OVERVIEW: The Jerry and Anita Zucker Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, Jewish causes, and community organizations.
IP TAKE: The foundation keeps a low public profile, which restricts transparency about its grantmaking priorities and activities. Networking is likely the best way to get on this funder’s radar.
PROFILE: Established in 1996, the Jerry and Anita Zucker Family Foundation was founded by Anita Zucker and her husband Jerry. She was an elementary school teacher and married the late Jerry Zucker, an inventor who launched InterTech Group, a private, family-owned chemicals manufacturer. Anita now serves as CEO. She is currently the richest individual in South Carolina and one of the wealthiest people in the world. She is also the daughter of Holocaust survivors. Both Anita and Jerry graduated from the University of Florida.
The foundation does not maintain a website, which makes it difficult to locate further information on its priority areas and grantmaking strategies. Tax filings suggest that the Jerry and Anita Zucker Family Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, Jewish causes and community development organizations.
Grants for K-12 and Higher Education
Zucker was an elementary school teacher for around a decade and also targets these causes in her giving. The family particularly focuses in on higher education.
She gave $6 million to Trident Technical College’s aerospace training center in 2016, and $5 million to the University of South Carolina to create the Zucker Institute for Aerospace Innovation at the McNair Center. Zucker also gave a $5 million pledge to Clemson University, home to the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center.
She’s a trustee of her alma mater University of Florida, home to the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies. Zucker also donated $4 million to The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, her son Jonathan’s alma mater.
Other education grantees have included College of Charleston Foundation, and Pattison’s Academy, “an education and rehabilitation academy providing comprehensive, year-round programs to support children with disabilities and their families.”
Grants for Human Services and Community Development
The Zucker family also support other institutions in their local community like City of North Charleston Recreation Department, Charleston Rotary Fund, and the Post and Courier Foundation. The Post and Courier is the main daily newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina.
Grants for Jewish Causes
Zucker is the daughter of a holocaust survivor, and one of the focuses in her philanthropy is supporting the Jewish community. She served on the board of the Addlestone Hebrew Academy, and has an honorary degree from Yeshiva University.
She made a $1 million donation to the Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care, a Jewish Federations of North America initiative to support aging survivors across the U.S.
Other grantees have included Jewish Community Center of Charleston, Columbia Jewish Federation, Selden K. Smith Foundation for Holocaust Education, and Harold Grinspoon Foundation, one of whose goals is to support Jewish and community life.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $1,000 to $250,000. In a recent year, the foundation gave away around $636,000. The foundation keeps a low profile, but accepts applications. It does not detail its application process. There are no deadlines listed.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
Board of Directors
4838 Jenkins Ave.
North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 744-5174
