The Goldman Sonnenfeldt Foundation

The Goldman Sonnenfeldt Foundation represents the combined philanthropy of Katja Goldman, Michael Sonnenfeldt, and their four children. The family is unique in their ability to bring people together to tackle society's greatest and most pressing challenges, and their grants reflect their priorities of: 

  • Fighting Climate Change 

  • Protecting and Strengthening Democracy

  • Building Jewish Community & Combatting Antisemitism

The family seeks partners that are disrupting norms, taking risks to solve problems, and working to scale proven solutions. They are deeply invested in their New York City and Long Island communities and have given extensively to support local organizations strengthening those vibrant and diverse communities.

Michael and Katja have also spent more than four decades in various leadership positions in the organizations the family supports, amplifying impact with decades of expertise and an extensive network.

  • Current Positions

    • Board Member, Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

    • Co‑Chair, Jewish Climate Trust

    • Advisory Board Member, MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative

    • Board of Governors, Ben‑Gurion University of the Negev

    • President, Goldman‑Sonnenfeldt Foundation

    • Founder, JapanCraft 21

    Past Positions:

    • Former Board Member, Earthjustice (2011–2020), formerly Chair of the Investment Committee

    • Founder & Former Chairman, Israel Policy Forum — promoting Middle East peace

    • Co‑Founder, No Labels — bipartisan reform group

    • Founder & Former Co‑Chair, Humpty Dumpty Institute — UN peacekeeping, landmine clearance, and U.S.–UN relations

    • Former Chairman, Executive Committee, United Nations Association of the U.S. (UNA‑USA), where he led inspection missions to ~28 conflict zones

    • Former Board Member, Business Executives for National Security (BENS)

    • Former Board & Executive Committee Member, Synergos Institute

    • Former Trustee, Arnold P. Gold Foundation — advancing humanism in medicine

    • Former national president, American Associates of Ben‑Gurion University

    • Former Senior Lecturer, MIT Sloan School — co‑taught “Business and the Nation’s Security” (2003–2004)

    • Former Board Member & Capital Campaign Co‑Chair, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan — helped lead $100M new facility initiative

  • Current Positions:

    • Trustee, Whitney Museum of American Art

    • Board Member, Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation

    Past Positions:

    • Former Board Member & Capital Campaign Co‑Chair, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan — helped lead $100M new facility initiative

    • Former Board Member, Abraham Joshua Heschel School