The Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation, known publicly as the Whiting Foundation, is a private 501(c)(3) foundation located in New York City. Incorporated in 1963 and granted tax-exempt status in 2015, the foundation provides targeted support for writers, editors, educators, librarians, and archivists who advance literature and preserve cultural heritage.
Key facts about Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation
- EIN
- 13-6154484
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,273,501
- Grants made (2024)
- 78
- Average grant
- $29,147
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (11 of 41, 2024)
- Total assets
- $75,886,402
- Primary geography
- New York (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Whiting Award: Awards by nomination only to support emerging writers. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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.
Who Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's 78 itemized 2024 grants were New York (72%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (49 grants), Brooklyn, NY (4 grants), Ridgewood, NY (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants). 23% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Whiting Award" (17 grants), "Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant" (16 grants) and "Whiting Literary Magazine Prize" (15 grants).
Is Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 41 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $46K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation
- How to evaluate Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$75.9M
+4.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
+6.3% YoY
Grant Count
78
+6.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
-0.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to provide targeted support for writers, scholars, and the stewards of humanity's shared cultural heritage. The foundation believes their work deepens the human experience and broadens individual perspective.
Primary funding areas include:
Literature
- Whiting Award for emerging writers
- Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress
- Literary Magazine Prizes
Humanities
- Preservation of endangered cultural heritage
- Humanities support in high schools
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s**
Review Cycle
and December announcement (approximately 8-month decision time)
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
United States (primarily), with international reach for cultural heritage preservation.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 78 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024)
- Total assets: $75,886,402
- Total revenues: $5,300,964
- Total expenses: $4,811,750
Assets & Revenue (2023)
- Total assets: $72,828,409
- Total revenues: $3.16 million
- Total expenses: $4.4 million
- Total liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $75,886,402 | $72,828,409 | $68,181,512 |
| Revenue | $5,300,964 | $3,156,671 | $3,650,322 |
| Expenses | $4,811,750 | $4,398,894 | $4,452,820 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,057,907 | $3,696,264 | $4,150,302 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,888,643 | $2,272,742 | $3,607,955 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,493,608 | $3,404,109 | $3,570,920 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
405 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Cultural Emergency Response (Cer) ($301,000), Institute of Classical Architecture & Art Inc ($75,000 across 2 grants), Theatre for a New Audience ($70,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CULTURAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE (CER) | PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE | $301,000 |
| INSTITUTE OF CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE & ART INC New York, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $70,000 |
| THEATRE FOR A NEW AUDIENCE New York, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $70,000 |
| NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY New York, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $65,000 |
| WORDS WITHOUT BORDERS Brooklyn, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $65,000 |
| ACADEMY FOR TEACHERS New York, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $60,000 |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY New York, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $60,000 |
| PAIDEIA INSTITUTE New York, NY | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $60,000 |
| PLATO Seattle, WA | HIGH-SCHOOL HUMANITIES | $60,000 |
| GRAND CENTRAL ATELIER INC Ridgewood, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Constantia Constantinou - Executive Director (appointed 2024)
- Daniel Reid - Executive Director and Assistant Secretary
- Courtney Hodell - Director of Literary Programs
- Peter Pennoyer - Trustee
- Jacob Collins - Trustee
- Kumar Mahadeva - Trustee
Staff size: 5 employees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Pennoyer | President / Trustee | 5 | — |
| Jacob Collins | Vice-President / Trustee | 2 | — |
| Kumar Mahadeva | Vice-President / Trustee | 2 | — |
| John N Irwin III | Treasurer / Vice-President / Trustee | 3 | — |
| Magdalena Zavalia | Secretary / Asst. Treasurer | 5 | $24,000 |
| Amanda Foreman | Vice-President / Trustee | 3 | — |
| Daniel Reid | Exec. Dir./Asst. SECRETARY(TO 8/2024) | 40 | $154,582 |
| Constantia Constantinou | Executive Director (As of 10/2024) | 40 | $58,349 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced 2025 Whiting Nonfiction for Works-in-Progress grantees and is currently accepting applications for the 2026 Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress. The foundation has expanded its support model to include not just financial awards but also professional development opportunities.
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation - Grant Information & Application DetailsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to provide targeted support for writers, scholars, and the stewards of humanity's shared cultural heritage. The foundation believes their work deepens the human experience and broadens individual perspective. Primary funding areas include: **Literature** • Whiting Award for emerging writers • Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress • Literary Magazine Prizes **Humanities** • Preservation of endangered cultural heritage • Humanities support in high schools
How do I apply for a grant from Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation?
Whiting Award: Awards by nomination only to support emerging writers. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation make grants?
United States (primarily), with international reach for cultural heritage preservation.
What size grants does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation award?
In 2024, Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation awarded 78 grants totaling $2.3M — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's EIN?
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6154484. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
The New York Community Trust
New York, NY
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
2,748
Total Given
$193.8M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
The Ford Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$17.5B
Grants
4,007
Total Given
$844.7M
The Ojc Fund
Brooklyn, NY
Assets
$46.1M
Grants
3,410
Total Given
$386.1M
The Simons Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,727
Total Given
$272.0M
American Express Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$48.9M
Grants
1,495
Total Given
$23.2M
Equitable Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$112.4M
Grants
1,453
Total Given
$5.5M
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$891.5M
Grants
1,153
Total Given
$275.0M
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
New York, NY
Assets
$1.6B
Grants
1,119
Total Given
$102.8M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
More Funders in New York
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.