Kvistad Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker OLIVEBRIDGE, NY EIN: 14-1702791

The Kvistad Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1988 and tax-exempt since May 1989. Based in Olivebridge, New York, the foundation was created by Garry and Diane Kvistad following the establishment of Woodstock Chimes in 1979. The foundation supports humanitarian efforts and the arts through grantmaking to nonprofit organizations.

Key facts about Kvistad Foundation

EIN: 14-1702791
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $133,625
Grants made (2024): 31
Average grant: $4,310
Median grant: $500
Total assets: $1,446,768
Primary geography: New York (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.

Who Kvistad Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Kvistad Foundation's 31 itemized 2024 grants were New York (98%). The most frequent recipient cities were Poughkeepsie, NY (4 grants), Woodstock, NY (3 grants), Saugerties, NY (3 grants) and New Paltz, NY (2 grants). None of its 31 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Culture" (14 grants), "Humanitarian" (6 grants) and "Performing Arts" (6 grants).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.4M

-5.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$134K

-12.2% YoY

Grant Count

+14.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

-23.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kvistad Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K 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's primary purpose is giving to organizations that provide food and shelter for the poor, including the elderly and children, with a particular focus on Ulster County, New York.

Beyond this core mission, the foundation also supports:

Education
Philanthropy and voluntarism
Human services
Arts and culture, including concert series in the Hudson Valley region
Historic buildings
Creative writing
Journalism

Grantmaking

The foundation has evolved its grantmaking structure over time. As the Kvistad business grew and the foundation received an increasing volume of funding requests, the founders established the Kvistad Family Designated Fund to issue predetermined grants to a select group of agencies while streamlining the overall grantmaking process.

Review Cycle

, the foundation has distributed nearly 70 grants annually

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Primary funding focus:

Ulster County, New York
New York State (Hudson Valley region)
District of Columbia
Pennsylvania

Grant Distribution by State

New York $131K (98%)

District of Columbia $800 (1%)

Pennsylvania $500 (0%)

Illinois $500 (0%)

Florida $500 (0%)

All other $550 (0%)

Share of all 31 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Illinois Indiana Massachusetts Maryland Michigan New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee Texas

Cities

WoodstockKingstonPoughkeepsieNew PaltzSaugertiesRosendaleWashingtonOlivebridgePheoniciaHigh FallsHudsonNew YorkBoicevilleHagerstownPhoeniciaWest HurleyArkvilleCornwall On HudsonKingston RidgeLocust Valley

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total assets: $1,446,768
Total revenue: $66,785
Total expenses: $146,958
Net income: -$80,173
Total liabilities: $0

Revenue Sources (2024):

Contributions received: $4,651
Interest revenue: $0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,446,768	$1,526,941	$1,606,907
Revenue	$66,785	$82,166	$20,450
Expenses	$146,958	$162,132	$97,247
Qualifying Distributions	$133,625	$152,250	$94,770
Net Investment Income	$62,134	$66,510	$12,482
Distributable Amount	$68,407	$72,070	$74,272

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

308 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley ($100,500), D&h Canal Historical Society ($5,000), Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York ($5,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS OF THE HUDSON VALLEY POUGHKEEPSIE, NY	COMMUNITY CULTURE	$100,500
D&H CANAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY HIGH FALLS, NY	HISTORICAL PRESERVATION	$5,000
REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK LATHAM, NY	HUMANITARIAN	$5,000
MAVERICK CONCERTS INC WOODSTOCK, NY	PERFORMING ARTS	$3,000
WALKWAY OVER THE HUDSON POUGHKEEPSIE, NY	COMMUNITY CULTURE	$2,600
UPACBARDAVON POUGHKEEPSIE, NY	PERFORMING ARTS	$2,500
UPSTATE FILMS SAUGERTIES, NY	COMMUNITY CULTURE	$2,000
WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE WOODSTOCK, NY	PERFORMING ARTS	$2,000
MATAGIRI SRI AUROBINDO CENTER MOUNT TEMPER, NY	COMMUNITY CULTURE	$1,500
ROSENDALE THEATRE COLLECTIVE ROSENDALE, NY	PERFORMING ARTS	$1,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Founders:

Garry Kvistad
Diane Kvistad

The founders have been actively involved in monitoring and directing foundation grants. Diane Kvistad previously managed the annual grant request process directly before the foundation evolved its structure.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
DIANE HERRICK-KVISTAD	PRESIDENT	1	—
GARRY KVISTAD	TREAS/SECRETARY	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2024

The foundation has maintained active grantmaking operations through recent years. In their most recent tax filing (2024), the foundation reported significant grant distributions totaling $133,625, demonstrating continued philanthropic activity across their focus areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Kvistad Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary purpose is giving to organizations that provide food and shelter for the poor, including the elderly and children, with a particular focus on Ulster County, New York. Beyond this core mission, the foundation also supports: • Education • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services • Arts and culture, including concert series in the Hudson Valley region • Historic buildings • Creative writing • Journalism

How do I apply for a grant from Kvistad Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving in 2024: $133,625 • Typical award range: $100–$100,500 • In recent grant cycles, the foundation has distributed nearly 70 grants annually **Approach:** The foundation has evolved its grantmaking structure over time. As the Kvistad business grew and the foundation received an increasing volume of funding requests, the founders established the Kvistad Family Designated Fund to issue predetermined grants to a select group of agencies while streamlining the overal…

Where does Kvistad Foundation make grants?

Primary funding focus: • Ulster County, New York • New York State (Hudson Valley region) • District of Columbia • Pennsylvania

What size grants does Kvistad Foundation award?

In 2024, Kvistad Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $134K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Kvistad Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Kvistad Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.