Esperantic Studies Foundation
The Esperantic Studies Foundation (ESF) is a private foundation based in Cary, North Carolina. Established in 1968, it supports research, education, and conservation related to world language issues, interlinguistics, linguistic justice, and Esperanto.
Esperantic Studies Foundation at a glance
In short: Esperantic Studies Foundation gave $137K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Maine. 47% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $136,746
- -7.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +31.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,512
- -29.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,927
- Total assets
- $4,636,570
- +13.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (8 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maine (6% 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 Esperantic Studies Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
ESF accepts unsolicited requests. Its filing instructions call for a letter of inquiry followed by a formal proposal with a budget and timeline. The website encourages applicants to submit a brief inquiry before requesting GSF funding and provides an application template. Proposals should explain their connection to ESF’s priorities; the filing says projects must have a definite beginning and end and a defined timeline. The website prefers applications in English or Esperanto.
- Review Cycle
- The filing and the grants-available page list January 31, April 30, and September 30. The website’s general grants page also says proposals may be submitted at any time on a rolling basis.
- Deadline
- The filing and the grants-available page list January 31, April 30, and September 30.
- Contact
Application contact: Chuck Mays Or Any Director Listed I
Mailing address: 638 Greenwood Circle, Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 744-8003
Email: chuck.mays@esperantic.org
Website: https://www.esperantic.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Esperantic Studies Foundation
Who Esperantic Studies Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kovats Katalin for Edukado ($43K). Together the top 10 received $112K.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($20,584), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
90 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 90 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The GSF is open to applicants worldwide; a program summary states a preference for projects relevant to North America. The Marjorie Boulton Fellowships are open to candidates worldwide, with a preference for candidates in North America and the global south.
In 2025, the filing’s grant-dollar distribution lists 83% under “?”, followed by Maine (6%), Virginia (4%), Arizona (4%), and New York (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Esperantic Studies Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 17 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 36% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 157% 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 $101K (2022) to $148K (2024). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $137K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kovats Katalin for Edukado | Grant for administering Edukado.net and for KER European proficiency exams in Esperanto | $42,720 |
| Grammar Soft | Development of a Word and Google Document plug-in to check Experanto spelling and grammar. | $18,139 |
| Bertilo Wennegren - Tekstarocom and | Grant to update research website Takstaro.com and for updating the PIV Esperanto dictionary (printed and online) | $16,435 |
| Centre for Research and Documentation on World Language Problems (CED) | Grants to CED | $8,892 |
| Esperanto-USA Portland, ME | Support for the study of Esperanto in the USA | $8,370 |
| Universala Esperanto Asocio | Grant in support of the World Esperanto Congress in Brno, Czech Republic | $5,347 |
| 5 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $20,584 |
| Jonathan Thomas New York Mills, NY | Summer Intern Grant for archiving documents at Umass. | $3,927 |
| Kazmir Nashr Printers | Printing of the History of Experanto en Central Asia | $3,731 |
| University of Ulster | Research Grant for an Index of Linguistic Justice | $2,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,636,570 | $390,301 | $328,753 | $136,746 | 21 | $321,153 | $231,325 | $203,948 |
| 2024 | $4,080,929 | $233,464 | $266,545 | $147,737 | 16 | $278,364 | $172,245 | $201,860 |
| 2023 | $3,871,068 | $260,032 | $267,672 | $123,608 | 23 | $220,621 | $128,151 | $183,890 |
| 2022 | $3,738,467 | $221,838 | $247,058 | $100,905 | 14 | $194,083 | $144,811 | $191,315 |
| 2021 | $4,230,294 | $237,052 | $192,833 | $113,400 | 16 | $183,742 | $190,551 | $194,529 |
| 2020 | $3,645,783 | $-30,248 | $207,462 | $108,214 | 10 | — | $98,325 | $161,671 |
| 2019 | $3,776,669 | $221,300 | $286,741 | $105,860 | 15 | — | $115,824 | $174,236 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Esperantic Studies Foundation reported a distributable amount of $204K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
ESF’s stated mission is to work toward a world where thousands of languages thrive and understanding knows no barriers. Inspired by Esperanto’s global uses, it supports projects exploring communication in a world with many languages.
