Chuza Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Darien, CT EIN: 06-1517579

Chuza Foundation is a private foundation based in Darien, Connecticut. It makes contributions to publicly supported tax-exempt charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational organizations that assist people in improving their lives.

Chuza Foundation at a glance

In short: Chuza Foundation gave $274K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in Connecticut. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$274,160
+60.1% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
20
-16.7% vs 2023
Average grant
$13,708
+92.1% vs 2023
Median grant
$750
Total assets
$210,372
-1.5% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
5% first-time grantees (1 of 20, 2024; small sample)
Primary geography
Connecticut (90% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Chuza Foundation

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Contact

Mailing address: 317 Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien, CT 06820
Phone: (203) 977-7000

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Chuza Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Noroton Presbyterian Church: $152KNoroton Presbyterian Church$152KWorld Vision: $25KWorld Vision$25KCT Food Bank: $25KCT Food Bank$25KKids in Crisis Inc: $25KKids in Crisis Inc$25KEl Centro Hispano Inc: $20KEl Centro Hispano Inc$20KChristian Mission Garza: $15KChristian Mission Garza$15KBlue Mountain College Alumni: $5KBlue Mountain College Alumni$5KDarien Community Fund: $3KDarien Community Fund$3KAflik: $1KAflik$1KPrinceton Theological Seminary: $1KPrinceton Theological Seminary$1K

The largest 2024 recipient was Noroton Presbyterian Church ($152K). Together the top 10 received $271K.

Grant Size Distribution

128 grants across all recorded years

123<$50K4$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 123 grants of 128 (96%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 7% to recipients in New York, and 2% to recipients in Mississippi. The filing also reports 0% for New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.

Cities

DarienFairfieldAmherstBlue MountainCos CobNew YorkStamfordE HartfordOrlandoWallingfordWiltonPrincetonCarol PlaceArcadiaAtlantaBerlinHealdsburgNorwalkRowaytonWestport

Is Chuza Foundation open to new grantees?

5%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 1 of 20 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $500 repeat.

  • 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 58% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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

$0$100K$200K$300K33 grants2020 26 grants2021 25 grants2022 24 grants2023 20 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $124K (2020) to $274K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $274K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Noroton Presbyterian Church Darien, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$151,500
World Vision E Hartford, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$25,360
CT Food Bank Wallingford, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$25,000
Kids in Crisis Inc Cos Cob, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$25,000
El Centro Hispano Inc White Plains, NYUnrestricted Charitable Use$20,000
Christian Mission Garza Darien, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$15,000
Blue Mountain College Alumni Blue Mountain, MSUnrestricted Charitable Use$5,000
Darien Community Fund Darien, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$2,500
Aflik Rowayton, CTUnrestricted Charitable Use$1,000
Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton, NJUnrestricted Charitable Use$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$210,372$272,629$275,910$274,16020$274,160$984$10,882
2023$213,653$194,447$173,017$171,26024$171,260$867$9,977
2022$192,223$226,225$154,743$150,66025$150,660$226,225$17,966
2021$137,381$63,039$174,996$173,04826$173,048$63,039$29,532
2020$249,338$173,520$126,313$123,89833—$173,520$28,195

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Chuza Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11K for 2024 — 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 describes its direct charitable activity as “making contributions to publicly supported tax exempt charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational organizations which assist people in improving their lives.”

Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of organizational missions. Kids in Crisis Inc. describes its work as building healthy communities where children and families thrive through prevention, counseling, and crisis services. El Centro Hispano Inc. says it assists and strengthens the Hispanic community and supports self-sufficiency and cultural transition. Darien Library Inc. describes providing educational, entertaining, and enriching content and programs, while A Better Chance in Darien Inc. says it provides scholarships to academically talented girls of color from underserved communities.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $274,160. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $151,500, with a median grant of $750. The largest grants included $151,500 to Noroton Presbyterian Church, $25,360 to World Vision, $25,000 each to CT Food Bank and Kids in Crisis Inc., and $20,000 to El Centro Hispano Inc. The filing lists each of these grants as for unrestricted charitable use.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists David M Mace as grantor and trustee, and Rosemary H Mace as trustee.

Chuza Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • David M. Mace

    Grantor & Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rosemary H. Mace

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Chuza Foundation

How much does Chuza Foundation give each year?

Chuza Foundation gave $274K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $171K across 24 grants.

What is Chuza Foundation's typical grant size?

Chuza Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $750, and its average grant was $13,708, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chuza Foundation that year got $1K on average.

Where does Chuza Foundation give grants?

Chuza Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Darien, CT (10 grants).

Does Chuza Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Chuza Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Chuza Foundation's largest grantees?

Chuza Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Noroton Presbyterian Church ($151,500), World Vision ($25,360) and CT Food Bank ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Chuza Foundation?

Chuza Foundation reported $210K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $274K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Chuza Foundation fund?

The foundation describes its direct charitable activity as “making contributions to publicly supported tax exempt charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational organizations which assist people in improving their lives.” See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Chuza Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Chuza Foundation's EIN?

Chuza Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1517579. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Chuza Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Chuza Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/chuza-foundation-morg_60fefa64fcce4d4b81bef299f0e1fff5

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061517579_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Chuza Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/chuza-foundation-morg_60fefa64fcce4d4b81bef299f0e1fff5},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Chuza 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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