Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation

The endowment originates from the Giant Food supermarket chain, co-founded by Nehemiah Cohen in the Washington, D.C. region. Giant Food grew into a dominant Mid-Atlantic grocery retailer before its 1998 acquisition by Ahold for approximately $2.6 billion. The Cohen family's proceeds from the grocery business endowed the foundation, which has operated as an independent philanthropic vehicle since 1959.

The board — led by President Diane Solomon Brown, Vice President Daniel Solomon, and Treasurer Stuart Brown — maintains ultimate fiduciary authority over the investment portfolio. Executive Director Alison McWilliams manages day-to-day operations and likely coordinates with the board's investment committee on manager selection and asset allocation, though the foundation has not publicly disclosed the precise decision-making structure.

The foundation invests across the venture capital spectrum, from seed-stage and early-stage startups through expansion and late-stage rounds. It participates via direct investments, co-investments alongside venture firms, and fund commitments — including vehicles like D Partners II Annex Fund and Israel Legacy Partners. The foundation also engages in venture debt and secondaries transactions.

Yes. The foundation explicitly prioritizes two geographic areas: Israel — particularly programs promoting shared society between Jewish and Arab communities — and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. Grantmaking categories include human services, reproductive health access, civic involvement, and affordable housing, often executed through established partners like LISC DC.

Yes. The foundation and its directors actively participate in the Jewish Funders Network, the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers — where Daniel Solomon serves on the board — and J Street Tikva Society. These memberships reflect a deliberate strategy of collaborative grantmaking and policy engagement within both Jewish and broader regional philanthropic communities.

The foundation holds direct real estate assets including The Maycroft, a mixed-use property in Washington, D.C., and participates in the Eastgate Partnership. These holdings sit alongside the liquid market and private equity portfolios, suggesting a long-term, income-oriented real estate strategy rather than opportunistic development. The total allocation to real assets has not been publicly disclosed.

Giant Food was acquired by the Dutch retail conglomerate Ahold in 1998 and now operates as a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize. The Cohen family no longer owns or controls the supermarket chain. The foundation functions independently, with the original sale proceeds having endowed its perpetual grantmaking and investment operations.