $334,000 |
| St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center | New York, NY | Cares program | $334,000 |
| Tapestry Family Services | Ukiah, CA | General operating support | $334,000 |
| Catalyst Ct | Bridgeport, CT | Amplifying resident voices | $333,250 |
| Research Foundation of the City University of New York | New York, NY | Tow advocacy fellowship initiative | $330,000 |
| Brooklyn College Foundation Inc | Brooklyn, NY | Tania leon chair | $300,000 |
| Civic News Company | New York, NY | General operating support | $300,000 |
| Council on Criminal Justice Inc | Washington, DC | Task force on artificial intelligence in criminal justice | $300,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | Dermatology skin informatics program | $300,000 |
| New York Public Radio | New York, NY | Early career journalist fellowships | $300,000 |
| New York Shakespeare Festival | New York, NY | General operating support | $300,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Phyllis mailman professorship of public health | $300,000 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | Tow youth justice institute | $300,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | Southeastern, PA | Donor advised fund contribution 7 | $300,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY | Tow doctoral scholars pipeline program | $293,000 |
| Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth | Washington, DC | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut | Farmington, CT | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Civil Rights Corps | Washington, DC | General operating support | $250,000 |
| John Jay College Foundation Inc | New York, NY | Future of public safety initiative | $250,000 |
| Justice Innovation Inc | New York, NY | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Justice Innovation Inc | New York, NY | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Recidiviz Inc | Oakland, CA | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Rivet Global Inc | Boston, MA | General operating support | $250,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | Southeastern, PA | Donor advised fund contribution 2 | $247,945 |
| Wgbh Educational Foundation | Boston, MA | Frontline columbia and cuny tow fellowships & the investigative journalist equity initiative | $240,000 |
| Trace Media Inc | Brooklyn, NY | Editorial fellowship | $225,000 |
| Nunchi Health | San Mateo, CA | General operating support | $212,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 206 grants to organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,839,114 | 206 |
| 2024 | $26,245,585 | 213 |
| 2023 | $23,936,247 | 222 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2025, filed Aug 25, 2026 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202612379349100301
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 06-6484045
- Profile updated Nov 4, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.