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Herman Goldman Foundation
Herman Goldman, a prominent mid-20th-century New York attorney and tax expert, established the foundation in 1943 to channel his personal wealth into...
Herman Goldman Foundation
Herman Goldman, a prominent mid-20th-century New York attorney and tax expert, established the foundation in 1943 to channel his personal wealth into charitable causes. His brother Albert Goldman later served as New York City Postmaster, anchoring the family in civic and legal circles. Today, the foundation operates from Fairfield, New York, run by lawyers at the successor firm to Herman Goldman's original legal practice. The foundation deploys a conventional public-market portfolio to generate its grantmaking budget, focusing its giving on health, social justice, education, and the arts. Specific grantees over the years have included The Bridge, Inc., a New York social-service agency where director David A. Brauner once served as president. The foundation maintains co-investor relationships with the Helen Matchett DeMario Foundation and the Burpee Foundation through shared directors, indicating a tight network of small, board-interlocked Northeast grantmakers. Director and vice president David A. Brauner, a partner at Windels Marx, manages the foundation alongside president Roy M. Sparber. The entity participates in Philanthropy New York, the regional association of grantmakers. No recent operational events like strategy pivots or large new commitments have been publicly announced. Unlike large institutional foundations with dedicated CIOs and in-house investment teams, the Herman Goldman Foundation operates as a legal-practice-adjacent philanthropy — its officers are practicing attorneys, not career allocators. This model, common among pre-1970 foundations, keeps costs low but limits reported investment sophistication and makes the foundation's posture heavily reliant on the continuity of its law-firm principals.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
1943
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Fairfield
Corporate office
Fairfield, NY, United States
Principals
Roy M. Sparber
President and Director
David A. Brauner
Vice President and Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the Herman Goldman Foundation?
President Roy M. Sparber and vice president David A. Brauner, both practicing attorneys at firms linked to founder Herman Goldman's original legal practice. Sparber's firm is the direct successor to Goldman's. Brauner is a partner at Windels Marx.
Where does the foundation's wealth come from?
The foundation was endowed by Herman Goldman, a prominent New York City attorney and tax expert who practiced through the early-to-mid 20th century. The precise source of the corpus is his personal wealth accumulated from legal practice, though the size of the original gift has never been publicly disclosed.
What does the foundation invest in?
The foundation maintains a public-market investment portfolio based in New York to fund its grantmaking. No alternative-asset exposure, direct deals, or fund commitments have been disclosed, which is consistent with its small estimated asset base.
What are the foundation's grantmaking priorities?
Grants focus on health, social justice, education, and the arts, with an emphasis on enhancing quality of life through innovative programs. Known grantees include The Bridge, Inc., a New York social-service organization.
Is the foundation connected to other grantmakers?
Yes, director David A. Brauner also serves on the boards of the Helen Matchett DeMario Foundation and the Burpee Foundation, creating an interlocked governance structure among several small Northeastern funders. The foundation is also a member of Philanthropy New York.
How large is the Herman Goldman Foundation?
The foundation does not publicly disclose its asset base, but based on its staffing model — no salaried investment professionals and only part-time attorney-officers — and its low-profile grantmaking footprint, Altss estimates total assets below $50 million.
Does the foundation accept unsolicited grant proposals?
The foundation does not maintain a public-facing website or portal for grantseekers. Based on its structure and size, grantmaking is likely by invitation or through existing relationships rather than through a broadly advertised open application process.
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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