Its three priority areas are research, conservation, and education. Research includes scholarship and public discussion of interlingual communication, interlinguistics, linguistic justice, and language policy and planning. Conservation includes preserving documents and artifacts related to Esperanto and interlinguistics and making them available to researchers. Education includes support for teaching and studying Esperanto and interlinguistics, including university-level courses and online educational resources.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, ESF reported 21 grants totaling $136,746. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $42,720, with a median of $3,927.
Notable 2025 grants included $42,720 for administering Edukado.net and European Esperanto proficiency exams; $18,139 for a spelling and grammar-checking plug-in; $16,435 for a research website and updates to the Esperanto dictionary; $8,892 to the Centre for Research and Documentation on World Language Problems; $8,370 to Esperanto-USA; and $5,347 to the Universala Esperanto Asocio in support of the World Esperanto Congress. ESF also reported four $5,000 Marjorie Boulton Academic Fellowship grants to individual recipients.
ESF describes two grant programs. The Interlinguistics Support Fund (ISF) offers competitive small grants, normally under $2,000, for research in language planning, interlinguistics, transnational language policy, linguistic justice, and planned languages, including Esperanto. The General Support Fund (GSF) is open to individuals and organizations, including universities, for projects in research, education, or conservation. GSF grants are generally up to $2,000, though ESF says larger or longer-term awards are occasionally made. The foundation’s grants page also invites proposals of up to $2,000 for research and related activities.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Grant Goodall as president; Andy Blair as vice president; Derek Roff as secretary; and Myrtis Smith as treasurer. Directors at large are Hans Becklin, Paige Feldmann, Marcia Rego, Francis Hult, Brandon Sowers, and Jeremy Genovese.
Esperantic Studies Foundation is led by Charles Mays, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 12 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles Mays
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$31K (2019) → $42K (2025)
Grant Goodall
President
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hans Becklin
Director at Large
Director at Large → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Director at Large, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Francis Hult
Director at Large
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marcia Rego
Director at Large
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paige Feldmann
Director at Large
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Sowers
Director at Large
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Genovese
Director at Large
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Kevess-Cohen
Director at Large
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derek Roff
Secretary
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy Blair
Vice President
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Myrtis Smith
Treasurer
Director at Large → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Geoffrey Greatrex (2019–2024) — Director at Large
- Former: Anna Bennett (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Humphrey Tonkin (2019–2023) — President
- Former: Mark Fettes (2019–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Wallace G du Temple (2019–2023) — Director & Investments Officer
- Former: Sebastian Schulman (2020–2023) — Director at Large
- Former: Ben Speakmon (2019–2020) — Director at Large
- Former: Esther Schor (2019–2020) — Director at Large
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $42K, to Charles Mays (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Esperantic Studies Foundation
How much does Esperantic Studies Foundation give each year?
Esperantic Studies Foundation gave $137K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $148K across 16 grants.
What is Esperantic Studies Foundation's typical grant size?
Esperantic Studies Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,927, and its average grant was $6,512, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Esperantic Studies Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Esperantic Studies Foundation give grants?
Esperantic Studies Foundation's top state is Maine, with 6% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Does Esperantic Studies Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Esperantic Studies Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Majorie Boulton Academic Fellowship" (4 grants).
Who are Esperantic Studies Foundation's largest grantees?
Esperantic Studies Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Kovats Katalin for Edukado ($42,720), Grammar Soft ($18,139) and Bertilo Wennegren - Tekstarocom and ($16,435), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($20,584), which are not listed by name. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Esperantic Studies Foundation?
Esperantic Studies Foundation reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $321K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $204K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Esperantic Studies Foundation fund?
ESF’s stated mission is to work toward a world where thousands of languages thrive and understanding knows no barriers. Inspired by Esperanto’s global uses, it supports projects exploring communication in a world with many languages. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Esperantic Studies Foundation?
ESF accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Esperantic Studies Foundation's EIN?
Esperantic Studies Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-0885287. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Esperantic Studies Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 7, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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