James P Geiss and
James P Geiss and is a private foundation based in Princeton, New Jersey, that supports scholarly research and interpretation of China’s Ming Dynasty and related subjects through publication subventions and project awards. The foundation was established in 2001 and makes awards twice a year.
James P Geiss and at a glance
In short: James P Geiss and gave $260K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state New Jersey. 71% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $259,962
- -1.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- +20.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,442
- -17.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $9,798
- Total assets
- $5,483,592
- +12.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 71% first-time grantees (12 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (20% 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 James P Geiss and
- How to Apply
-
The foundation provides application routes for publication subventions and project awards. Project applications are submitted by email and should include a completed application form and a narrative describing the project, its relevance to the mission, rationale, goals or outcomes, and timeline. For publishers, the filing lists an application form, a publisher’s nomination letter, an abstract, table of contents, and sample pages, reader reports, and a list of grants and awards received or pending. The filing states that awards are restricted to Ming and Chinese studies.
- Review Cycle
- March 1 and September 1. The September 1, 2026 deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- March 1 and September 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Christine Minerva
Mailing address: 12 Roszel Road Suite A104, Princeton, NJ 08540
Phone: (609) 795-7250
Email: applications@geissfoundation.us
Website: https://geissfoundation.us
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from James P Geiss and
Who James P Geiss and funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The University of British Columbia ($73K). Together the top 10 received $214K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
86 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 82 grants of 86 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s mission concerns Ming Dynasty China and related predecessor, successor, and interacting regions. In its 2024 grants, the largest identified recipient-state shares were 20% for New Jersey, 12% for Virginia, 10% for Massachusetts, and 6% for Washington. The filing also reports a 34% share for an unidentified state, which cannot be specified here. A 2024 grant went to the University of British Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James P Geiss and open to new grantees?
71%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 17 grantees (71%) 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 $11K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 18% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 117% 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 $114K (2020) to $289K (2021). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $260K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The University of British Columbia | Geiss-hsu postdoctoral fellowship in ming studies (post-doc / pi: bruce rusk) | $72,944 |
| Princeton University Library Princeton, NJ | Ghf support for fpul grants (research grants / pi: mireille djenno) | $27,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $20,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Boston, MA | Exploring literati discourses, 14th- 18th centuries (open-access public platform / pi: peter bol) | $20,000 |
| Martin J Heijdra DBA Ming Studies Princeton, NJ | Journal of the Society for Ming Studies Editorship | $17,000 |
| University of Washington Press Seattle, WA | Wading barefoot through a mountain stream: the travel diaries of xu xiake (1587-1641); james hargett, lead translator and editor; print and open access publication | $15,000 |
| The University of North Carolina Charlotte, NC | China on the move (conference / pi: dan du) | $14,805 |
| Arizona State University for a New American University Tempe, AZ | Worlding the ming empire in global early modernity (conference, pi: xiaoqiao ling) | $12,000 |
| The Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA | Plant humanities in china (workshop / pi: natasha heller) | $11,596 |
| Martin J Heijdra DBA Ming Studies Princeton, NJ | Two Book Prizes in Ming Studies | $8,000 |
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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 | $5,483,592 | $271,398 | $313,298 | $259,962 | 18 | $308,718 | $117,374 | $264,451 |
| 2023 | $4,876,077 | $100,815 | $303,725 | $263,135 | 15 | $302,751 | $104,628 | $231,368 |
| 2022 | $4,492,637 | $14,179 | $313,361 | $246,728 | 21 | $293,753 | $71,196 | $243,968 |
| 2021 | $5,642,806 | $1,635,355 | $330,273 | $289,109 | 18 | $321,491 | $725,918 | $259,297 |
| 2020 | $4,508,455 | $93,989 | $164,488 | $114,260 | 14 | — | $80,478 | $200,556 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James P Geiss and reported a distributable amount of $264K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to encourage and sponsor scholarly research and interpretation of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) in China. It may also support study of the Ming’s predecessors and successors and of contemporaries in geographic areas with which the Ming interacted.
Its awards support scholarly publications, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and other mission-aligned projects. The foundation accepts applications from not-for-profit academic presses and other eligible not-for-profit organizations; project awards may also go to international organizations that qualify as registered charities or academic institutions in their countries. For example, Harvard describes its own work as education and research across academic domains, while UC Press Foundation describes its role as raising philanthropic support and community visibility for the sustainability of UC Press.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $259,962. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $72,944, with a median grant of $9,798. Notable awards included $72,944 to the University of British Columbia for a Ming Studies postdoctoral fellowship; $27,000 to Princeton University Library for research grants; $20,000 to Rare Book School University of Virginia for a scholarship; and $20,000 to President and Fellows of Harvard College for an open-access public platform. Other awards included $17,000 to Ming Studies for journal editorship, $15,000 to University of Washington Press for a print and open-access publication, and $14,805 to the University of North Carolina for a conference.
The foundation’s website describes two award categories: publication subventions for scholarly books and other works, and project awards for activities such as conferences, workshops, exhibitions, performances, and open-access publication of previously published books. Project applications are evaluated on merit and financial need, with priority given to projects that substantially advance the foundation’s mission and goals, encourage emerging scholars, or support innovative Ming Dynasty scholarship. Awards supplement project costs; the foundation does not typically fund parent-organization overhead.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Paize Keulemans as president, Kathlene Baldanza as vice president, Zoe Kwok as treasurer, and Yijun Wang as secretary. Directors listed are Christian Murck, Bruce Rusk, Pauline Yu, and He Bian.
James P Geiss and is led by Paize Keulemans, President on filings since 2020; none of the 8 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paize Keulemans
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christian Murck
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Rusk
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
He Bian
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pauline Yu
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathlene Baldanza
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yijun Wang
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zoe S. Kwok
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Martin Heijdra (2020–2022) — Secretary · Filing note: Thru September
- Former: Pauline Yao (2022) — Director
- Former: Dora Ching (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Pieter Keulemans (2021) — President
- Former: David Robinson (2020) — Vice President
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 James P Geiss and
How much does James P Geiss and give each year?
James P Geiss and gave $260K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $263K across 15 grants.
What is James P Geiss and's typical grant size?
James P Geiss and's median grant in 2024 was $9,798, and its average grant was $14,442, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James P Geiss and that year got $11K on average.
Where does James P Geiss and give grants?
James P Geiss and's top state is New Jersey, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (12%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Princeton, NJ (3 grants).
Does James P Geiss and give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on James P Geiss and's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are James P Geiss and's largest grantees?
James P Geiss and's largest 2024 grantees include The University of British Columbia ($72,944), Princeton University Library ($27,000) and Martin J Heijdra DBA Ming Studies ($25,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is James P Geiss and?
James P Geiss and reported $5.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $309K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $264K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James P Geiss and fund?
The foundation’s mission is to encourage and sponsor scholarly research and interpretation of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) in China. It may also support study of the Ming’s predecessors and successors and of contemporaries in geographic areas with which the Ming interacted. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James P Geiss and?
The foundation provides application routes for publication subventions and project awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James P Geiss and's EIN?
James P Geiss and's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0005459. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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). James P Geiss and funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-p-geiss-and-morg_50a4fc3d44b2489d938ae2d5da0c02e2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_800005459_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James P Geiss and funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-p-geiss-and-morg_50a4fc3d44b2489d938ae2d5da0c02e2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 James P Geiss and'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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