Melissa and John V Ceriale Family
The Melissa and John V Ceriale Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Boca Raton, Florida. Established in 2010, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.8M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-3.5% YoY
Grant Count
21
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$86K
-17.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Melissa and John V Ceriale Family reported a distributable amount of $2.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, their grantmaking demonstrates focus on:
- Education
- Science and STEM education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
Primary geographic areas of giving include Florida, New York, and Colorado.
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes grants to nonprofits working in education, science, human services, and related fields.
Grant Range
$113,300
Average Grant
$113,300
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking extends across:
- Florida
- New York
- Colorado
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2023):
- Total assets: $14 million
- Total liabilities: $0
- Revenue: $267,000
- Expenses: $2.24 million
Historical Assets:
- 2023: $14 million
- Prior reporting: $15.9 million (assets)
- Prior reporting: $13.77 million (assets)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,774,090 | $14,021,654 | $15,856,392 |
| Revenue | $340,785 | $266,640 | $923,303 |
| Expenses | $2,058,023 | $2,244,514 | $2,125,271 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,867,348 | $1,989,802 | $1,953,823 |
| Net Investment Income | $232,214 | $166,650 | $741,867 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,076,114 | $1,716,940 | $1,905,901 |
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
72 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include John & Melissa S Ceriale Cornell University Foundation - Donor Advised Fund ($1,341,345), Albert Einstein College of Medicine ($200,000), Palm Beach Cultural Innovation Center Inc ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABILIS INC GREENWICH, CT | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,000 |
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE BRONX, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $200,000 |
| ANDERSON RANCH ARTS CENTER SNOWMASS VILLAGE, CO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $13,000 |
| BREAKING GROUND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND CORPORATION NEW YORK CITY, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| GOOD NEIGHBORS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AGENCY INC BRONX, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $10,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY INC DELRAY BEACH, FL | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| JAZZ AT ASPEN-SNOWMASS ASPEN, CO | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $21,250 |
| JOHN & MELISSA S CERIALE CORNELL UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION - DONOR ADVISED FUND ITHACA, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,341,345 |
| METROPOLITAN OPERA ASSOCIATION INC NEW YORK CITY, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $30,000 |
| MONTEFIORE MEDICAL CENTER BRONX, NY | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- John Ceriale — Director/President
- Melissa Ceriale — Director/Vice President/Secretary
- Robert Tomasello — Director/Treasurer
John Ceriale serves as a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees. The Ceriales have four children who are Cornell University alumni.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN CERIALE | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| MELISSA CERIALE | DIRECTOR/VP/SECRETARY | 10 | — |
| ROBERT TOMASELLO | DIRECTOR/TREASURER | 10 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In October 2024, the Melissa and John V Ceriale Family Foundation announced a $20 million gift to Cornell University to support student mental health initiatives. The gift will fund:
Ceriale family foundation $20M gift will support student mental health -Placement of embedded therapists in Cornell's Ithaca campus schools and colleges
Expansion of a well-being coaching program for all students
In recognition of this transformational gift, the building housing Cornell Health will be named The Ceriale Center for Cornell Health, as approved by Cornell's Board of Trustees executive committee.
Ceriale family foundation $20M gift will support student mental health -Melissa Ceriale stated that the foundation hopes the gift will "enhance the culture of acceptance and availability around mental health services at Cornell, providing students and faculty with the tools to recognize and address the needs of those in distress in a caring and compassionate manner."
Ceriale family foundation $20M gift will support student mental health -Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Melissa and John V Ceriale Family fund?
The foundation has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, their grantmaking demonstrates focus on: • Education • Science and STEM education • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism Primary geographic areas of giving include Florida, New York, and Colorado.
How do I apply for a grant from Melissa and John V Ceriale Family?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000 to $1,341,345 • Average grant size: $113,300 • Median grant size: $10,000 • Total giving (2023): $2.24 million in expenses • Number of grants: 17 (as of most recent reporting) The foundation distributes grants to nonprofits working in education, science, human services, and related fields.
Where does Melissa and John V Ceriale Family make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking extends across: • Florida • New York • Colorado
What size grants does Melissa and John V Ceriale Family award?
In 2024, Melissa and John V Ceriale Family awarded 21 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $86K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Melissa and John V Ceriale Family required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Melissa and John V Ceriale Family reported a distributable amount of $2.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Melissa and John V Ceriale Family's EIN?
Melissa and John V Ceriale Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1262041. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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