Lois Chiles Foundation
The Lois Chiles Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including historical and natural-history museums, a cancer center, theaters, and community organizations.
Key facts about Lois Chiles Foundation
In short: Lois Chiles Foundation gave $1.1M across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in New York. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-1673659
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,085,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- Average grant
- $32,879
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (16 of 33, 2025)
- Total assets
- $2,738,539
- Primary geography
- New York (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7M
-14.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-15.8% YoY
Grant Count
33
+6.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
-20.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lois Chiles Foundation reported a distributable amount of $272K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Lois Chiles Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 33 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 48% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 161% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 402% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. The New-York Historical Society describes its mission as collecting, preserving, and interpreting material related to U.S. history, particularly the history of New York State and City. The American Museum of Natural History says it works to discover, interpret, and share knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe through research and education. The Beacon Project says it aims to help elders remain on Islesboro with dignity and comfort.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $1,085,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $375,000, with a median of $10,000. In 2024, it awarded 31 grants totaling $1,288,550; in 2023, it awarded 34 grants totaling $1,956,600.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 57% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 16% to Connecticut, 11% to Texas, 7% to Virginia, and 4% to Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 33 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
172 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY New York, NY | GENERAL FUND | $375,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY New York, NY | GENERAL FUND | $125,000 |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER Houston, TX | GENERAL FUND | $100,000 |
| YALE REPERTORY THEATRE ASSOCIATES INC New Haven, CT | GENERAL FUND | $100,000 |
| DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF DRAMA AT YALE New Haven, CT | GENERAL FUND | $75,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY INC New York, NY | GENERAL FUND | $25,000 |
| SIR JOHN SOANE'S MUSEUM FOUNDATION New York, NY | GENERAL FUND | $25,000 |
| DAILY HISTORY QUOTE INC Westfield, NJ | GENERAL FUND | $20,000 |
| THE BEACON PROJECT Islesboro, ME | GENERAL FUND | $20,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Charlottesville, VA | GENERAL FUND | $20,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Grantmaking totals reported for the three most recent filing years provided:
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,085,000 | 33 |
| 2024 | $1,288,550 | 31 |
| 2023 | $1,956,600 | 34 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,738,539 | $3,219,097 | $2,860,969 |
| Revenue | $644,312 | $1,695,208 | $247,613 |
| Expenses | $1,124,870 | $1,337,080 | $2,025,647 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,094,674 | $1,305,986 | $1,331,163 |
| Net Investment Income | $634,116 | $1,659,741 | $225,922 |
| Distributable Amount | $272,347 | $227,453 | $229,062 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 1, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lois Chiles as president and Gary S. Castle as treasurer.
Lois Chiles Foundation is led by Lois Chiles, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lois Chiles
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary S. Castle
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sue Kiel (2020–2023) — Vice President · Filing note: Deceased 8112024
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: Co Anchin 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 840-3456
Frequently asked questions about Lois Chiles Foundation
How much does Lois Chiles Foundation give each year?
Lois Chiles Foundation gave $1.1M across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 31 grants.
What is Lois Chiles Foundation's typical grant size?
Lois Chiles Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $32,879, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lois Chiles Foundation that year got $19K on average.
Where does Lois Chiles Foundation give grants?
Lois Chiles Foundation gives mostly in New York: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (16%) and Texas (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), Charlottesville, VA (4 grants), Islesboro, ME (4 grants) and Houston, TX (3 grants).
Does Lois Chiles Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Lois Chiles Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Lois Chiles Foundation's largest grantees?
Lois Chiles Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The New York Historical Society ($375,000), American Museum of Natural History ($125,000) and MD Anderson Cancer Center ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lois Chiles Foundation?
Lois Chiles Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $272K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lois Chiles Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. The New-York Historical Society describes its mission as collecting, preserving, and interpreting material related to U.S. history, particularly the history of New York State and City. The American Museum of Natural History says it works to discover, interpret, and share knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe through research and education. The Bea…
How do I apply for a grant from Lois Chiles Foundation?
The foundation 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 Lois Chiles Foundation's EIN?
Lois Chiles Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1673659. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Lois Chiles Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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