Updated:
Grossman Family Foundation
Founded in 2008 and based in Greenwich, Connecticut, the Grossman Family Foundation emerged from the exit of Southern Container Corp., the packaging company...
Grossman Family Foundation
Founded in 2008 and based in Greenwich, Connecticut, the Grossman Family Foundation emerged from the exit of Southern Container Corp., the packaging company Steven Grossman led as CEO. The foundation operates as a tax-exempt private foundation under IRS Section 501(c)(3), supporting religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary causes. Its philanthropic footprint is dominated by a deep relationship with the University of Vermont, where a $15 million gift established the Grossman School of Business. The foundation deploys capital across private equity, private debt, and private real estate, though specific fund commitments and direct positions remain undisclosed. Its investment posture is characteristic of a lean, single-principal foundation — making allocations to external managers rather than building an in-house direct-investment team. Geographic focus appears concentrated in the Northeast, with known interests in Vermont farmland and Connecticut residential real estate alongside the liquid portfolio. Steven Grossman serves on the UVM Foundation Board of Directors and its Leadership Council, and previously sat on the UVM Business School Board of Advisors. Executive Director Linda Franciscovich handles day-to-day operations. The foundation also maintains ties to the SI-MBA Investment Fund at the University of Vermont, a student-managed vehicle that connects the foundation's philanthropic mission to experiential education. No dedicated investment staff or additional offices are publicly identified. The foundation's structural differentiator is its tight coupling of philanthropy and investing — rather than maintaining a separate family office, the Grossmans appear to run investment and charitable activities through the same 501(c)(3) entity, creating an unusually direct pipeline from returns to university programs and other grantees.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2008
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Greenwich
Corporate office
Greenwich, CT, United States
Principals
Steven Grossman
Founder & Trustee
Linda Franciscovich
Executive Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Grossman Family Foundation?
Steven Grossman, the founder and trustee, is the ultimate decision-maker on investment allocations. The foundation lists no dedicated CIO or internal investment team, suggesting that Grossman works with external managers and advisors to deploy capital across private equity, private debt, and real estate. Linda Franciscovich serves as Executive Director, handling day-to-day foundation operations.
How is the Grossman Family Foundation related to the University of Vermont?
The foundation's most prominent philanthropic commitment is a $15 million gift that established the Grossman School of Business at the University of Vermont. Steven Grossman serves on the UVM Foundation Board of Directors and Leadership Council, and was previously on the Business School Board of Advisors. The foundation also supports the SI-MBA Investment Fund, a student-managed portfolio at the school.
Where does the Grossman Family Foundation's wealth come from?
The foundation's capital originated from Steven Grossman's career as CEO of Southern Container Corp., a packaging company he led before its sale. The proceeds from that exit funded the establishment of the foundation in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) private foundation.
Does the Grossman Family Foundation invest directly or through funds?
The foundation allocates across private equity, private debt, and private real estate, but does not publicly disclose whether it invests directly, through commingled funds, or both. Given its modest scale — Altss estimates approximately $143 million in assets — and the absence of a dedicated investment staff, the foundation likely relies primarily on fund commitments and external manager relationships.
Is the Grossman Family Foundation a single-family office?
No. The Grossman Family Foundation is structured as a private independent foundation under IRS Section 501(c)(3), not as a family office. It does not appear to maintain a separate single-family office entity, instead running both its investment activities and philanthropic grantmaking through the foundation structure itself.
What is the Grossman Family Foundation's known posture on co-investments?
No public information indicates that the foundation participates in co-investments alongside external general partners. Its investment approach appears centered on fund commitments rather than direct or co-investment activity, consistent with the lean operational structure suggested by its public filings.
How is the foundation's philanthropic work separated from its investment activity?
Both functions appear to operate within the same 501(c)(3) entity rather than through separate legal structures. This arrangement means grantmaking and investment returns are more tightly integrated than at foundations that segregate them, though standard IRS rules on program-related investments, payout requirements, and private foundation restrictions still apply.
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.
Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: