Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation
The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation is a private foundation established in 1983 and based in New York City. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and functions as a family foundation with a notably low public profile. The foundation does not maintain a website or public application portal and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$226.4M
-79.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$74.5M
-2.3% YoY
Grant Count
168
-18.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$444K
+19.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not articulate specific funding priorities publicly. However, its grantmaking consistently centers on:
- Arts and Culture — including music schools, schools of design, museums, and performing arts groups
- Education — higher and secondary education institutions
- Healthcare — particularly cancer research and treatment
- Religious Organizations — Protestant churches
- Media and Communications
The foundation operates on a proactive grantmaking model based on family interests and long-term institutional relationships rather than responding to unsolicited proposals.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited applications. It maintains a proactive approach to identifying and funding organizations aligned with the family's interests. The foundation does not prefer to be contacted directly.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $10.8 million
Average Grant
amount: $400 to $12.6 million
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation prioritizes funding in:
- New York City
- The Northeastern United States
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
It also awards grants to higher education institutions across the country, with particular emphasis on colleges and universities on the East Coast.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $226.4 million
- Total Annual Giving: $74.5 million
- Total Expenses: $1.03 billion
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Investment Income and Dividends: $8.8 million (2024)
- Number of Staff: 3 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $226,418,946 | $1,112,870,489 | $1,287,407,560 |
| Revenue | $-29,788,667 | $3,220,277 | $57,361,611 |
| Expenses | $1,027,296,976 | $154,465,324 | $78,938,063 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $75,522,722 | $77,058,146 | $70,800,719 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,452,487 | $5,509,682 | $21,825,654 |
| Distributable Amount | $16,982,140 | $65,104,678 | $76,636,941 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fidelity Charitable Fund ($7,100,000), Carnegie Hall Society ($3,220,000), American Academy in Berlin ($2,986,268).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACCESS JUSTICE BROOKLYN BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| ACT OF CONNECTICUT INC RIDGEFIELD, CT | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $600,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY IN BERLIN | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $2,986,268 |
| AMERICAN AUSTRIAN FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN BALLET THEATER NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $25,000 |
| AMERICAN COUNCIL ON GERMANY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $140,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF ETON COLLEGE MC LEAN, VA | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $320,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $950,000 |
| AMERICAN SKIN ASSOCIATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $50,000 |
| AMERICARES STAMFORD, CT | GENERAL TAX EXEMPT PURPOSES | $500,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Marina Kellen French serves as Vice President and continues the foundation's philanthropic work, representing the next generation of leadership following the founders' passing.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL M KELLEN | PRESIDENT | 20 | — |
| MARINA K FRENCH | VICE-PRESIDENT | 20 | $16,000 |
| ANDREW GUNDLACH | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 5 | — |
| ANNABELLE GARRETT | DIRECTOR | 5 | $16,000 |
| CAROLINE L KELLEN | DIRECTOR | 5 | $16,000 |
| CHRISTOPHER N KELLEN | DIRECTOR | 10 | $16,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant recent grants including:
A $32 million multi-year gift to Mayo Clinic to advance research initiatives
MRA Announces $6.3 Million in Grants to Advance ...Grants to the Melanoma Research Alliance to support melanoma prevention, detection, and treatment
Melanoma Research Alliance Announces $6.3 Million in ...Support for OpenBiome's work
A grant to PAWS NY
Funding for ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) of Connecticut, which features the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Auditorium in its newly renovated Diamond Properties Performing Arts Center
Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation Awards Grant to PAWS NYFrequently Asked Questions
What does Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation fund?
The foundation does not articulate specific funding priorities publicly. However, its grantmaking consistently centers on: • **Arts and Culture** — including music schools, schools of design, museums, and performing arts groups • **Education** — higher and secondary education institutions • **Healthcare** — particularly cancer research and treatment • **Religious Organizations** — Protestant churches • **Media and Communications** The foundation operates on a proactive grantmaking model based o…
How do I apply for a grant from Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Number of grants: 168 • Total annual giving: $74.5 million • Grant range: $1,000 to $10.8 million • Median grant: $50,000 • Average grant amount: $400 to $12.6 million **Recent Grant Recipients Include:** • Auxiliary of NY Presbyterian Hospital/NY Weill Cornell Medical Center ($10.5 million) • Metropolitan Museum of Art ($7.8 million) • Hospital for Special Surgery ($4.8 million) • Mayo Clinic (multi-year grants totaling $32 million for research advancement) • Melan…
Where does Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation make grants?
The foundation prioritizes funding in: • New York City • The Northeastern United States • Connecticut • Massachusetts It also awards grants to higher education institutions across the country, with particular emphasis on colleges and universities on the East Coast.
What size grants does Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation award?
In 2024, Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation awarded 168 grants totaling $74.5M — an average of about $444K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $17.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation's EIN?
Anna-maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3173593. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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