Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-3499349

The Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation is a private foundation established in 1988 and based in New York City. The foundation is located at c/o Anchin, 3 Times Square, New York City, NY 10036.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.6M

-1.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$523K

+8.1% YoY

Grant Count

+94.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$15K

-44.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation reported a distributable amount of $251K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports the arts, health care, and Jewish welfare.

Grantmaking

Based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2024), the foundation has the following grantmaking profile:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Virginia, and Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $1.8M (96%)

Pennsylvania $40K (2%)

Virginia $33K (2%)

Minnesota $1K (0%)

Illinois $650 (0%)

Massachusetts $600 (0%)

District of Columbia $540 (0%)

California $500 (0%)

+5 more states

States

California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Massachusetts Minnesota New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Texas Virginia

Cities

ArlingtonAtlantaBostonBronxCambridgeCambridgerChicagoColorado SpringsEl PasoLos AngelesMillburnNew Hyde ParkNew YorkPhiladelphiaPleasantvilleSan FranciscoSt Louis ParkStamfordWashingtonWhite Plains

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,564,871	$2,599,214	$2,930,115
Revenue	$544,621	$205,764	$51,416
Expenses	$578,964	$536,665	$543,368
Qualifying Distributions	$533,959	$495,039	$466,550
Net Investment Income	$496,678	$163,480	$2,870
Distributable Amount	$250,656	$227,300	$285,270

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

130 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Entertainment Community ($420,333), Mount Sinai Hospital System ($24,975), Mount Sinai Health Systems ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AARP FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC	CHARITABLE	$60
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL	CHARITABLE	$175
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$100
ARMED SERVICES YMCA EL PASO, TX	CHARITABLE	$100
CHILDREN'S FIRST NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$7,000
COOPER UNION NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$2,000
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$1,000
DOE FUND NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$20
EARTHJUSTICE SAN FRANCISCO, CA	CHARITABLE	$100
FOOD BANK OF NYC NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$35

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Albert L. Nerken graduated from The Cooper Union in 1933 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He had a distinguished career in engineering and industry, including work with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the forerunner of NASA), development work on agricultural product conversion to plastics, and contributions to the Manhattan Project during World War II. He co-founded Vacuum Electronic Engineering Company (VEECO), which grew into an international company with 2,500 workers and operations across multiple countries.

The Albert Nerken School of Engineering at The Cooper Union is named in his honor.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ETTA BRANDMAN ESQ	TRUSTEE	1	—
RUTH NERKEN	TRUSTEE	15	—

Contact Information

Telephone: 212-840-3456

EIN: 13-3499349

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Education Health Human services

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation fund?

The foundation supports the arts, health care, and Jewish welfare.

How do I apply for a grant from Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation?

Based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2024), the foundation has the following grantmaking profile: • **Total Assets:** $2,564,871 • **Total Annual Giving:** $523,398 • **Typical Award Range:** $20–$420,333 The foundation's grant-making focuses on education, philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking, and human services.

Where does Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, Virginia, and Massachusetts.

What size grants does Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation award?

In 2024, Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation awarded 35 grants totaling $523K — an average of about $15K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation reported a distributable amount of $251K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation's EIN?

Jean and Albert Nerken Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3499349. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.