OVERVIEW: The Orange Crimson Foundation supports Higher Education, Veterans, Arts and Culture, Mental Health, Global Health, Public Health and Access, and religious and conservative causes.
IP TAKE: The Orange Crimson Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle for Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello. It flies well under the radar, with no website and a minimal online presence. It supports organizations across the United States, and very occasionally will support a health organization with an international focus; however, these typically have a religious component. The key to understanding this funder’s philanthropic thinking is tied to D’Aniello’s “five pillars,” a personal philosophy to which his grantmaking closely adheres. Tax records do not reveal any gift recipients that fall outside of this theory of giving. In particular, Catholic and other faith-based organizations have received more support than other types of groups; however, in terms of sheer dollar amount, higher education, especially Syracuse University, D’Aniello’s alma mater, and conservative groups are the big winners here.
Unfortunately, this funder is not accessible and does not accept LOIs or unsolicited requests for funding. Getting on its radar will be challenging for all but the most industrious of grantseekers, as it prefers proactive research and often funds the same organizations year after year. Networking with foundation employees will be challenging—the D’Angiellos are the foundation’s trustees, and Christopher Laconi appears to be its sole employee. It is always possible to ask for an introduction from one of the foundation’s previous grantees, if you happen to have a connection there.
PROFILE: Established in 2013, Orange Crimson Foundation is the private foundation for Daniel D’Aniello, Co-Founder & Chairman of the Carlyle Group, and his wife Gayle. It was known as the D’Aniello Family Foundation until 2016. Daniel D’Aniello was born into an Italian Catholic family and was raised by his mother and grandmother. D’Aniello went on to attend Syracuse and then Harvard Business School. He later worked in executive positions at Trans World Airlines, Pepsi, and Marriott before going on to cofound Carlyle Group, the successful private equity firm, with David Rubenstein and William Conway Jr. They made smart use of politically connected advisers, such as Bush 41, and accumulated their early fortunes by purchasing defense-oriented firms.
D’Aniello follows what he calls his “five pillars” of philanthropy: faith-based giving, educational programs, free enterprise, the performing arts, and mental health research.
Grants for Higher Education and Veterans
D’Aniello has given in the millions to his alma mater, Syracuse, including a recent $20 million gift to support the construction of the National Veterans Resource Center to house Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and a $30 million follow up in 2021 to endow the Institute. D’Aniello was a supply officer in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1971, and, in 2016, he was awarded the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation’s Lone Sailor Award for drawing upon his sea service experience to “achieve success in his personal and professional life while exemplifying the core values of honor, courage and commitment.”
- D’Aniello also set up the D’Aniello Entrepreneurial Internships, which provide entrepreneurial opportunities to top undergraduate and graduate students at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse.
- D’Aniello, who attended Syracuse on scholarship, has said that he wants to “provide that foundation for others who are at the stage I was when I was in college.”
- In 2022, he also gave Syracuse a $10 million gift to Syracuse Abroad Florence program.
- Apart from Syracuse, D’Aniello education organizations the foundation has supported include the Center for Educational Excellence and Capital Partners in Education. In 2019, the Orange Crimson Foundation gave over $300,000 to Abigail Adams Institute, “an independent scholarly enterprise interested in reviving traditional liberal arts education at Harvard.”
- Veterans and military groups the foundation has supported include US Navy Memorial Foundation, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Warrior Canine Connection, and The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports first responders and veterans.
Grants for Democracy and Civic Engagement
The foundation has given tens of millions to conservative think-tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where D’Aniello serves as board chair. His personal history is consistent with AEI’s beliefs in “economic freedom,” “opportunity,” and “enterprise.” D’Aniello’s giving in this area sets himself apart from his business partners Rubenstein and Conway.
Grants for Arts and Culture
D’Aniello chairs the Wolf Trap Foundation, which supports the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, a performing arts center located on national park land in Virginia, near where the D’Aniellos live. D’Aniello has served as chair.
- The couple recently supported a Wolf Trap fundraiser with $50,000 and have supported the Washington National Opera. D’Aniello mother worked as a pianist and church organist.
- The D’Aniellos gave $5 million to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2019, and have strongly supported it over the years, including the center’s expansion plan, REACH. Orange Crimson has also supported ArtsFairfax, a local arts organization operated by the Arts Council of Fairfax County, Virginia.
Grants for Mental Health, Global Health, and Public Health
One of D’Aniello’s philanthropic pillars is mental health, and this is an active line of grantmaking. It often intersects with another pillar: D’Aniello’s faith.
- Orange Crimson Foundation has supported a three-year collaboration between Divine Mercy University (DMU) and McClean Hospital, the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School, to ramp up training and education in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and support joint research efforts to better understand the relationship between spirituality and mental health disorders. The foundation also supports McLean Hospital’s Spirituality and Mental Health Program, which allows patients to have their spirituality included in mental health care.
- The foundation’s global health grantmaking also frequently overlaps with its faith-based giving. For example, the foundation has supported African Mission Healthcare, which promotes Christian medical missionaries and mission hospitals in Africa, and Haitian Health Foundation.
- Other recent health grantees include Mount Carmel Health System Foundation and Inova Health Foundation.
Faith-based Grants
D’Aniello invests in Catholic and other religious institutions and major beneficiaries so far have been the local archdioceses of Washington and Arlington, Virginia.
- D’Aniello underwrote $4 million to Dominican Sisters of Mary in 2012, and he has contributed to a number of other church projects and organizations, including Legionaries of Christ Seminary, Capuchin Franciscan Friars, Archdiocese of Washington, and Benedictine Sisters of Virginia.
- The foundation supports religious education and has given millions to both Ave Maria University and Divine Mercy University, where D’Aniello received an honorary degree and spoke at the 2019 commencement.
- The foundation has also supported the Lamb Center, a faith-based homeless shelter in Fairfax, Virginia.
Important Grant Details:
According to available tax filings, the foundation has over $150 million in assets and awarded $8.75 million in grants in a recent year. Grants range from $5,000 up into the millions; however, the most common amount is closer to $100,000.
- On tax records, Gayle D’Aniello is listed as President and secretary, and Daniel is the Chairman and treasurer. Christopher Laconi works for the foundation as well, although it is unclear in what capacity.
- The foundation does not maintain a website or provide a clear method of contact for grantseekers.
- It does not invite unsolicited proposals or requests for funding.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 220s
Washington, D.C. 20004