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The Zezula Foundation

About

A small foundation with a focused mandate.

The Zezula Foundation was established in late 2023 on a simple thesis: a small institution, run with the discipline of capital markets and the patience of a long-term builder, can do work that is difficult for governments or large nonprofits to do well.

The foundation focuses on three causes — affordable housing, childhood education, and cancer research — chosen because each represents an area where the marginal dollar moves outcomes the most.

Housing. A safe, affordable home is the precondition for every other good outcome in a person's life — a child's school attendance, an adult's steady employment, a family's accumulated wins.

Education. The two most important things a young person can be taught are how to read and how to think scientifically. Both are systematically under-supplied to the students who would benefit most.

Cancer research. The survival gap between an early-stage diagnosis and a late-stage one is closed only by patient, well-funded research over decades. Our cancer giving focuses on colorectal cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

We focus on three causes because focus compounds. Every dollar gets allocated. Every program gets measured. From the foundation's founding thesis

The foundation is small. It is in its second operating year. The 2024 financials show approximately $91,950 deployed across the three pillars. The work and this site exist to bring others into it — at any scale.

How we work

Three causes, deeply considered.

Housing

A safe, affordable home is the foundation for every other good outcome. We use Fannie Mae's HomePath program to acquire and rehabilitate distressed single-family homes, partnering with local affordable-housing nonprofits to place qualified families.

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Education

We fund STEM and literacy programs at public schools serving students who lack access by geography, income, or circumstance. Our partnership with JPMorgan's matching grant program effectively doubles eligible donations.

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Research

We focus our cancer giving on Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — specifically supporting colorectal cancer research through Fred's Team, the official charity partner of the TCS New York City Marathon. The president runs the marathon for Fred's Team each fall.

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Board of Directors

The foundation is governed by a board of directors that meets at least annually to review programs, approve the budget, and certify compliance with our governance policies (conflict of interest, document retention, whistleblower, gift acceptance, investment policy).

The board reviews each grant before disbursement and reviews program outcomes annually.

Compliance & transparency

The Zezula Foundation, Inc. is a §501(c)(3) public charity classified under IRC §170(b)(1)(A)(vi). EIN 93-4842735. Cash gifts are tax-deductible up to 60% of the donor's adjusted gross income, subject to standard IRS rules.

We file Form 990 annually with the IRS. Our IRS determination letter, latest 990, conflict-of-interest policy, and board minutes are available on request to hello@zezulafoundation.org.