Chestnut Family Foundation
The Chestnut Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia, established in 2017 by Teresa and Ben Chestnut. It focuses on improving children’s lives by supporting access to the arts, health, and performing arts programs.
Chestnut Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Chestnut Family Foundation gave $17.0M across 40 grants in 2025 (avg $425K), mostly in Georgia. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $17,007,752
- -15.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 40
- +21.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $425,194
- -29.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $161,200
- Total assets
- $320,079,180
- +10.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (12 of 40, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (52% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Chestnut Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1355 Peachtree Street Ne 1450, Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: (404) 256-1606
Website: https://chestnutfamily.foundation
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Chestnut Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was AYN Rand Institute ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $12.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 49 grants of 132 (37%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it looks for organizations in Georgia. Its 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Georgia (52%), with additional shares going to California (21%), Maryland (19%), Virginia (6%), and Washington, D.C. (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Chestnut Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 40 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $270K; repeat grants $492K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $233K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 112% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2021) to $20.0M (2024). In 2025 it made 40 grants totaling $17.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AYN Rand Institute Santa Ana, CA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $3,500,000 |
| Join Together Society America Beltsville, MD | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $3,200,000 |
| Atlanta Beltline Partnership Atlanta, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $1,500,000 |
| Atlanta Music Project Atlanta, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $1,032,500 |
| Path Foundation Warrenton, VA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $1,000,000 |
| Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Atlanta, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $667,000 |
| Bearings Bike Atlanta, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $650,000 |
| Friends of Refugees Clarkston, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $498,300 |
| Corners Outreach Norcross, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $438,000 |
| Soccer in the Streets Atlanta, GA | To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization | $325,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Chestnut Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $320,079,180 | $50,376,727 | $18,836,450 | $17,007,752 | 40 | $17,614,342 | $43,982,671 | $16,002,799 |
| 2024 | $289,275,635 | $39,124,507 | $20,985,160 | $20,000,300 | 33 | $20,003,063 | $18,468,917 | $14,338,096 |
| 2023 | $277,309,851 | $37,639,346 | $17,291,137 | $16,544,230 | 23 | $16,548,525 | $8,874,371 | $11,260,703 |
| 2022 | $262,849,934 | $-15,341,006 | $8,503,385 | $8,012,595 | 22 | $8,016,495 | $1,213,691 | $3,902,458 |
| 2021 | $285,014,440 | $280,136,516 | $1,706,456 | $1,554,950 | 14 | $1,554,950 | $2,750,476 | $3,006,045 |
| 2020 | $7,362,222 | $181,068 | $2,084,413 | $2,011,500 | 17 | — | $612,622 | $394,757 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chestnut Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $16.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it seeks to help children access resources that support health, self-confidence, and enjoyment of life. Its stated areas of interest include health and the performing arts, with a focus on improving access and choice for children.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of organizational work. For example, Atlanta Music Project says it empowers youth in under-resourced communities through music; Bearings Bike Shop says it puts tools in young people’s hands to help them build skills and productive lives; and PATH Foundation describes its work as developing bicycle and pedestrian trails in metro Atlanta and supporting trail development in other Georgia cities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 40 grants totaling $17,007,752. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $3,500,000, with a median of $161,200. Among the largest reported grants were $3,500,000 to Ayn Rand Institute, $3,200,000 to Join Together Society America, $1,500,000 to Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, $1,032,500 to Atlanta Music Project, and $1,000,000 to PATH Foundation.
The foundation’s website describes a $2,000,000 commitment to PATH Foundation, distributed across 2025 and 2026, for the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail and its Kids Bike League program. The 2025 filing lists a $1,000,000 grant to PATH Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Benjamin L. Chestnut and Teresa K. Chestnut as trustees.
Chestnut Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Benjamin L. Chestnut
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teresa K. Chestnut
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Chestnut Family Foundation
How much does Chestnut Family Foundation give each year?
Chestnut Family Foundation gave $17.0M across 40 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $20.0M across 33 grants.
What is Chestnut Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Chestnut Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $161,200, and its average grant was $425,194, across 40 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chestnut Family Foundation that year got $270K on average.
Where does Chestnut Family Foundation give grants?
Chestnut Family Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (21%) and Maryland (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (21 grants), Norcross, GA (2 grants) and Augusta, GA (2 grants).
Does Chestnut Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 40 grants with a stated purpose on Chestnut Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support the Mission of the Recipient Organization" (40 grants).
Who are Chestnut Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Chestnut Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include AYN Rand Institute ($3,500,000), Join Together Society America ($3,200,000) and Atlanta Beltline Partnership ($1,500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Chestnut Family Foundation?
Chestnut Family Foundation reported $320.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $16.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Chestnut Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says it seeks to help children access resources that support health, self-confidence, and enjoyment of life. Its stated areas of interest include health and the performing arts, with a focus on improving access and choice for children. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chestnut Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Chestnut Family Foundation's EIN?
Chestnut Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4986125. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Chestnut Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chestnut Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Chestnut Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/chestnut-family-foundation-morg_a0e6df91857d40f78edbd47fbdb2d881
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_814986125_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Chestnut Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/chestnut-family-foundation-morg_a0e6df91857d40f78edbd47fbdb2d881},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Chestnut Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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