Frequently Asked Questions

The Tepper Foundation has provided more than $350 million in funding and support to grantees since its founding in 1996.

Our annual giving levels have continued to increase in recent years as we expand our capacity and identify new grantee partners making an impact in their communities. In 2023, the foundation provided more than $65 million in grants.

We're driven by the belief that everyone deserves equal opportunity and access to the tools needed to thrive. We’re striving for a society where access to essential resources, services and opportunities isn’t dictated by who you are or where you come from.

In line with this vision, our work today spans six portfolios: Food, Housing & Health; Community Impact; Crisis Response & Climate Resilience; Pro-Democracy & Anti-Hate Initiatives; Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector; and additional Board Initiatives. We are responsive to grantmaking opportunities that serve our mission and improve opportunities in our communities.

The Tepper Foundation has a place-based strategy in New Jersey, and we also partner with organizations that have national reach.

The Tepper Foundation largely operates remotely, but we are headquartered in New Jersey. Contact us.

We are governed by our Board of Directors.

The Tepper Foundation is in a rapid period of growth in our annual giving, and we are continuing to expand to new focuses, such as climate resilience and mental health. We’re constantly evaluating how and where we will grow, and our commitment always remains to identify opportunities that align with our mission and vision.

All grantmaking is by invitation, only.

We provide both general operating support and programmatic funding — both of which are essential to strengthening our grantee partners. By understanding our grantees’ needs and identifying concrete ways to support them, we strive to expand and sustain their essential work.

All grantmaking is done by invitation, only. Our application timeline varies by grant. Funding proposals are approved on a rolling basis to help us nimbly respond to grantee and community needs.

The Tepper Foundation is structured to respond nimbly in the face of a range of crises. Through its grantee partners, The Tepper Foundation has provided food relief, direct cash support, housing support, legal resources and information for those navigating federal relief. We work proactively with many organizations to implement this work, and all grantmaking is done by invitation, only.

The Tepper Foundation — formerly known as the David A. Tepper Charitable Foundation — is a family foundation that partners with organizations focused on expanding opportunity — from promoting food and housing security to protecting fundamental rights. While our foundation has built deep roots in the state of New Jersey — where the Tepper family was raised — our work has continued to grow and expand nationwide in the decades since its launch.

Our founder, David Tepper, and the Tepper family are also engaged in a number of philanthropic entities separate from The Tepper Foundation. David Tepper co-chairs The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation. In his role as owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and the MLS’s Charlotte FC, David Tepper, along with his wife, Nicole, also leads the Carolina Panthers Charities Fund and the Charlotte FC Charities Fund. All three of these organizations focus their giving in the Carolinas, and their work operates independently from The Tepper Foundation.

For all inquiries related to the Carolina Panthers or Charlotte FC Charities, please contact info@dntepperfoundation.org.

For nonprofits, we do not have an overhead policy. For gifts to universities, The Tepper Foundation does not pay more than 10% of administrative costs.