The Charles H. Revson Foundation was founded in 1956 by Charles H. Revson, the founder of Revlon, Inc., as a vehicle for his charitable giving. Mr. Revson willed half his estate to the Foundation upon his death in 1975.

The initial board of directors, chaired by Judge Simon H. Rifkind, decided to ground the Foundation's giving in the founder's own personal philanthropy, which expressed, as Judge Rifkind put it, Mr. Revson's commitment "to the spread of knowledge" and "the improvement of human life." With Mr. Revson's giving as a guide, the board established four program areas: in urban affairs, education, biomedical research policy, and Jewish philanthropy and education. Following extensive discussions with leading thinkers in other foundations, academia, government, science, and the arts, the board also identified as priorities four themes that would be reflected across these program areas: the future of New York City, the accountability of government, the changing role of women, and the impact of modern communications on education and other areas of life.

Since the Foundation, with a staff and formal grantmaking procedures, began making grants in 1978, it has disbursed a total of $145 million in grants and its endowment has grown from $68 million to $141 million.

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