Charles H. Revson Foundation
A United States charitable foundation established by Revlon co-founder Charles H. Revson to support civic, educational, biomedical, and Jewish philanthropic initiatives.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Charles H. Revson Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 1956 by Charles H. Revson, the founding president of Revlon Cosmetics. Revson created the foundation as a vehicle for his philanthropic giving, and its work developed from a largely New York-centered emphasis on schools, hospitals, and organizations serving Jewish communities into a broader grant-making program covering urban affairs, education, biomedical research, and Jewish philanthropy and education. During Revson’s lifetime, he and other contributors provided more than $10 million in seed funding. His estate plan subsequently transferred approximately half of his estate to the foundation after his death, including a reported $68 million endowment. The foundation’s governing board was given discretion to determine its future priorities rather than being confined to a narrowly defined set of beneficiaries. This structure allowed the organization to adapt its grant making while retaining a connection to Revson’s interests in education, public life, science, Jewish history, and New York City. The foundation began a formal grant-making process in 1978. Its grants have supported nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, research centers, public-interest initiatives, media projects, and leadership-development programs. According to the cited reference material, cumulative distributions since the beginning of formal grant making reached approximately $145 million, while the endowment grew to about $200 million and annual distributions exceeded $9 million. These figures are historical descriptions rather than current financial statements and should not be treated as up-to-date assets or payout levels without confirmation from the foundation’s latest filings. The organization’s urban-affairs work focuses on New York City’s future, including civic leadership, public policy, government accountability, service delivery, urban planning, and the use of technology to help communities understand proposed changes to the city. Its education-related grants have supported citizen organizations, public-interest law, communications technology, and programs intended to make government more representative and responsive. The biomedical-research program has supported basic research and postdoctoral fellowships at New York institutions and in Israel, with an emphasis on strengthening scientific careers and encouraging international cooperation. Jewish philanthropy and education remains another central area. The foundation has funded projects using television, film, digital media, archives, fellowships, and cultural programming to expand understanding of Jewish history and heritage and to encourage dialogue across communities. Notable supported projects mentioned in reference material include Rechov Sumsum, the Israeli adaptation of Sesame Street; the documentary and educational project Civilization and the Jews; the Jewish Heritage Video Collection; and initiatives related to Holocaust testimony, Jewish women’s history, environmental concerns in Israel, and African-American–Jewish understanding. Across its program areas, the foundation has identified cross-cutting concerns including New York City’s future, government accountability, the changing role of women, and the influence of modern communications on education and civic life. Leadership changed several times during the twenty-first century: Eli Evans left the presidency in 2003 after approximately 25 years, Lisa E. Goldberg subsequently served as president until her death in January 2007, and Julie Sandorf became president in January 2008. The foundation is a philanthropic institution rather than a commercial consumer brand, public company, or operating business.
History
The Charles H. Revson Foundation was created in 1956 by Charles H. Revson, the founding president of Revlon Cosmetics. Revson used the foundation as a formal structure for charitable giving, initially directing substantial support toward schools, hospitals, and service organizations, especially those serving Jewish communities in New York City. During his lifetime, Revson and other donors supplied more than $10 million in initial funding. Revson’s estate plan was decisive for the foundation’s long-term development. On his death, he left approximately half of his estate to the organization, including a reported $68 million bequest. He also gave the foundation’s board authority to determine its future direction. This arrangement allowed the institution to move beyond a narrowly personal charitable vehicle and develop a professional grant-making strategy responsive to changing needs in New York, the United States, Israel, and the wider Jewish community. In 1978, the foundation formalized its grant-making process. Its subsequent work covered four principal areas: urban affairs, education, biomedical research, and Jewish philanthropy and education. The urban-affairs program concentrated on New York City and supported leadership development, cross-sector collaboration, public-policy monitoring, service-delivery analysis, urban planning, and civic uses of technology. Examples included efforts to help planners and community groups visualize proposed urban projects and initiatives designed to make information about public policy and civic life more accessible. The education program emphasized democratic participation and government accountability. Grants supported citizen organizations that monitor public policy, public-interest legal organizations, communications projects, and programs placing law students in nonprofit, legal-aid, and government settings. The foundation also explored television and internet technologies as means of improving communication between institutions and citizens. Biomedical research became another sustained priority. Beginning in the early 1980s, the foundation funded postdoctoral fellowships at four New York biomedical research centers. These fellowships were designed to help promising scientists enter research careers rather than moving directly into private practice or industry. The foundation also supported research institutions and international scientific cooperation, particularly between the United States and Israel. In 1987, it made a challenge grant that helped mobilize support for what became the Israel Science Foundation in 1993, and later backed initiatives intended to encourage research in emerging or neglected fields in Israel. The Jewish philanthropy and education program used media, scholarship, archives, fellowships, and cultural programming to promote knowledge of Jewish history and heritage. Supported work included the Israeli children’s educational program Rechov Sumsum, the documentary and educational project Civilization and the Jews, the Jewish Heritage Video Collection, digital resources on Jewish women, and projects based on Holocaust testimony. Grants also supported graduate fellowships in Jewish studies, environmental initiatives in Israel, and programs intended to improve understanding between African-American and Jewish communities. The foundation’s leadership changed during the early twenty-first century. Eli Evans served as president for roughly 25 years before stepping down in 2003. Lisa E. Goldberg then became president, but died suddenly on January 21, 2007. After a period with the position vacant, Julie Sandorf, formerly executive director of Nextbook, became president in January 2008. The foundation’s board has included leaders from law, science, education, philanthropy, public affairs, and the arts. Historical descriptions report cumulative grant distributions of approximately $145 million since formal grant making began, an endowment of about $200 million, and annual distributions exceeding $9 million; these amounts require confirmation against current filings before being used as present-day financial data.
