Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation
The Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation, publicly known as the Whiting Foundation, is a private foundation based in New York, NY. It supports writers, editors, educators, librarians, and archivists, with programs in literature, the humanities, and preservation of cultural heritage.
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation at a glance
In short: Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation gave $2.3M across 78 grants in 2024 (avg $29K), mostly in New York. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,273,501
- +6.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 78
- +6.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $29,147
- -0.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $75,886,402
- +4.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (11 of 41, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation’s open-application programs accept applications through Submittable, with requirements and instructions posted at the beginning of each cycle. The foundation says program restrictions and scope vary by program and annual cycle. The Whiting Awards do not accept applications or unsolicited nominations; nominators are invited by the foundation. Cultural-heritage grants are by invitation only.
- Review Cycle
- Deadlines for open-application programs are posted annually on the foundation’s website. The listed 2026 Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress cycle closed on May 31, 2026.
- Deadline
- Deadlines for open-application programs are posted annually on the foundation’s website.
- Contact
Application contact: Constantia Constantinou
Mailing address: 291 Broadway Ste 1901, New York, NY 10007
Phone: (718) 841-7205
Website: https://whiting.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cultural Emergency Response (CER) ($301K). Together the top 10 received $873K.
Organizations only. It also paid 33 grants to individuals ($880,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
405 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 342 grants of 405 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says most of its programs focus on the United States. Its cultural-heritage program is exclusively international and supports work in less-well-resourced countries. In 2024, 72% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York; Washington state, Massachusetts, and California accounted for 3%, 3%, and 2%, respectively.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 78 itemized grants.
States
Cities
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 grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2020) to $2.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 78 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| 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 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $75,886,402 | $5,300,964 | $4,811,750 | $2,273,501 | 78 | $4,057,907 | $3,888,643 | $3,493,608 |
| 2023 | $72,828,409 | $3,156,671 | $4,398,894 | $2,139,370 | 73 | $3,696,264 | $2,272,742 | $3,404,109 |
| 2022 | $68,181,512 | $3,650,322 | $4,452,820 | $2,629,312 | 93 | $4,150,302 | $3,607,955 | $3,570,920 |
| 2021 | $80,622,642 | $7,575,466 | $3,578,046 | $1,831,551 | 85 | $3,161,138 | $7,185,768 | $3,522,140 |
| 2020 | $71,098,106 | $2,484,117 | $3,154,288 | $1,707,194 | 76 | — | $2,280,399 | $3,108,552 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes its work as nurturing new creations and expanding access to art and insight, so that people can engage deeply with literature and the humanities. Its stated areas of support include the Whiting Award for emerging writers, the Nonfiction Grant for Works-in-Progress, Literary Magazine Prizes, humanities in high schools, and preservation of endangered cultural heritage. Its Public Engagement Fellowship and Seed Grant support humanities faculty developing public-facing projects.
The foundation’s cultural-heritage grants support local stewards preserving, documenting, and disseminating threatened heritage in less-well-resourced countries, with an emphasis on documentary heritage. These grants are by invitation only.
Examples of supported organizations reflect a range of work. Theatre for a New Audience describes its mission as presenting Shakespeare and contemporary playwrights and exploring world theatre. Words Without Borders says it translates, publishes, and promotes contemporary world literature. The Academy for Teachers describes its work as supporting teachers through learning experiences, while Grand Central Atelier says it promotes classically inspired representational art through lectures, competitions, and exhibitions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 78 grants totaling $2,273,501. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $301,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest grant listed was $301,000 to Cultural Emergency Response for preservation of cultural heritage. Other large grants included $70,000 each to the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and Theatre for a New Audience, both for high-school humanities; $65,000 each to New-York Historical Society and Words Without Borders, also for high-school humanities; and $60,000 each to the Academy for Teachers, New York Public Library, Paideia Institute, and Plato for that purpose.
The foundation also reported $50,000 for general support to Grand Central Atelier and two $50,000 awards to individual recipients identified as Whiting Awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Peter Pennoyer as president and trustee; Jacob Collins, Kumar Mahadeva, John N. Irwin III, and Amanda Foreman as vice-presidents and trustees; and Magdalena Zavalia as secretary and assistant treasurer. Daniel Reid was listed as executive director and assistant secretary through August 2024. Constantia Constantinou was listed as executive director as of October 2024.
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation is led by Daniel Reid, Executive Director & Assistant Secretary on every filing since 2020; 3 of 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Daniel Reid
Executive Director & Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$226K (2020) → $155K (2024)
Constantia Constantinou
Executive Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$58K (2024)
Peter Pennoyer
President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Foreman
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Collins
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John N. Irwin III
Treasurer, Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kumar Mahadeva
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Magdalena Zavalia
Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$16K (2020) → $24K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kate Douglas Torrey (2020) — Vice President & Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $155K, to Daniel Reid (Exec. DIR./Asst. SECRETARY(TO 8/2024)). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation
How much does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation give each year?
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation gave $2.3M across 78 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.1M across 73 grants.
What is Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's typical grant size?
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $29,147, across 78 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation that year got $46K on average.
Where does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation give grants?
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation gives mostly in New York: 72% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (16 grants), Brooklyn, NY (4 grants), Ridgewood, NY (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 23% of Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 78) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Whiting Award" (17 grants), "Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant" (16 grants) and "Whiting Literary Magazine Prize" (15 grants).
Who are Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's largest grantees?
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Cultural Emergency Response (CER) ($301,000), Institute of Classical Architecture & Art Inc ($75,000 across 2 grants) and Theatre for a New Audience ($70,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 33 grants to individuals ($880,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation?
Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation reported $75.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes its work as nurturing new creations and expanding access to art and insight, so that people can engage deeply with literature and the humanities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation?
The foundation’s open-application programs accept applications through Submittable, with requirements and instructions posted at the beginning of each cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mrs-giles-whiting-foundation-morg_619a576987c94642b61cdb15a6347d92
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136154484_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mrs-giles-whiting-foundation-morg_619a576987c94642b61cdb15a6347d92},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation'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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