Claws Foundation
The Claws Foundation is a private foundation that focuses its giving on libertarian think tanks as well as Jewish organizations and charter schools. The Claws Foundation was founded by Arthur Dantchik, Jeffrey Yass, and Alan P. Dye, all of whom are board members. Yass and Dantchik co-founded the Susquehanna International Group.
The Claws Foundation funds a variety of libertarian organizations, such as the Cato Institute, the Institute for Justice, the Reason Foundation, the Ayn Rand Institute, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, the Becket Institute, America's Future Foundation. Claws Foundation board member Arthur Dantchik, who also serves as the managing director of the Susquehanna International Group, is a board member at the Institute for Justice.[1] It has also donated to the right-wing think tanks the American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
The Claws Foundation also donates to Jewish organizations, charter schools, hospitals, some arts organizations, such as the Philadelphia Ballet and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The Claws Foundation gives significantly through donor advised trusts, such as Fidelity Charitable GIft Fund, which effectively conceals the recipients.
Although the Claw Foundation does not disclose all of its funders, some of its funding has been made public through its IRS filings. Board Member Arthur Dantchik has provided significant funding, over $162 million since 2017:
- 2020: $111,000,000
- 2019: $10,000,000
- 2018: $13,992,230
- 2017: $27,410,853
Contents
News and Controversies
Funding Israel’s Hard Right
Arthur Dantchik, one of the Claw Foundation’s three board members and president of the Susquehanna Foundation, helped fund the right-wing Israeli think tank behind Israel’s antidemocratic 2023 judicial overhaul plan that provoked widespread civil unrest in Israel.[2] Jeffrey Yass, one of the foundation’s founders, is also a major contributor to the same right-wing Israeli nonprofit organization, the Kohelet Policy Forum.[3]
Grants Distributed
The Claws Foundation made $131,711,580 in contributions to various organizations between 2017 and 2021, as disclosed on their IRS filings. Listed below are the grant recipients.
2021
As reported on its 2021 IRS 990 Filing, a total of $45,397,500 in grants were distributed.
- Alliance for Decision Education: $500,000
- American Friends of Hebrew University: $500,000
- Beth David Reform Congregation: $75,000
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: $5,250,000
- Dia Art Foundation: $1,500,000
- Fidelity Charitable: $6,000,000
- Franklin Institute: $100,000
- Friends of Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery: $50,000
- Greenwich House: $40,000
- JDC - Taub Center: $125,000
- Meor: $75,000
- PEF Israel Endowment: $475,000
- Philadelphia Museum of Art: $5,000,000
- Reason Foundation: $500,000
- Refuge Point: $2,250,000
- Save The Children: $100,000
- Shalom Hartman Institute: $3,250,000
- Silver Valley Research Foundation: $12,100,000
- Special Olympics of New York: $7,500
- Wistar Institute: $5,000,000
- Women In Need Inc: $2,500,000
2020
As reported on its 2020 IRS 990 Filing, a total of $36,310,896 in grants were distributed.
- Alliance For Decision Education: $500,000
- America's Future Foundation: $15,000
- American Enterprise Institute: $25,000
- American Friends of Hebrew University: $500,000
- American Friends of JSC: $350,000
- Atlas Network: $100,000
- Becket - Religious Liberty For All: $20,000
- Beth David Reform Congregation: $50,000
- Cato Institute: $800,000
- Center For Independent Thought: $250,000
- Center For Jewish Community Studies: $100,000
- Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia: $9,000,000
- Competitive Enterprise Institute: $100,000
- Drama Club NYC: $2,500
- Fidelity Charitable: $10,300,000
- FIRE: $100,000
- Franklin Institute: $100,000
- Friends of Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery: $33,396
- Greenwich House: $40,000
- Institute For Justice: $1,000,000
- JDC - Taub Center: $125,000
- Juvenile Law Center: $10,000
- Meor: $70,000
- Mercatus Center at George Mason University: $300,000
- Opendor Media: $1,000,000
- PEF Israel Endowment: $2,975,000
- Philadelphia Contemporary: $2,500,000
- Refuge Point: $1,000,000
- Save The Children: $100,000
- Shalom Hartman Institute: $3,250,000
- Students For Liberty: $375,000
- The 52nd Street Project: $100,000
- The Algemeiner: $50,000
- The Ayn Rand Institute: $30,000
- The Public Theater: $10,000
- Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation: $5,000
- Wistar Institute: $1,000,000
- Women in Need Inc: $25,000
2019
As reported on its 2019 IRS 990 Filing, a total of $9,001,604 in grants were distributed.
