MLE Foundation Inc
MLE Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in New Canaan, Connecticut. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing states that it contributes only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
MLE Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: MLE Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 82 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), top state Connecticut. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,178,400
- +12.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 82
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $14,371
- +12.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $22,211,953
- +296.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (3 of 82, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to MLE Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: C/O Emily B Nissley 30 Oenoke Lane, New Canaan, CT 06840
Phone: (203) 966-4049
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who MLE Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was New Canaan Town Players Inc ($60K). Together the top 10 received $438K.
Grant Size Distribution
391 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 371 grants of 391 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went chiefly to organizations in Connecticut (42%) and Wisconsin (16%), followed by Massachusetts (8%), New York (7%), and Maine (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 82 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is MLE Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 82 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 96% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 122% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $913K (2021) to $1.6M (2023). In 2025 it made 82 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New Canaan Town Players Inc New Canaan, CT | General Purpose | $60,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan New Canaan, CT | General Purpose | $55,000 |
| American Indian College Denver, CO | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| American Indian Education Fund Addison, TX | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Save the Sound New Haven, CT | General Purpose | $40,000 |
| Southwood County Historical Corporation Wisconsin Rapids, WI | General Purpose | $40,000 |
| Connecticut Audubon Society Fairfield, CT | General Purpose | $40,000 |
| American Bird Conservancy The Plains, VA | General Purpose | $35,000 |
| Audubon Connecticut Greenwich, CT | General Purpose | $35,000 |
| Hawaiian Mission House Honolulu, HI | General Purpose | $32,500 |
Ready to take the next step with MLE Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,211,953 | $17,910,834 | $1,296,475 | $1,178,400 | 82 | $1,196,722 | $17,841,136 | $982,358 |
| 2024 | $5,597,158 | $1,296,360 | $1,086,102 | $1,050,600 | 82 | $1,061,131 | $1,277,389 | $1,175,151 |
| 2023 | $5,386,951 | $439,995 | $1,664,907 | $1,618,750 | 98 | $1,641,774 | $394,110 | $981,588 |
| 2022 | $6,614,561 | $278,911 | $1,020,003 | $958,750 | 66 | $973,783 | $302,977 | $999,488 |
| 2021 | $7,353,701 | $629,181 | $985,951 | $913,250 | 63 | $923,800 | $598,030 | $1,158,479 |
| 2020 | $7,710,838 | $2,527,383 | $1,023,076 | $985,750 | 67 | — | $2,504,115 | $891,293 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, MLE Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $982K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for environmental, wildlife, arts, education, cultural, religious, and community organizations. These examples describe grantees, not the foundation’s own mission: Save the Sound says it works to protect and improve the Long Island Sound region’s land, air, and water; Connecticut Audubon Society says it protects birds, other wildlife, and habitats through conservation, education, and advocacy; and Central Wisconsin Cultural Center says it provides classes, instruction, events, and shows in varied art forms. Staying Put in New Canaan says it helps older residents live at home and stay engaged in the community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 82 grants totaling $1,178,400. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $60,000, with a median grant of $10,000. In 2024, it made 82 grants totaling $1,050,600; in 2023, it made 98 grants totaling $1,618,750.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $60,000 to New Canaan Town Players Inc, $55,000 to First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, $50,000 each to American Indian College and American Indian Education Fund, and $40,000 each to Save the Sound, Southwood County Historical Corporation, and Connecticut Audubon Society. The listed purposes for these grants were general purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Emily B Nissley, Marie Creaturo, Isabel McKay, Robert B McKay, and Ruth McKay as directors.
MLE Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marie Creaturo
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$1K (2020) → $9K (2025)
Emily B. Nissley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Isabel McKay
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert B. McKay
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth McKay
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Thomas W. Nissley (2020–2023) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $9K, to Marie Creaturo (Director).
Frequently asked questions about MLE Foundation Inc
How much does MLE Foundation Inc give each year?
MLE Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 82 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 82 grants.
What is MLE Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
MLE Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $14,371, across 82 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from MLE Foundation Inc that year got $21K on average.
Where does MLE Foundation Inc give grants?
MLE Foundation Inc's top state is Connecticut, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Wisconsin (16%) and Massachusetts (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New Canaan, CT (13 grants), Racine, WI (5 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Wisconsin Rapids, WI (3 grants).
Does MLE Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 99% of MLE Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (81 of 82) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are MLE Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
MLE Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include New Canaan Town Players Inc ($60,000), First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan ($55,000) and American Indian College ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is MLE Foundation Inc?
MLE Foundation Inc reported $22.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $982K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does MLE Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for environmental, wildlife, arts, education, cultural, religious, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from MLE Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is MLE Foundation Inc's EIN?
MLE Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0517812. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does MLE Foundation Inc 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.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 16, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 22, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). MLE Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mle-foundation-inc-morg_73de06165213434898a8fc664a344781
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300517812_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{MLE Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mle-foundation-inc-morg_73de06165213434898a8fc664a344781},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from MLE Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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