Mission & Programs

The Michael Manzella Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to activities in education, children's causes, cancer research and the arts. We support those individuals and institutions that demonstrate the leadership and potential to make significant contributions in these areas. These goals are consistent with the struggles and achievements of Michael's life.

Led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, the Michael Manzella Foundation raises funds from both individual and institutional donors, managing the resources responsibly and distributing charitable donations in the form of grants, scholarships and fellowships.

The Scholarship: With the support of our many donors, we have established a permanent scholarship, The Michael Manzella Endowment at Yale University, a four-year, $10,000 annual scholarship awarded to a Yale student who intends to major in the performing arts. As Michael was a Music major at Yale, and few scholarships exist to specifically support students in the performing arts at Yale, the Michael Manzella Scholarship fills an important niche and can have a lasting impact on the students selected for this honor.
The Fellowships: We have invested almost $300,000 in our Summer Fellows, enabling over 120 undergraduate leaders to pursue summer activities consistent with our mission. Many of these young people have translated their summer fellowship projects into meaningful careers benefiting their communities.

The Grants: We have made grants totaling over $100,000 to dozens of worthy charities that support our focus areas of education, cancer research, children's causes and the arts. Some of our grantees integrate several of our focus areas in the work they do, bringing a multi-pronged approach to creating solutions among populations in need.
The Award. We have established the Michael Manzella Award at Yale's Timothy Dwight College, given to the graduating senior who "inspired his/her classmates through kindness, dedication and courage." Since 1994, more than 30 recipients have been honored with the award.