- Atlas Network: $100,000
- Becket - Religious Liberty For All: $10,000
- Competitive Enterprise Institute: $100,000
- Fidelity Freedom Trust And Justice Fund: $2,250,000
- FIRE: $100,000
- Franklin Institute: $25,000
- Friends of Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery: $16,604
- Greenwich House: $40,000
- Institute For Justice: $1,000,000
- JDC - Taub Center: $125,000
- Jerusalem Online University: $1,300,000
- Meor: $60,000
- Mercatus Center At George Mason University: $300,000
- Philadelphia Contemporary: $2,500,000
- Save The Children: $100,000
- Students For Liberty: $125,000
- The Algemeiner: $50,000
- The Ayn Rand Institute: $25,000
- Wistar Institute: $750,000
- Women In Need Inc: $25,000
2018
As reported on its 2018 IRS 990 Filing, a total of $13,521,580 in grants were distributed.
- America's Future Foundation: $10,000
- American Friends Of JSC: $500,000
- Atlas Network: $100,000
- Becket - Religious Liberty For All: $10,000
- Boys' Latin School Of Philadelphia: $206,580
- Cato Institute: $350,000
- Competitive Enterprise Institute: $100,000
- Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund: $8,250,000
- FIRE: $100,000
- Franklin Institute: $25,000
- Greenwich House: $35,000
- How I Decide Foundation: $250,000
- Institute For Justice: $1,000,000
- JDC - Taub Center: $250,000
- Jerusalem Online University: $1,000,000
- Mercatus Center At George Mason University: $250,000
- PEF Israel Endowment: $400,000
- Pennsylvania Ballet: $10,000
- Reason Foundation: $375,000
- Save the Children: $100,000
- Students For Liberty: $125,000
- The Algemeiner: $50,000
- The Ayn Rand Institute: $25,000
2017
As reported on its 2017 IRS 990 Filing, a total of $27,480,000 in grants were distributed.
- 52nd Street Project: $105,000
- America's Future Foundation: $10,000
- American Friends of JSC: $250,000
- Atlas Economic Research Foundation: $100,000
- Becket - Religious Liberty For All: $10,000
- Boys' Latin School of Philadelphia: $180,000
- Cantor Fitzgerald Relief: $7,500
- Cato Institute: $250,000
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: $4,200,000
- Competitive Enterprise Institute: $100,000
- Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund: $9,160,000
- FIRE: $75,000
- Franklin Institute: $25,000
- Good Dog Foundation: $2,500
- Greenwich House: $35,000
- How I Decide Foundation: $250,000
- Institute For Justice: $1,000,000
- JDC - Taub Center: $250,000
- Jerusalem Foundation: $250,000
- Jerusalem Online University: $1,000,000
- Meor: $60,000
- Mercatus Center At George Mason University: $250,000
- PEF Israel Endowment: $200,000
- Pennsylvania Ballet: $10,000
- Philadelphia Museum of Art: $5,000,000
- Reason Foundation: $125,000
- Refuge Point: $500,000
- Save The Children: $75,000
- Shalom Hartman Institute: $3,250,000
- Students For Liberty: $125,000
- The Ayn Rand Institute: $25,000
- Wistar Institute: $600,000
Core Financials
As reported on the Claws Foundation’s IRS 990 filings:
2021[4]
- Total Revenue: $1,734,426
- Total Expenses: $45,566,355
- Net Assets: $37,055,234
2020[5]
- Total Revenue: $109,729,050
- Total Expenses: $36,310,896
- Net Assets: $80,887,163
2019[6]
- Total Revenue: $10,240,750
- Total Expenses: $9,001,604
- Net Assets: $7,469,009
2018[7]
- Total Revenue: $14,187,146
- Total Expenses: $13,521,580
- Net Assets: $6,229,863
2017[8]
- Total Revenue: $27,676,687
- Total Expenses: $27,480,000
- Net Assets: $5,564,297
Personnel
As of December 31 2021:
- Alan P. Dye, Director
- Arthur Dantchik, Director
- Jeffrey Yass, Director
Contact Information
Claws Foundation
℅ Sterling Foundation Management LLC
12030 Sunrise Valley Drive 450
Reston, VA 20191
(703) 437-9720
Resources and Articles
IRS Filings
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
References
- ↑ Institute for Justice, Board of Directors, Institute for Justice, Accessed August 17, 2023.
- ↑ David Segal, Billionaire Parts With Group Behind Israel’s Judicial Overhaul, New York Times, August 4, 2023.
- ↑ Nettanel Slyomovics, The U.S. Billionaires Secretly Funding the Right-wing Effort to Reshape Israel, Haaretz, March 11, 2021.
- ↑ Claws Foundation, 2021 IRS Form 990, Claws Foundation, April 29, 2022.
- ↑ Claws Foundation, 2020 IRS Form 990, Claws Foundation, April 28, 2021.
- ↑ Claws Foundation, 2019 IRS Form 990, Claws Foundation, May 13, 2020.
- ↑ Claws Foundation, 2018 IRS Form 990, Claws Foundation, April 16, 2019.
- ↑ Claws Foundation, 2017 IRS Form 990, Claws Foundation, March 5, 2018.
