Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation
The Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations supporting areas including housing stability, food access, education, health, and services for people experiencing domestic violence.
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation gave $185K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Massachusetts. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $185,000
- +11.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $15,417
- -16.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,500
- Total assets
- $5,165,550
- +4.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (76% 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 Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Choate Hall Stewart PO Box 961, Boston, MA 02196
Phone: (617) 248-4045
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cradles to Crayons ($25K). Together the top 10 received $175K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 70 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to organizations in Massachusetts (76%), New Jersey (11%), California (5%), New York (5%), and Maine (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−12%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $166K (2024) to $240K (2023). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $185K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cradles to Crayons Newtonville, MA | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Housing Families Inc Malden, MA | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Women's Lunch Place Boston, MA | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Huntington Theater Company Boston, MA | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Learning Ally Princeton, NJ | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Perkins School for the Blind Watertown, MA | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Reach Beyond Domestic Violence Waltham, MA | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Peer Health Exchange Oakland, CA | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America New York, NY | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| 826 Boston Roxbury, MA | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,165,550 | $427,469 | $254,271 | $185,000 | 12 | $232,668 | $405,866 | $249,339 |
| 2024 | $4,942,830 | $131,768 | $230,508 | $166,000 | 9 | $209,405 | $110,665 | $226,849 |
| 2023 | $4,336,381 | $-81,773 | $318,498 | $240,000 | 13 | $290,863 | $65,123 | $220,027 |
| 2022 | $4,728,598 | $508,806 | $304,849 | $210,000 | 11 | $244,354 | $455,500 | $272,001 |
| 2021 | $5,709,423 | $397,818 | $293,698 | $200,000 | 25 | — | $342,928 | $258,316 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $249K 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 foundation mission is stated in the provided information. Its 2025 grants were all listed as general operating support. Among its grantees, Cradles to Crayons says it provides essential items to children in low-income or homeless situations, and Housing Families says its mission is to strengthen housing stability. Perkins School for the Blind describes work serving people with disabilities through education and accessibility services, while Reach Beyond Domestic Violence says it supports survivors and promotes healthy relationships.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 12 grants totaling $185,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with a median grant of $17,500. Larger grants included $25,000 each to Cradles to Crayons, Housing Families, and Women’s Lunch Place; $20,000 each to Huntington Theater Company, Learning Ally, and Perkins School for the Blind; and $15,000 to Reach Beyond Domestic Violence.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kristin Abati, Richard J Eckstein, and Jessica L Lambert as trustees.
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard J Eckstein
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$10K (2021) → $10K (2025)
Kristin Abati
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica L Lambert
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robert A Russo (2021–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $10K, to Richard J Eckstein (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation
How much does Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation give each year?
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation gave $185K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $166K across 9 grants.
What is Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $15,417, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation give grants?
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (11%) and California (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cradles to Crayons ($25,000), Housing Families Inc ($25,000) and Women's Lunch Place ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation?
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation reported $5.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $233K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $249K (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 Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation fund?
No foundation mission is stated in the provided information. Its 2025 grants were all listed as general operating support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6869254. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Esther B Kahn Charitable 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 2021–2025
Live grants for the work Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/esther-b-kahn-charitable-foundation-morg_e1d7021b0dbc4938b11660eb1d654c2b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046869254_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Esther B Kahn Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/esther-b-kahn-charitable-foundation-morg_e1d7021b0dbc4938b11660eb1d654c2b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Esther B Kahn Charitable 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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