In the tradition of founder Benjamin Altman’s own philanthropic interests, the mission of the Altman Foundation is to support programs and institutions that enrich the quality of life in New York City, with a particular focus on initiatives that help individuals, families, and communities benefit from the services and opportunities that will enable them to achieve their full potential.

Created in 1913 under the will of Benjamin Altman, the Altman Foundation has been active in New York City for a long time. With nearly 100 years of tradition behind it, the Foundation keeps its founder’s philanthropic interests as the touchstone while also responding to emerging needs and issues. The Foundations’ reputation as a steady partner stems in large part from its ability to take chances on promising ideas without being too prescriptive, stay the course with an issue and with high-performing grantees, and learn alongside grantees to drive improvement in practice.