Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wilmington, DE EIN: 20-5339152

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It makes grants to public charities in the United States, with the foundation’s 2025 filing identifying hospitals, the arts, education, land preservation, libraries, and religious institutions as areas it seeks to support.

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable at a glance

In short: Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable gave $49K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Florida. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$49,450
-36.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
14
+40.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$3,532
-54.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$2,015,307
+0.8% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
Florida (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable

How to Apply

The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications must be submitted in writing through 501(c)(3) organizations and public charities. Grants are made to public charities, not individuals. The filing states that there are no deadlines.

Contact

Application contact: Duke And Gael Habernickel
Mailing address: 919 N Market Street Ste 725, Wilmington, DE 19808
Phone: (772) 234-7451

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

Who Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Riverside Theatre: $22KRiverside Theatre$22KVero Beach Museum of Art: $14KVero Beach Museum of Art$14KMcKee Botanical Garden: $5KMcKee Botanical Garden$5KMuseum of Modern Art: $2KMuseum of Modern Art$2KSt Elizabeths Church: $1KSt Elizabeths Church$1KIndian River Land Trust: $1KIndian River Land Trust$1KThe Learning Alliance: $1KThe Learning Alliance$1KMontclair Kimberley Academy: $1KMontclair Kimberley Academy$1KTrinity Episcopal Church: $750Trinity Episcopal Church$750Johns Island Foundatioon: $700Johns Island Foundatioon$700

The largest 2025 recipient was Riverside Theatre ($22K). Together the top 10 received $47K.

Grant Size Distribution

64 grants across all recorded years

61<$50K1$50–100K2$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 64 (95%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation states that it makes awards to eligible organizations regardless of geographic area within the United States. In 2025, 92% of its grant dollars went to Florida recipients, 5% to New Jersey recipients, and 3% to New York recipients.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.

Cities

Vero BeachNew YorkIndian River ShoresRidgewoodMontclairBay HeadRolling PrairieAlbanyArlingtonGarrisonLakewood

Is Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable open to new grantees?

7%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $4K. How we count

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

  • 43% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 74% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 40% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K17 grants2020 14 grants2021 14 grants2022 12 grants2023 10 grants2024 14 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $49K (2025) to $191K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $49K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Riverside Theatre Vero Beach, FLGeneral Support$22,000
Vero Beach Museum of Art Vero Beach, FLGeneral Support$14,000
McKee Botanical Garden Vero Beach, FLGeneral Support$4,500
Museum of Modern Art New York, NYGeneral Support$1,500
St Elizabeths Church Ridgewood, NJGeneral Support$1,000
Indian River Land Trust Vero Beach, FLGeneral Support$1,000
The Learning Alliance Vero Beach, FLGeneral Support$1,000
Montclair Kimberley Academy Montclair, NJGeneral Support$1,000
Trinity Episcopal Church Vero Beach, FLGeneral Support$750
Johns Island Foundatioon Indian River Shores, FLGeneral Support$700
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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
2025$2,015,307$77,298$61,034$49,45014$52,740$69,554$132,798
2024$1,999,043$138,346$88,483$77,45010$81,000$130,863$120,290
2023$1,949,180$-12,462$108,733$96,90012$100,405$31,040$100,413
2022$2,070,375$-9,895$214,348$190,50014$194,480$32,237$108,943
2021$2,294,618$626,666$177,253$164,05014$168,025$618,238$122,381
2020$1,834,705$97,320$123,133$109,89017—$90,200$121,120

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable reported a distributable amount of $133K 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’s 2025 filing describes its grantmaking as supporting 501(c)(3) public charities, including hospitals, arts organizations, educational institutions, land-preservation organizations, libraries, and religious institutions. It states that awards may go to organizations such as hospitals, universities, religious institutions, and other 501(c)(3) organizations, regardless of location within the United States.

Examples among its 2025 grantees include Riverside Theatre, whose stated mission is to provide theatre experiences that entertain, challenge, and educate adults and children, and to offer arts education opportunities for youth. The Indian River Land Trust describes its mission as protecting and promoting the preservation of waterways, open spaces, and green places in Indian River County. The Learning Alliance says it works to improve student literacy by equipping educators to teach children to read.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $49,450. Grants ranged from $500 to $22,000, with a median grant of $1,000.

The largest reported grants included $22,000 to Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, Florida; $14,000 to Vero Beach Museum of Art; and $4,500 to McKee Botanical Garden. Other grants included $1,500 to the Museum of Modern Art in New York and $1,000 each to St Elizabeths Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey; Indian River Land Trust; The Learning Alliance; and Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Max Habernickel III and Gael Habernickel as directors.

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Gael Habernickel

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Max Habernickel III

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/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 Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable

How much does Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable give each year?

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable gave $49K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $77K across 10 grants.

What is Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's typical grant size?

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,532, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable that year got $500 on average.

Where does Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable give grants?

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable gives mostly in Florida: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Jersey (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Vero Beach, FL (8 grants) and Indian River Shores, FL (2 grants).

Does Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's largest grantees?

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include Riverside Theatre ($22,000), Vero Beach Museum of Art ($14,000) and McKee Botanical Garden ($4,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable?

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $53K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $133K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable fund?

The foundation’s 2025 filing describes its grantmaking as supporting 501(c)(3) public charities, including hospitals, arts organizations, educational institutions, land-preservation organizations, libraries, and religious institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable?

The foundation’s 2025 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's EIN?

Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5339152. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

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

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Duke and Gael Habernickel Charitable'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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