Elias Foundation
The Elias Foundation is a private foundation based in Mount Kisco, New York. Established in 1999, it supports emerging grassroots leaders and organizations working toward progressive social, political, and economic change, with a focus on the Hudson Valley.
Elias Foundation at a glance
In short: Elias Foundation gave $1.1M across 61 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in New York. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,050,041
- -19.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 61
- -29.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $17,214
- +15.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,476,467
- +3.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (7 of 35, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (83% 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 Elias Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 10 Old Road Lane, Mount Kisco, NY 10549
Phone: (914) 806-9977
Website: https://eliasfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Elias Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wespac Foundation ($105K). Together the top 10 received $476K.
Organizations only. It also paid 26 grants to individuals ($441,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
328 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 310 grants of 328 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its organizational grantmaking roots in Westchester County and its later expansion to the Hudson Valley region. In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 6% to New Jersey, 3% each to Louisiana and Maine, and 2% to Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 61 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Elias Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 35 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 247% of 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $762K (2022) to $1.3M (2023). In 2024 it made 61 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wespac Foundation White Plains, NY | General Operating | $105,000 |
| Westchester Children's Association White Plains, NY | General Operating | $80,000 |
| Children's Village Dobbs Ferry, NY | General Operating - Board Discretionary | $58,085 |
| Rutgers University Foundation Piscataway, NJ | General Operating - Board Discretionary | $50,000 |
| Just Leadership USA New York, NY | General Operating - Board Discretionary | $43,660 |
| 25 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $440,000 |
| Neighbors Link Mount Kisco, NY | General Operating | $34,000 |
| Seed Commons (Coop Hudson Valley) New York, NY | General Operating | $30,000 |
| Southern Maine Workers' Center Portland, ME | General Operating - Board Discretionary | $30,000 |
| Community Movement Builders Atlanta, GA | General Operating - Board Discretionary | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,476,467 | $1,526,552 | $1,451,779 | $1,050,041 | 61 | $1,433,498 | $1,442,957 | $581,265 |
| 2023 | $3,365,714 | $1,179,110 | $1,674,080 | $1,300,587 | 87 | $1,593,902 | $1,098,932 | $448,991 |
| 2022 | $3,859,995 | $245,554 | $948,564 | $762,420 | 50 | $863,520 | $160,510 | $480,741 |
| 2021 | $4,563,920 | $1,138,634 | $1,410,485 | $1,161,106 | 71 | $1,312,956 | $1,041,105 | $554,965 |
| 2020 | $4,854,793 | $257,055 | $1,126,906 | $899,359 | 59 | — | $161,775 | $486,499 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elias Foundation reported a distributable amount of $581K 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’s mission is to promote a more equitable and progressive society by supporting the development of emerging grassroots leaders and their organizations. Its stated priorities include economic equity and social justice, self-directed change led by local communities, community advocacy, and developing community leaders.
Its focus areas include leadership development and activist training, social justice movement building, and community organizing and civic engagement. Among its 2024 grantees, WESPAC Foundation describes its work as providing support for groups and individuals organizing for peace, justice, and a sustainable environment. Neighbors Link says it works to strengthen community integration of immigrants through programs including English-language learning, workforce development, legal services, and support services. Southern Maine Workers Center describes its work as building a grassroots movement to improve conditions for working and poor people in Maine.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 61 grants totaling $1,050,041. Grant amounts ranged from $120 to $105,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest 2024 grants included $105,000 to WESPAC Foundation, $80,000 to Westchester Children’s Association, $58,085 to Children’s Village, $50,000 to Rutgers University Foundation, and $43,660 to Just Leadership USA. Several grants to individuals were identified as fellowships.
The Elias Activist Fellowship Program supports individual activists’ development as leaders; it is not a grant opportunity for projects or organizations. Fellows determine how to use funds for their development as activist leaders. Permitted uses may include education, training, research, creative work, leadership coaching, travel to meet peers, and time for reflection or self-care. The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says it is no longer accepting letters of intent for Cohort 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jacqueline Mann as President/Executive Director, James E Mann as Secretary, Alison Mann as Vice President, and Anastasia Mann as Treasurer.
Elias Foundation is led by Jacqueline Mann, President & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jacqueline Mann
President & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alison Mann
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anastasia Mann
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James E. Mann
Secretary
On filings since 2020
3 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 Elias Foundation
How much does Elias Foundation give each year?
Elias Foundation gave $1.1M across 61 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 87 grants.
What is Elias Foundation's typical grant size?
Elias Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $17,214, across 61 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elias Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Elias Foundation give grants?
Elias Foundation gives mostly in New York: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Jersey (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), New Orleans, LA (2 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does Elias Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 54% of Elias Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 61) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Individual Grant (Fellowship)" (26 grants).
Who are Elias Foundation's largest grantees?
Elias Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Wespac Foundation ($105,000), Westchester Children's Association ($80,000) and Children's Village ($58,085), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 26 grants to individuals ($441,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Elias Foundation?
Elias Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $581K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Elias Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to promote a more equitable and progressive society by supporting the development of emerging grassroots leaders and their organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elias Foundation?
Elias Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check eliasfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is Elias Foundation's EIN?
Elias Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4092287. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Elias 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
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Elias Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/elias-foundation-morg_eefa0007d8104ead820c170e76eaca12
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134092287_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Elias Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/elias-foundation-morg_eefa0007d8104ead820c170e76eaca12},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Elias 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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