Esjay Foundation Inc
Esjay Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with each listed grant designated for “public charity support.”
Esjay Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Esjay Foundation Inc gave $250K across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state New York. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $249,580
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 64
- -1.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,900
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $3,207,326
- -0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (16 of 64, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (35% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Esjay Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 134 N Lasalle Street 2020, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 568-5550
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Esjay Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Eagle Valley Community Foundation ($40K). Together the top 10 received $168K.
Grant Size Distribution
364 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 364 grants of 364 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York (35%), Colorado (25%), the District of Columbia (13%), California (12%), and Arizona (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Esjay Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 64 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 72% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 108% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $100K (2019) to $250K (2025). In 2025 it made 64 grants totaling $250K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Eagle Valley Community Foundation Edwards, CO | Public Charity Support | $40,350 |
| Solidaire Oakland, CA | Public Charity Support | $25,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Foundation of America New York City, NY | Public Charity Support | $20,000 |
| United Way of Weld County Greeley, CO | Public Charity Support | $15,000 |
| ACLU Foundation New York, NY | Public Charity Support | $14,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Public Charity Support | $12,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Public Charity Support | $11,500 |
| ADL New York, NY | Public Charity Support | $10,000 |
| National Resource Defense Council Albany, NY | Public Charity Support | $10,000 |
| Sahuarita Food Bank Sahuarita, AZ | Public Charity Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Esjay Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,207,326 | $290,220 | $301,716 | $249,580 | 64 | $249,580 | $254,522 | $229,447 |
| 2024 | $3,232,938 | $230,434 | $282,937 | $240,900 | 65 | $240,900 | $197,685 | $215,356 |
| 2023 | $3,301,650 | $388,392 | $192,233 | $154,576 | 72 | $154,576 | $67,371 | $178,920 |
| 2022 | $3,075,252 | $574,488 | $151,925 | $119,936 | 66 | $119,936 | $176,756 | $170,466 |
| 2021 | $2,665,017 | $350,740 | $194,584 | $166,109 | 97 | $166,109 | $116,926 | $157,281 |
| 2020 | $2,472,069 | $87,388 | $220,671 | $189,850 | 74 | — | $60,028 | $134,037 |
| 2019 | $2,589,863 | $1,277,771 | $124,010 | $99,624 | 50 | — | $98,554 | $109,037 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Esjay Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $229K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span community services, food assistance, emergency response, worker protections, and advocacy. For example, Eagle Valley Community Foundation describes its work as connecting people with community resources for nourishment, wellness, and growth; World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises; and the National Domestic Workers Alliance says it works to secure respect, dignity, and labor protections for domestic workers.
Other 2025 recipients include Sahuarita Food Bank, which says it works to feed people in its community through food distribution, education, and advocacy; and the National Alliance to End Homelessness, which describes itself as committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 64 grants totaling $249,580. Grants ranged from $20 to $40,350, with a median grant of $1,000. Among its largest 2025 grants were $40,350 to Eagle Valley Community Foundation, $25,000 to Solidaire, $20,000 to Planned Parenthood Foundation of America, $15,000 to United Way of Weld County, and $14,000 to ACLU Foundation. Other notable grants included $12,000 to Doctors Without Borders, $11,500 to World Central Kitchen, and $10,000 each to ADL, National Resource Defense Council, and Sahuarita Food Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nathan Grossman as secretary and director; Lynn Janklow as president, treasurer, and director; and Donald Janklow, Danielle Janklow, and Erin Janklow as directors.
Esjay Foundation Inc is led by Lynn Janklow, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynn Janklow
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
1.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald Janklow
Director
On filings since 2019
1.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Grossman
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Danielle Janklow
Director
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erin Janklow
Director
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Esjay Foundation Inc
How much does Esjay Foundation Inc give each year?
Esjay Foundation Inc gave $250K across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $241K across 65 grants.
What is Esjay Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Esjay Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,900, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Esjay Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.
Where does Esjay Foundation Inc give grants?
Esjay Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (25%) and District of Columbia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants), Washington, DC (8 grants), Greeley, CO (3 grants) and Wahington, DC (3 grants).
Does Esjay Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 64 grants with a stated purpose on Esjay Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Charity Support" (64 grants).
Who are Esjay Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Esjay Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Eagle Valley Community Foundation ($40,350), Solidaire ($25,000) and Planned Parenthood Foundation of America ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Esjay Foundation Inc?
Esjay Foundation Inc reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $250K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $229K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Esjay Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span community services, food assistance, emergency response, worker protections, and advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Esjay Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Esjay Foundation Inc's EIN?
Esjay Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3083194. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Esjay Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Esjay Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/esjay-foundation-inc-morg_253787e373a94c0394d3b6a077690779
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363083194_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Esjay Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/esjay-foundation-inc-morg_253787e373a94c0394d3b6a077690779},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Esjay Foundation Inc'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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