SOURCE OF WEALTH: Cowen Group
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Arts & Culture, Health, Jewish causes
OVERVIEW: Peter Cohen and his family conduct their philanthropy through The Cohen Family Foundation, whose grantmaking largely focuses on the East Coast, particularly New York City. Education and arts are their top interests. Available tax filings show that the foundation awarded around $270,000 in grants in 20017. Recent grantmaking has been modest and many grants are fall in the $1,000 to $5,000 range.
BACKGROUND: Peter A. Cohen received a B.S. from Ohio State University in 1968 and an MBA from Columbia University. He was chairman of the board and CEO of Shearson Lehman Brothers from 1983 to 1990. Cohen went on to cofound Ramius and serves as CEO of Cowen & Co., a diversified financial services firm
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Cohen and family have supported Duke University, Columbia Prep & Grammar School, The Ohio State University, Columbia University Business School, Brown University, and University of Wisconsin, Cohen’s wife Brooke graduated from the school and is on the board of visitors of University of Wisconsin’s School of Human Ecology.
ARTS & CULTURE: Brooke is on the board of MoMA’s Contemporary Arts Council. The Cohens support MoMA as well as Apollo Theater, American Museum of Natural History, and Randall’s Island Park Alliance. Cohen’s ex-wife, Karen, founded the Randall’s Island Park Alliance in 1992.
HEALTH: Grantees include Mount Sinai Health System, The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation, and Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF).
JEWISH CAUSES: The Cohen family supports Jewish institutions, including Central Synagogue.
LOOKING FORWARD: It is unclear whether the family’s annual grantmaking through their foundation will increase in the coming years, but expect the Cohens to stick with their prior interest areas.
CONTACT:
The Cohen Family Foundation does not provide a clear avenue of contact but below is an address:
Cohen Family Foundation
c/0 Shade Tree, Knapp
268 Broadway 101B
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Telephone: (518) 640-5000
LINK:
