Fareed And Paula Zakaria Foundation
The organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting charitable, educational, and cultural initiatives. Its mission emphasizes enabling diverse communities to live and learn together, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and education. The foundation primarily supports organizations that focus on arts and culture, education, human services, and historical preservation. Notable recipients include the International Rescue Committee and various educational institutions, indicating a strong focus on humanitarian efforts and educational support. The foundation is based in New York and primarily funds projects within the state.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
An established charitable organization, typically in New York (or occasionally nearby states), working in arts, education, or human services with capacity for mid-size grants and a demonstrated record of impact.
Good Fit
- • Located in New York or serving New York communities.
- • Work in arts & culture, education, or humanitarian/human services.
- • Organizational track record and capacity to manage mid-range grants ($2.5K–$70K).
- • Existing relationship, introduction, or prior connection to the foundation's officers or past grantees.
- • Programs that align with stated grant purposes (scholarships, cultural programming, international/residential exchange).
Geography
Giving is highly concentrated in New York across the observed years; the latest year sent nearly all dollars to New York with only a small out-of-state allocation.
Recipient Variety
Across four years the foundation funded a mix of organizations (as many as 10 recipients in 2022) but the most recent year shows only three recipients and heavy dollar concentration in one grantee, indicating moderate variety overall.
New Applicants
The foundation explicitly states it funds only preselected applicants and no public application path or letter-submission route was found; while earlier years included new grantees, the declared preselection and recent concentration make unsolicited entry unlikely.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