- 2008
Julie Sandorf becomes president
[1]Julie Sandorf became president after previously serving as executive director of Nextbook.
- 2007
Death of Lisa E. Goldberg
[1]Lisa E. Goldberg died suddenly on January 21, 2007, creating a vacancy in the presidency.
- 2003
Presidential succession
[1]Eli Evans stepped down after approximately 25 years as president, and Lisa E. Goldberg took over.
- 1993
Israel Science Foundation established
[1]The Israel Science Foundation was established after fundraising efforts that included support generated through the foundation’s earlier challenge grant.
- 1987
Challenge grant supports Israeli science funding
[1]A challenge grant helped leverage public and private contributions associated with the eventual creation of the Israel Science Foundation.
- 1980
Biomedical fellowship support develops
[1]Beginning in the early 1980s, the foundation supported postdoctoral biomedical fellowships at four New York research centers.
- 1978
Formal grant making begins
[1]The foundation adopted a formal grant-making process and began developing a more structured philanthropic portfolio.
- 1956
Foundation established
[1]Charles H. Revson founded the organization as a vehicle for his charitable giving.
Products and positioning
A private, grant-making foundation focused on strengthening civic life, education, scientific research, and Jewish cultural understanding, with a strong historical connection to New York City and Israel.
Philanthropic program
Urban affairs grantmaking
A New York City-focused program supporting civic leadership, cross-sector collaboration, government accountability, public-policy analysis, service delivery, urban planning, and technology-enabled public participation. Grants have sought to strengthen the capacity of individuals, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions to improve city life.
Philanthropic program
Education grantmaking
An education and civic-participation program supporting citizen organizations, public-interest legal work, communications technology, and training or placement opportunities for future public-interest professionals. Its broad objective is to make government more representative, accountable, and responsive to citizens.
Research funding · 1980
Biomedical research
A research program supporting basic biomedical science, New York research institutions, postdoctoral fellowships, and scientific cooperation involving Israel. The program has emphasized early-career researchers and the development of research capacity in fields that may be underfunded or newly emerging.
Cultural and educational philanthropy
Jewish philanthropy and education
A program using media, film, television, archives, digital resources, fellowships, conferences, and cultural projects to advance understanding of Jewish history, heritage, and contemporary concerns. It has also supported intercommunity dialogue, Holocaust education, Jewish studies, and selected environmental initiatives in Israel.
Marketing campaigns
- Rechov Sumsum
Israel
The foundation supported Rechov Sumsum, the Israeli version of Sesame Street, as an educational television project intended to help Israeli and Palestinian children learn about one another.
Outcome. The program became a prominent example of the foundation’s use of mass media to support children’s education and cross-community understanding.
- Civilization and the Jews
United States
The foundation supported the documentary and educational project Civilization and the Jews, which used broadcast and educational media to examine Jewish history and heritage.
Outcome. The project became part of the foundation’s broader media-based Jewish education portfolio and was also developed as an interactive digital educational resource.
- Gotham Gazette support
United States
The foundation provided the grant through which Gotham Gazette was created, supporting a civic-media project focused on New York public affairs.
Outcome. The grant helped establish a publication intended to inform New Yorkers about government, policy, and civic life.
Brand decisions
1987
Made challenge grant for Israeli scientific capacityStrategyBackground
The foundation sought to strengthen basic research and encourage scientific cooperation involving Israel.
Action taken
It issued a challenge grant designed to attract additional government and private contributions toward a stable national source of Israeli research funding.
Aftermath
The fundraising effort contributed to the eventual establishment of the Israel Science Foundation in 1993.
1978
Adopted formal grant-makingStrategyBackground
The foundation had previously operated primarily as a vehicle for Revson’s charitable contributions to schools, hospitals, and Jewish community organizations.
Action taken
The board introduced a formal grant-making process, enabling the foundation to organize its philanthropy around defined program areas and longer-term institutional priorities.
Aftermath
The organization developed sustained programs in urban affairs, education, biomedical research, and Jewish philanthropy and education.
Sources2 sources
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