Zegar Family Foundation Supports Wide Range of Causes

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The Zegar Family Foundation, established in 2007 by Charles Zegar and his wife Merryl, provides grants for a diverse array of causes including environment and sustainability, justice and human rights, science and medicine, human services and economic opportunity, education, nutrition and health, international health and development, and arts, culture, and heritage.

Why it matters

The Zegar Family Foundation stands out among many family foundations that focus narrowly on STEM initiatives, as it takes a broader, more advocacy-oriented approach to its grantmaking. The foundation's willingness to fund left-of-center causes like the ACLU and voter engagement efforts demonstrates its commitment to driving social change across a range of issue areas.

The details

The foundation prefers to fund major, established organizations rather than grassroots groups, and it typically provides general operating support and cash grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, though grants up to $1 million have been awarded. While the foundation's website states that environment and sustainability, as well as justice and human rights, are key priorities, recent tax filings show it has given more grant dollars to health, education, and the arts.

• The Zegar Family Foundation was established in 2007.
• In a recent year, the foundation gave over $28.5 million in total grants.