John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation
The John and Elaine Kanas Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1998 and based in Remsenburg, New York. The foundation operates as a non-operating foundation with limited staffing, making grants to preselected charitable organizations across multiple sectors including education, healthcare, and historic preservation.
Financial Overview
From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.6M
-5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.7M
+217.8% YoY
Grant Count
21
-32.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$126K
+369.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, based on grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports organizations in the following areas:
- Education
- Healthcare and medical centers
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects
Grantmaking
The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only. Unsolicited applications are not accepted.
Grant Range
$200 to $1,202,500
Average Grant
amount: $34,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, with some grantmaking activity in South Carolina and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total assets: $31,629,977
- Total revenues: $1,585,217
- Total expenses: $2,765,118
- Investment income and dividends: $1,144,764
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,629,977 | $33,542,034 | $33,770,351 |
| Revenue | $1,585,217 | $855,628 | $3,226,558 |
| Expenses | $2,765,118 | $954,950 | $1,875,519 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,679,299 | $853,972 | $1,788,610 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,470,809 | $761,338 | $760,645 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,592,216 | $1,666,028 | $1,672,232 |
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 2023
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2023 grants, the largest include Stony Brook School ($1,202,500), Long Island University ($660,000), Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation ($611,800).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 9-11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM NEW YORK, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $5,000 |
| ALS FOUNDATION GREATER NY NEW YORK, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $3,600 |
| CITY ON THE HILL COMMUNITY CHEST MIDDLE ISLAND, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $75,500 |
| COMMUNITY FAMILY LITERACY PROJECT SHIRLEY, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $500 |
| EAST END HOSPICE WEST HAMPTON BEACH, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $30,500 |
| FAMILY SERVICE LEAGUE EAST HAMPTON, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $40,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR WILDLIFE SUSTAINABILITY MANORVILLE, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $750 |
| HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH NEW YORK, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $2,000 |
| KIND KEEPER ANIMAL RESCUE NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $500 |
| LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY BROOKVILLE, NY | FOR DONEE'S EXEMPT PURPOSE | $660,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- John A. Kanas – President
- Elaine Kanas – Vice President
- Kathy Hallinan – Secretary
- Patricia Blake – Treasurer
All officers serve on a voluntary basis with no compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
From 2023 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN A KANAS | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| ELAINE KANAS | VICE PRESEIDENT | 5 | — |
| KATHY HALLINAN | SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| PATRICIA BLAKE | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2017, the John and Elaine Kanas Family Foundation acquired the historic Tuttle-Fordham Mill in Remsenburg, a brick structure built in 1859 that had stood vacant since approximately 2008. The foundation undertook a comprehensive restoration and adaptive reuse project, converting the former sawmill into the foundation's headquarters, gallery space, and office suites. The project involved repairing the main mill building and a ca. 1970 accessory building, as well as restoring appropriate water flow to the property. In 2020, Preservation Long Island presented the foundation with a Project Excellence Award recognizing the repair and adaptive reuse of the Tuttle-Fordham Mill.
Kaneta Foundation\u2019s $1.5M gift empowers Lunalilo Scholars to lift others\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation fund?
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, based on grantmaking patterns, the foundation supports organizations in the following areas: • Education • Healthcare and medical centers • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects
How do I apply for a grant from John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Total giving in 2023: $2,655,750 across 31 grants • Grant range: $200 to $1,202,500 • Median grant amount: $3,600 • Average grant amount: $34,000 **Recent Major Grants (2023):** • Stony Brook School: $1,202,500 • Long Island University (LIU): $660,000 • Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation: $611,800 **Application Process:** The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only. Unsolicited applications are not accepted.
Where does John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, with some grantmaking activity in South Carolina and Florida.
What size grants does John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation award?
In 2023, John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $2.7M — an average of about $126K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation's EIN?
John & Elaine Kanas Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3440709. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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