Satter Foundation
OVERVIEW: The Satter Foundation supports education, health, human services, conservation, economic opportunity, veterans, human rights, democracy and the arts.
IP TAKE: This is a somewhat low-key funder; the Satter Foundation maintains a website but gives little information about its specific priorities. Annual reports show strong commitments to education, health and human services, as well as a focus on the greater Chicago area. Satter does not appear to be a risk taker, giving mainly to well-established organizations for multiple years. With no formal application system, this will be a difficult funder to approach.
PROFILE: The Satter Foundation was established in 1997 by then-Goldman Sachs partner Muneer Satter and Kristen Hertel. Born in Texas, Muneer Satter received a B.A. from Northwestern University and J.D. and MBA degrees from Harvard. Satter joined Goldman Sachs in 1988 and moved to London in 1992 to launch the firm’s European merchant banking division. Satter returned to New York in 1997 to head the firm’s mezzanine fund, which eventually became the largest fund of its kind. Satter retired from Goldman Sachs in 2012 and started his own firm, Satter Investment Management, which specializes in healthcare companies. Muneer’s wife, Kristen Hertel, is also a graduate of Northwestern University.
The Satter Foundation’s mission is to “empower the powerless and to preserve our world’s land and water by investing in bold, tactical, and innovative social entrepreneurs and organizations.” The foundation has awarded over $50 million since its inception in the fields of education, health and human services, human rights and democracy, environment, job creation and economic opportunity, veterans, and the arts. Like many charitable vehicles associated with Goldman Sachs veterans, the Satter Foundation keeps a low profile.
Grants for K-12 and Higher Education
The Satter Foundation does not name specific initiatives for its education philanthropy, but it is a strong supporter of charter schools and education reform in Chicago. Among its past grantees are Chicago’s Academy for Urban School Leadership, a nonprofit that manages 31 urban public schools, and Perspectives Charter Schools, a network of five rigorous, college preparatory schools also operating in Chicago. Other charter school grantees include Noble Schools, KIPP and Bronx Success Academies of New York.
Satter has also demonstrated interest in out-of-school youth development and learning, with grants also supporting Chicago chapters of the Boy Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Beyond Sports Foundation.
Higher education represents a smaller area of giving. Grantees include Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and Berea College in Kentucky.
Grants for Human Rights, Civic Engagement and Democracy
The Satter Foundation’s giving in the areas of human rights and democracy reflect Muneer Satter’s roots: his father was an immigrant from India, and his mother was a civil rights activist. The foundation’s giving in these areas supports groups that address injustice, help the disenfranchised be heard through inclusion, “advocate for stronger democracies around the world,” and “ensure the oppressed are not forgotten.”
Past human rights and democracy grantees include Chicago’s Better Government Association, the George W. Bush Foundation and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Grants for Work and Opportunity
The Satter Foundation’s economic opportunity grantmaking supports organizations that “help create jobs around the world for small-scale farmers, school proprietors, digital data experts, and more.” This is, however, a smaller area of giving.
Past grantees include the the Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation, Illinois Policy and Opportunity International, which works globally to help families living in poverty develop livelihoods and find educational opportunities for their children.
Grants for Environmental Conservation, Animals and Wildlife
The Satter Foundation’s environment grantmaking supports organizations that “use innovative and thoughtful methods to save the environment,” such as by “developing new technologies,” “gaining support from local communities,” or “capitalizing on market forces.”
Conservation grantees include the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Tiger Fund for India, the Trust for Public Land, the Chicago Zoological Society and the Nature Conservancy.
Grants for Global Development and Security
The Satter Foundation makes grants for global development and has made grants to respond to natural and other disasters around the world. Satter has made grants to organizations working to bring relief in Ukraine, including Americares, Spirit of America and Doctors Without Borders. Other global grantees include Heifer International and Opportunity International.
Grants for Public Health, Mental Health and Disease Research
The Satter Foundation’s grantmaking for health and human services broadly supports organizations that work to improve the quality and availability of health care and mental health care services in Illinois and elsewhere. A portion of funding also supports medical research.
In the Chicago area, the foundation has supported Northwestern Hospital Research, the NorthShore University Health System, the Lurie Children’s Hospital and Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center.
Other grantees working in health and mental health include Doctors Without Borders, Global Health Initiative Fund at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research and Partners in Health of Boston.
Grants for Military and Veterans
Satter demonstrates commitment to supporting veterans organizations, although this accounts for only a small portion of its giving. In Chicago, the foundation has made grants to the Road Home Program at the National Center of Excellence for Veterans and Their Families at Rush University. Other veterans’ organizations to receive grants include the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund, the Navy Seal Foundation and the Special Operations Fund.
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Satter Foundation does not name priorities for its arts and culture funding but grants tend to stay in the Chicago area. Grantees include the Joffrey Ballet, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Important Grant Details:
With only a few exceptions, Satter’s grants are awarded in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $500,000.
This funder shows a strong preference for Chicago-based organizations, but works nationally and globally as well.
Education, health and human services are the foundation’s largest giving areas, accounting for about half of the foundation’s total annual giving.
Grantees tend to be medium- and large-sized organizations with strong reputations.
Many grantees receive ongoing support.
Education grantmaking has prioritized charter school networks serving the Chicago area.
The Satter Foundation does not accept grant applications.
For information about past grants, see the foundation’s annual reports or its case studies page.
General inquiries may be submitted to the foundation via its contact page.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
CONTACT:
The Satter Foundation
500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1700
Chicago, Illinois 60611
(312) 642-0006