Edgar J. Kaufmann (-1955) founded the Edgar J. Kaufmann Charitable Trust in 1946 to be used exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary and/or educational purposes for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. Kaufmann served as president of the Trust from 1946 until 1955 and his wife, Liliane S. Kaufmann, served on the Board of Trustees from 1946 until 1951. His second wife, Grace Kaufmann, served for only a few months in 1955. A ten-year report, published in 1956, announced that the Trust had given almost two million dollars in donations and pledges since its founding. The largest of these contributions, of over a million and a half dollars, went to the Public Auditorium Authority for construction of the Civic Arena (Pittsburgh, Pa). Other donation recipients during the first ten years included Montefiore Hospital, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Civic Light Opera and the Allegheny County Community Chest. Edgar Kaufmann died in 1955, at which time the Edgar J. Kaufmann Charitable Foundation was established. The Charitable Trust continued to operate for eight years after Edgar Kaufmann's death until most of its funds had been donated, thereby terminating the Trust. The Charitable Foundation that had been established immediately after his death absorbed the Trust remaining funds. Edgar Kaufmann, jr. (he preferred the lower case j) served as president of the Charitable Foundation. The Foundation continued to fund projects similar to those funded by the Charitable Trust, but broadened the scope of donations to include international charitable, educational and religious endeavors with an emphasis on arts related projects. The Charitable Foundation operated until June of 1979 when funds for grants were diminished and the Foundation was dissolved.
From the description of Edgar J. Kaufmann Charitable Foundation oversized records, 1950-1958 [manuscript] (Historical Society of W Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 772468698
