OVERVIEW: The Tansy Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of hedge fund executive Eric Wepsic. The foundation supports global development, health, democracy and higher education.
IP TAKE: The Tansy Charitable Foundation is a very low-profile funder that tends to give large grants in the millions to a handful of grantees. Given the low overhead and lack of staff, you will likely need a connection to Eric Wepsic or a past grantee. Networking could be well worth your while. Newly retired, Wepsic is just getting started, according to IP’s Michael Kavate, and with an endowment that topped $900 in 2023, his foundation is at a precipice. In the past, this funder tends to give large, unrestricted grants to multi-year grantees. Otherwise, this funder is not approachable or accessible at this time. While contact information has been provided below, note that without a clear staff, this funder is less likely to respond to direct inquiries. Networking would be your best bet here.
PROFILE: Established in 2009, the New York City-based Tansy Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of hedge fund executive Eric Wepsic. Wepsic, a native of Boston, is graduate of Harvard University, where he majored in mathematics. He intended to pursue a career in academia, but was sidetracked in 1994 by an opportunity to work for the New York City-based multinational investment and technology development fund D.E. Shaw & Co. Wepsic is known throughout the industry for his expertise in quantitative equity research and, according to his Linkedin page, continues to serve on D.E. Shaw’s executive board. Tax filings indicate that the foundation supports global development and health, democracy and higher education in STEM disciplines. This funder only makes a handful of grants each year, but grat sizes tend to be in the millions.
Grants for Global Development, Health and Democracy
The Tansy Foundation appears to prioritize global development and health and has provided support to organizations working internationally to improve the lives of marginalized people in less-developed areas of the world.
- Ongoing support in the millions has gone to Community Partners International, a California-based nonprofit that “empowers vulnerable communities in Asia to meet their essential health, humanitarian, and sustainable development needs.”
- Another regular grantee, Boston’s Partners in Health, partners with health organizations in developing areas of the world “to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need of them and to serve as an antidote to despair.”
- The Carter Center has received at least $1 million a year from Tansy for the past twelve years. Established by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalyn, the center works around the globe to “prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health.”
Grants for Higher Education and STEM
Tax filings indicate that Tansy also prioritizes higher education, especially in STEM fields, in its grantmaking.
- In recent years, the foundation has provided millions in ongoing support to the Hertz Foundation, which awards graduate fellowships to “the nation’s most promising graduate students in science and technology.” Wepsic was a Hertz Fellow in 1992.
- Tansy has also made major, multi-year grants to Wepsic’s alma mater, Harvard University. The University of Minnesota and George Mason University have also received education funding.
Grants for Environment
Wepsic once served on the board of the Natural Resources Defense Council and supported the organization with grants from Tansy. Environmental giving has tapered off recently, however. Previously, environmental grantmaking was centered on established organizations that could scale efforts.
Important Grant Details:
Tansy’s grants range widely from $300 to $15.5 million. This foundation typically makes fewer than ten grants a year, but its grants are usually in the millions.
- This funder does accept unsolicited requests for funding at this time, but with an influx of cash it remains to be seen how funding will develop here.
- The Tansy Charitable Foundation does not provide a way to get in touch. Network with Eric Wepsic via his Linkedin page.
- The foundation’s phone number is listed as (212) 478-0263, and a mailing address is provided below,
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
Tansy Charitable Foundation
c/o Eric Wepsic
1166 Avenue of the Americas, 9th Floor
New York City, NY 10036-2750
(212) 478-0263
