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Foundation for a Just Society
The Foundation for a Just Society was established in 2011 by Audrey Cappell, who serves as its President and is the daughter of James Simons, the late founder...
Foundation for a Just Society
The Foundation for a Just Society was established in 2011 by Audrey Cappell, who serves as its President and is the daughter of James Simons, the late founder of Renaissance Technologies. Her sister Elizabeth Simons serves as a Director, making FJS one node in a network of Simons-family philanthropic vehicles that includes the Sea Change Foundation, led by their brother Nathaniel. Unlike the family's science-focused giving, FJS concentrates exclusively on advancing racial, gender, and LGBTQI justice by channeling resources to those most affected by structural inequality. FJS strengthens social-justice movements through four distinct modes: direct grantmaking, organizational capacity building, strategic communications support, and convening leadership within philanthropy. The foundation operates globally, with grantee partners spanning multiple regions including North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. Its long-term capital is drawn from an Altss-estimated $1.2 billion endowment, which is invested across a multi-asset institutional portfolio. The corpus holds direct commercial real estate at 25 East 22nd Street and 23 West 20th Street in Manhattan, a hedge fund portfolio, and a private equity and venture capital fund-of-funds program shaped by the analytical rigor associated with the family's quantitative finance legacy. The foundation's governance is led by Audrey Cappell as Founder and President, with Nicola McIntyre serving as Chief Executive Officer overseeing day-to-day operations. FJS is an active participant in the institutional philanthropy community, maintaining memberships in Philanthropy New York, the Council on Foundations, the Human Rights Funders Network, and Funders for LGBTQ Issues. The foundation also operates adjacent entities: the AC & JC Foundation, a separate nonprofit founded by Audrey Cappell and her spouse Jacob Cappell, and Felicity House, a New York-based community space for women on the autism spectrum. FJS occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of a multi-billion-dollar quantitative fortune and a highly focused social-justice mandate. Unlike broad-based foundations that diffuse capital across dozens of program areas, FJS operates as a precision instrument, targeting under-resourced populations and leadership with a coordination model that blends grant funding with non-financial movement support. Its multi-generational board structure, featuring siblings who each run separate philanthropic platforms, creates a decentralized governance model where distinct funding strategies are pursued without a centralized Simons family mega-foundation directing all priorities.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2011
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Principals
Audrey Cappell
Founder and President
Nicola McIntyre
Chief Executive Officer
Elizabeth Simons
Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls investment decisions at the Foundation for a Just Society?
The foundation does not publicly disclose its investment committee structure. The endowment's multi-asset composition—combining a hedge fund portfolio, private fund-of-funds commitments, and direct Manhattan real estate—reflects the institutional rigor and quantitative network associated with the Simons fortune. Operational management falls under CEO Nicola McIntyre, while strategic oversight is likely shared between McIntyre and the board, which includes family members Audrey and Elizabeth Simons.
How is FJS related to other Simons-family philanthropic entities?
FJS is one of several independent philanthropic platforms funded by branches of the James Simons family. Audrey Cappell's brother Nathaniel Simons founded the Sea Change Foundation, which concentrates on climate and energy policy. The siblings operate their foundations autonomously, with distinct programmatic mandates, rather than through a single unified family philanthropy. The AC & JC Foundation, founded by Audrey and her spouse Jacob Cappell, is a separate adjacent vehicle.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The capital originated with James Simons, the late mathematician who founded Renaissance Technologies and built the Medallion Fund, one of the most successful quantitative hedge funds in history. Audrey Cappell, who founded and leads FJS, is his daughter. The foundation's endowment represents a portion of this quant-generated wealth, structured as a tax-advantaged vehicle for permanent grantmaking.
What investment stages or geographies does FJS target in its grantmaking?
FJS makes grants globally, with confirmed activity in North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. It targets grassroots movements and local leadership, providing not only financial grants but also capacity-building support and strategic communications resources. The foundation prioritizes organizations led by and serving women, girls, and LGBTQI communities.
Does FJS maintain a philanthropic structure separate from its investment endowment?
Yes. FJS operates as a traditional endowed foundation. Its grantmaking budget and operational expenses are funded by the returns generated from its roughly $1.2 billion endowment, which is managed as a separate institutional portfolio. The foundation owns direct commercial real estate in New York City, alongside diversified fund commitments, creating a segregation between its capital base and its programmatic spending.
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