Encourage Kids Foundation
Encourage Kids Foundation is a New York, New York-based public charity that supports pediatric programs intended to make hospitals a better place for children to get better. Its work includes helping hospitals address children’s emotional and psychological needs through therapeutic programs, comfort items, activities, and child-friendly spaces.
Encourage Kids Foundation at a glance
In short: Encourage Kids Foundation gave $241K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $240,500
- -5.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +5.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,025
- -9.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $2,392,117
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (47% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Encourage Kids Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 1560 Broadway Suite 600, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 354-2878
Website: https://encourage-kids.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Encourage Kids Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Mount Sinai Kravis Childrens Hospital ($30K). Together the top 10 received $156K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 52 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. New York accounted for 47% of grant dollars, followed by New Jersey at 7%, Louisiana at 5%, and Minnesota and Michigan at 4% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Encourage Kids Foundation gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 $25K (2021) to $253K (2023). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $241K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Sinai Kravis Childrens Hospital New York, NY | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $30,000 |
| Newyork-Presbyterian Komansky Childrens Hospital New York, NY | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $25,000 |
| NYC Health Hospitalsbellevue New York, NY | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $25,000 |
| Children's Hospital at Montefiore Bronx, NY | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $14,000 |
| Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital Baton Rouge, LA | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $12,000 |
| Bristol Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University New Brunswick, NJ | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $10,000 |
| Good Samaritan University Hospital West Islip, NY | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $10,000 |
| Hennepin Healthcare System Inc (Hennepin Health Foundation) Minneapolis, MN | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $10,000 |
| Hurley Children's Hospital Flint, MI | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $10,000 |
| Tucson Medical Center Tucson, AZ | Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,392,117 | $1,270,295 | $1,505,566 | $240,500 | 20 | $44,099 |
| 2023 | $2,572,575 | $1,527,640 | $1,358,442 | $253,327 | 19 | $32,059 |
| 2022 | $2,370,006 | $1,851,193 | $1,685,173 | $221,120 | 10 | $-188,661 |
| 2021 | $2,413,576 | $2,152,457 | $1,521,748 | $25,000 | 1 | $173,585 |
| 2020 | $1,996,038 | $4,500,160 | $4,960,393 | $37,135 | 2 | $13,265 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated on the foundation’s 2024 filing is “making hospitals a better place to get better by helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.”
The foundation’s pediatric hospital support includes music, facility dogs and pet therapy, sensory therapy, recreational rooms, technology and learning devices, and equipment and supplies for child-friendly environments. Its website also describes support for creative arts therapies, support groups, recreational activities, renovations, and comfort kits.
The 2024 filing describes a mental health pilot developed with medical experts from the foundation’s hospital network for a small number of New York City hospitals. It addresses the needs of children experiencing acute anxiety or depression, self-harm, or suicidal ideation. The filing states that the foundation received a grant from Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for this program; that is funding received by the foundation, not a grant it gave to another organization.
The 2024 grants include pediatric hospitals and other hospital-related recipients. For example, Tucson Medical Center, which received $10,000, describes its mission as delivering caring, personalized, quality healthcare in a supportive, education-focused, and compassionate environment. The Brooklyn Hospital Center, which received $9,000, says it provides health services, education, and research for the health of Brooklyn and greater New York. Children’s Specialized Hospital, which received $7,000, describes its mission as raising funds to support its hospital foundation and organizations with similar purposes.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $240,500 through 20 grants. Grants ranged from $7,000 to $30,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $30,000 to Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, $25,000 each to NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and $14,000 to Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. Each was identified as a Pediatric Hospital Support Program grant.
Other 2024 awards included $12,000 to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and $10,000 each to Bristol Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University, Good Samaritan University Hospital, Hennepin Healthcare System, Hurley Children’s Hospital, Tucson Medical Center, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, and UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center.
The foundation’s website says its Pediatric Hospital Support Program has awarded more than $15.1 million to 847 projects since the program began in 1996. The 2024 filing says grant recipients must submit mid-year and final progress reports and provide impact data about people served by grant funding.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Tony Fineman as chair; Joan Palermo as vice chair; John Anastasio as treasurer; Mary Krayeske as secretary; and Jeffrey Gural as chairman emeritus. It also lists Steve Carbone, Jocelyn Chisholm Carter, Erika Feil-Lincoln, Alan Roth, and Adam Spies as board members.
Encourage Kids Foundation is led by Jean Butler, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 1 of 16 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jean Butler
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
$199K (2023) → $249K (2024)
Tony Fineman
Chair
Treasurer → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Spies
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Roth
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Claudia Hilbert
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erika Feil-Lincoln
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joan Palermo
Vice Chair
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jocelyn Chisholm Carter
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Anastasio
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Krayeske
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Weinstein
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Verdi
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Carbone
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Gural
Chairman Emeritus
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Wessely
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rob Rosenberg
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Diane Rode (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Gural (2020–2022) — Chairman Emeritus
- Former: Joseph Wessely (2020–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Michele Hall-Duncan (2020–2022) — President & CEO
- Former: Robert Rosenberg (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Giselle Miller To (2020) — Vice President & Special Events
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $249K, to Jean Butler (President and CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Encourage Kids Foundation
How much does Encourage Kids Foundation give each year?
Encourage Kids Foundation gave $241K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $253K across 19 grants.
What is Encourage Kids Foundation's typical grant size?
Encourage Kids Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,025, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Encourage Kids Foundation give grants?
Encourage Kids Foundation's top state is New York, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest state was New Jersey (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and New Brunswick, NJ (2 grants).
Does Encourage Kids Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Encourage Kids Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Pediatric Hospital Support Program Grant" (20 grants).
Who are Encourage Kids Foundation's largest grantees?
Encourage Kids Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Mount Sinai Kravis Childrens Hospital ($30,000), Newyork-Presbyterian Komansky Childrens Hospital ($25,000) and NYC Health Hospitalsbellevue ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Encourage Kids Foundation?
Encourage Kids Foundation reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.3M.
What does Encourage Kids Foundation fund?
The mission stated on the foundation’s 2024 filing is “making hospitals a better place to get better by helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Encourage Kids Foundation?
Encourage Kids Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check encourage-kids.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Encourage Kids Foundation's EIN?
Encourage Kids Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3442216. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Encourage Kids Foundation funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Encourage Kids Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Encourage Kids Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/encourage-kids-foundation-morg_c9c2d1869289492b928e8eb136909e38
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133442216_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Encourage Kids Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/encourage-kids-foundation-morg_c9c2d1869289492b928e8eb136909e38},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Encourage Kids 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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