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Connelly Foundation
John F. and Josephine Connelly established the Connelly Foundation in 1955. The couple built the endowment from proceeds of Crown Cork & Seal, the packaging...
Connelly Foundation
John F. and Josephine Connelly established the Connelly Foundation in 1955. The couple built the endowment from proceeds of Crown Cork & Seal, the packaging manufacturer John Connelly led. Josephine C. Mandeville, their daughter, later served as Chair Emerita. The foundation allocates across private equity, venture capital, and real-estate secondaries. Confirmed holdings include commitments to Equus Capital Partners, Makena Perpetual Private Equity Fund, Makena Perpetual Venture Capital Fund, TIFF Keystone Fund, Fir Tree International Value Fund II, Whitehall Street Real Estate L.P. XI, and Shift Neighborhood Fund. Geographic exposure centers on the United States with additional global fund exposure. A public equity legacy stake remains in Crown Holdings Inc. Fourteen professionals operate from the West Conshohocken headquarters. The foundation belongs to the Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, Council on Foundations, PEAK Grantmaking, and Exponent Philanthropy. In December 2024 it sponsored the Neumann Scholars Virtual Ceremony recognizing Catholic-school academic achievement. Governance separates the primary foundation from three adjacent family vehicles: the Connelly Family Foundation, Chuck Connelly Foundation, and Marilyn & John Connelly Charitable Fund. Investment advice is provided by SEI Private Trust Company and Glenmede, with Grant Thornton as auditor and Blank Rome as counsel.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1955
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
West Conshohocken
Corporate office
One Tower Bridge, 100 Front Street, Suite 1450, West Conshohocken, PA 19428, United States
Principals
Thomas Riley
President and Chair of the Board of Trustees
Josephine C. Mandeville
Chair Emerita
John F. Connelly
Founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Connelly Foundation?
Thomas Riley serves as President and Chair of the Board of Trustees. External advisors SEI Private Trust Company and Glenmede assist with portfolio construction.
Does Connelly Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The foundation acts as a limited partner in multiple commingled vehicles including Makena Perpetual Private Equity Fund, TIFF Keystone Fund, and Equus Capital Partners.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The endowment originated from John F. Connelly's leadership of Crown Cork & Seal, later Crown Holdings Inc.
What investment stages does Connelly Foundation target?
Holdings span venture capital seed and start-up strategies, growth equity, buyout, secondaries, and special situations.
How is Connelly Foundation related to Crown Holdings Inc.?
The foundation retains a legacy long-equity position in Crown Holdings Inc. that traces to the founders' ownership of its predecessor company.
Does Connelly Foundation maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
Three related vehicles operate alongside the main foundation: Connelly Family Foundation, Chuck Connelly Foundation, and Marilyn & John Connelly Charitable Fund.
Which professional networks does Connelly Foundation belong to?
Active memberships include Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, Council on Foundations, PEAK Grantmaking, and Exponent Philanthropy.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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