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Robert I. Schattner Foundation
The Robert I. Schattner Foundation was established in 1992 by Dr. Robert I. Schattner, a dentist who invented the sore-throat spray Chloraseptic and later the...
Robert I. Schattner Foundation
The Robert I. Schattner Foundation was established in 1992 by Dr. Robert I. Schattner, a dentist who invented the sore-throat spray Chloraseptic and later the disinfectant Sporicidin. After selling his company to Procter & Gamble, Schattner formalized his philanthropy through this private foundation, enlisting Sidney Bresler as president. Bresler, who calls Schattner his closest friend, continues to run the foundation post-Schattner, following the founder's death in 2022. Schattner's wife Kay and nephew Robert T. Schattner also serve on the board. The foundation's investment posture is inextricably tied to grant-making, not a diversified pool of institutional fund commitments. Public grant records show a deep, sustained commitment to the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, including an $8M gift to establish the Dr. Robert I. Schattner Clinical Center. Other consistent grantees include the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Kennedy Krieger Institute for pediatric rehabilitation in Baltimore. The foundation's real assets include its Rockville headquarters and a disclosed interest in the Margaritaville Resort development project in Ocean City, Maryland. Sidney Bresler and the foundation are long-time sponsors of the Milken Scholars Program, and Bresler is a frequent participant at the Milken Institute Global Conference. In recent years, the Schattner Foundation became a key backer of a Johns Hopkins program focused on psychedelic research for mental health treatment, a departure from its traditionally conservative grant profile. The foundation's reported assets are approximately $150 million, placing it in the mid-sized foundation tier nationally. The Schattner Foundation's defining structural feature is its proximity to a single university dental school, functioning almost as a de facto philanthropic arm for that institution. This tight bond between a donor's professional identity and the foundation's mission creates a funding stream insulated from the typical boardroom pressures of a family office seeking diversified returns. The governance is personal, rooted in a friendship, not professional money management.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1992
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Rockville
Corporate office
Rockville, MD, United States
Principals
Sidney Bresler
President and Chairman
Kay Schattner
Director
Robert T. Schattner
Vice President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who currently manages the Robert I. Schattner Foundation?
Sidney Bresler serves as President and Chairman, a role he has held since the foundation's inception in 1992. Bresler was a close personal friend of the late Dr. Schattner. Kay Schattner, the founder's widow, and Robert T. Schattner, his nephew, also hold board positions. The foundation is not managed by an external OCIO; it is run by this small, close-knit group.
What is the foundation's connection to the University of Maryland?
The foundation is a primary benefactor to the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, the alma mater of Dr. Schattner. It has provided transformative gifts, including a naming gift for the Dr. Robert I. Schattner Clinical Center. This relationship is the dominant grant-making priority, distinguishing the foundation from more generalist health funders.
Does the Schattner Foundation accept grant applications from the public?
The foundation's grant-making is highly targeted. It focuses on health and human services, education and research, and Jewish services, with a geographic preference for Maryland, Washington, D.C., and New York. However, the vast majority of large grants appear directed to pre-existing relationships with institutions like the University of Maryland and Kennedy Krieger Institute rather than through a broad open call.
How is the Schattner Foundation related to the Milken Institute?
Sidney Bresler and the Robert I. Schattner Foundation are active sponsors of the Milken Scholars Program, a joint initiative between the Milken Family Foundation and the Schattner Foundation. Bresler is also a known participant at the annual Milken Institute Global Conference, signaling alignment with the institute's network of high-net-worth philanthropists and thought leaders.
Has the foundation's grant strategy shifted in recent years?
Yes. In a notable departure from its traditional focus on dental schools and local health services, the Schattner Foundation became a significant backer of a Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins Medicine. This indicates a willingness under Bresler's leadership to fund frontier medical research, even in areas far removed from the founder's original Chloraseptic work.
What real estate assets does the foundation hold?
Beyond its liquid investment portfolio, the foundation owns its headquarters office space in Rockville, Maryland. Public filings and local development records also connect the foundation to the Margaritaville Resort project in Ocean City, Maryland, indicating an allocation to regional commercial real estate development.
What was the source of the foundation's endowment?
The endowment originates from the exit of Dr. Robert I. Schattner's consumer health products companies. He invented Chloraseptic, the iconic sore-throat relief brand, and later Sporicidin, a cold-sterilization solution. His sale of Chloraseptic to Procter & Gamble generated the capital that ultimately seeded the foundation in 1992.
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