Chestnut Fund is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts, established in 2015. The organization operates as a grantmaking foundation with a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$54.9M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.9M
-16.3% YoY
Grant Count
3
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$978K
-16.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chestnut Fund reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not provide a public mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include:
- Human Rights
- Social Justice
- Local Government
- Community & Civic Engagement
- Child Welfare
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$290,000–$2,815,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports grantmaking across multiple U.S. locations and states, including:
Cities: Albuquerque, Augusta, Boston, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Decatur, Des Moines, Dorchester, Durham, Montpelier, New Haven, New York, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Seattle, St. Paul, Washington, and Youngstown
States: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington
Primary funding focus areas include Ohio, Georgia, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Most Recent Filing (2023):
- Total assets: $50.8–$54.9 million
- Total annual giving: $2.7–$3.5 million
- Total revenues: $2.7 million
- Total expenses: $4.6 million
- Number of employees: 0
Revenue Composition (2023):
- Investment income and dividends: $1,190,419
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $1,352,235
- Miscellaneous revenues: $188,229
Giving Rate: Approximately 6.9% of assets
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $54,884,454 | $50,821,793 | $52,696,026 |
| Revenue | $8,055,965 | $2,730,883 | $3,505,414 |
| Expenses | $3,991,509 | $4,604,665 | $6,089,755 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,243,754 | $3,808,877 | $5,289,794 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,301,114 | $1,971,940 | $2,806,539 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,348,532 | $3,266,377 | $3,451,684 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Lupine Fund Co Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($2,465,000), Emmas Fund ($350,000), Center on Budget and Policy Priorities ($120,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES WASHINGTON, DC | GREENSTEIN FUND FOR A JUST FUTURE | $120,000 |
| EMMAS FUND DECATUR, GA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $350,000 |
| LUPINE FUND CO FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND CINCINNATI, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $2,465,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by unpaid trustees:
- Jane Stein
- Adam Stein
- Gerda Stein
- Alan Rottenberg
The foundation is also known as "Jane Stein Ttee."
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JANE STEIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ADAM STEIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| GERDA STEIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ALAN ROTTENBERG | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Chestnut Fund fund?
The foundation does not provide a public mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities include: • Human Rights • Social Justice • Local Government • Community & Civic Engagement • Child Welfare • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Chestnut Fund?
**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: approximately $2.7–$3.5 million • Grant range: $290,000–$2,815,000 • Median grant size: $400,000 • Application policy: Invite-only; does not accept unsolicited applications **Recent Grants:** • Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: $290,000 (General Operating Support, 2023)
Where does Chestnut Fund make grants?
The foundation supports grantmaking across multiple U.S. locations and states, including: **Cities:** Albuquerque, Augusta, Boston, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Decatur, Des Moines, Dorchester, Durham, Montpelier, New Haven, New York, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Seattle, St. Paul, Washington, and Youngstown **States:** Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington Primary funding focus ar…
What size grants does Chestnut Fund award?
In 2024, Chestnut Fund awarded 3 grants totaling $2.9M — an average of about $978K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Chestnut Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Chestnut Fund reported a distributable amount of $3.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Chestnut Fund's EIN?
Chestnut Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-7017184. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chestnut Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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