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William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation
William Kaplan established the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation in 1983 after building a substantial real estate development business...
William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation
William Kaplan established the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation in 1983 after building a substantial real estate development business in Newburgh, New York. The foundation retains deep ties to the Hudson Valley, where Kaplan's commercial projects — including the Kaplan Family Center for Cardiovascular Medicine and the Newburgh Armory Unity Center — have shaped the physical and institutional landscape. Joan P. Kaplan serves as president, while Amy Kaplan and David Marks round out the governing board. The foundation's grant-making concentrates on education and human services, with a geographic footprint spanning New York, Massachusetts, and Florida. While the foundation does not publicly disclose its full portfolio, its known real estate holdings — including a development site at 302 North Water Street in Newburgh — suggest a hybrid strategy that blends traditional philanthropy with mission-aligned property assets. The foundation has also been identified as having an interest in venture capital opportunities, though the scale and stage of such investments remain opaque. The institution operates with lean governance, drawing on William Kaplan's longstanding relationships with local nonprofits. Kaplan serves as an emeritus board member of Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties and is a major benefactor of Mount Saint Mary College, where the Kaplan Family Foundation has funded scholarships and capital projects. Those institutional ties create a sourcing advantage for grants within the mid-Hudson region. The foundation's structural differentiator lies in its integration with the Kaplan family's broader real estate and operating-company footprint. Rather than functioning as a purely financial grant-maker, the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation is embedded in the civic infrastructure of Newburgh — its physical assets, its hospital partnerships, and its college relationships all reinforce a place-based philanthropic strategy that larger national foundations cannot easily replicate.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1983
AUM
Approximately $60M (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Newburgh
Corporate office
Newburgh, NY, United States
Principals
William Kaplan
Founder and Chairman
Joan P. Kaplan
President and Director
Amy Kaplan
Vice President and Director
David Marks
Treasurer and Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment and grant-making decisions at the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation?
The foundation is governed by a four-person board. Joan P. Kaplan serves as president and director, with William Kaplan as founder and chairman, Amy Kaplan as vice president and director, and David Marks as treasurer and director. Three of the four directors are Kaplan family members, indicating concentrated family control over both grant-making and investment decisions.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The foundation's wealth originates from William Kaplan's real estate development activities in Newburgh, New York. Kaplan developed commercial properties in the Hudson Valley over several decades, including the Kaplan Family Center for Cardiovascular Medicine and the Newburgh Armory Unity Center.
Does the foundation hold assets beyond traditional grant-making endowments?
Yes. The foundation's known holdings include at least one development site at 302 North Water Street in Newburgh, suggesting it maintains direct real estate assets alongside its financial endowment. It has also been linked to venture capital activity, though the nature and scale of those investments are not publicly detailed.
What organizations are the foundation's primary grantees or partners?
The foundation's most visible partnerships are with Mount Saint Mary College, where the Kaplans are major benefactors, and Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, where William Kaplan serves as an emeritus board member. The foundation also maintains ties to the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, a community facility in which the Kaplan family has invested.
Is the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation a family office or a pure charitable foundation?
It is structured as a private charitable foundation under IRS rules, not a single-family office. However, its overlapping real estate holdings, family governance, and reported venture capital interests give it some operational characteristics of a lean family office. It does not appear to manage wealth for multiple branches or external families.
What is the foundation's geographic focus?
Grant-making concentrates on three states: New York, Massachusetts, and Florida. The heaviest concentration is in Newburgh and the broader Hudson Valley, where the Kaplan family's real estate and civic relationships are deepest.
How transparent is the foundation about its assets and grants?
As a private foundation, the William & Elaine Kaplan Family Charitable Foundation files a Form 990-PF with the IRS, which discloses assets, grants, and trustee names. However, the foundation does not maintain a public website or publish an annual report, so the public record is the primary source of information.
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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