Mulberry Essence Foundation
Mulberry Essence Foundation is a private foundation based in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2024, it reported 63 grants totaling $3,523,093, supporting organizations including universities, schools, and nonprofit initiatives.
Mulberry Essence Foundation at a glance
In short: Mulberry Essence Foundation gave $3.5M across 63 grants in 2024 (avg $56K), top state Rhode Island. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,523,093
- +27.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 63
- -3.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $55,922
- +31.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,200
- Total assets
- $49,683,773
- +1.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (13 of 44, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (39% 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 Mulberry Essence Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not require an application or grant proposal. Instead, it investigates potential recipients, including their organizational history, charitable purposes and activities, financial situation, tax-exempt status, and use of previous grants. Contact listed on the filing: Eiichiro Kuwana. Grants may be used only for the recipient organization’s charitable purposes, and recipients may be required to report on how distributed funds were used.
- Contact
Application contact: Eiichiro Kuwana
Mailing address: 2 Soundview Ave, Greenwich, CT 06830
Phone: (203) 861-2930
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mulberry Essence Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brown University ($1.4M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
263 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 195 grants of 263 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2024, its grant dollars were distributed among recipients in several states, led by Rhode Island (39%), Connecticut (18%), California (12%), Massachusetts (10%), and New Hampshire (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 63 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Mulberry Essence Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 44 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $112K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 29% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 132% 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 $2.1M (2020) to $3.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 63 grants totaling $3.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brown University Providence, RI | General | $1,230,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CA | General | $400,000 |
| Phillips Exeter Academy Exeter, NH | General | $300,000 |
| GCI Inc Greenwich, CT | General | $150,000 |
| Global Citizens Initiative Greenwich, CT | General | $150,000 |
| Global Citizens Initiative Greenwich, CT | General | $150,000 |
| Global Citizens Initiative Greenwich, CT | General | $150,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | General | $130,000 |
| Presidents Fellow of Harvard Cambridge, MA | General | $125,000 |
| Presidents Fellow of Harvard Cambridge, MA | General | $100,000 |
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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 | $49,683,773 | $5,409,829 | $4,567,007 | $3,523,093 | 63 | $3,523,093 | $4,365,985 | $2,675,016 |
| 2023 | $48,831,549 | $2,181,600 | $3,898,899 | $2,767,900 | 65 | $2,767,900 | $1,050,601 | $2,613,743 |
| 2022 | $50,543,873 | $4,292,335 | $6,193,996 | $3,461,143 | 47 | $3,461,143 | — | $2,935,056 |
| 2021 | $56,165,159 | $7,204,221 | $4,850,219 | $2,735,907 | 48 | $2,735,907 | $5,089,909 | $3,207,874 |
| 2020 | $53,849,285 | $3,413,345 | $2,721,446 | $2,149,626 | 40 | — | $2,841,525 | $2,386,243 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mulberry Essence Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2024 — 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 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. Among the recipients, Global Citizens Initiative describes its mission as bringing together young global citizens and empowering them as lifelong ethical leaders of positive change. The U.S.-Japan Council says it cultivates and connects leaders in the United States and Japan to strengthen their global partnership. Other 2024 recipients include organizations whose stated missions include transforming the energy system toward a zero-carbon future (Rocky Mountain Institute), addressing social and economic challenges in Asia and the Pacific (The Asia Foundation), and conserving lands and waters (The Nature Conservancy).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 63 grants totaling $3,523,093. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $1,230,000, with a median of $5,200. Among the largest reported grants were $1,230,000 to Brown University, $400,000 to Stanford University, and $300,000 to Phillips Exeter Academy; each was designated for general purposes. The filing also lists three grants of $150,000 each to Global Citizens Initiative and two grants of $100,000 each to the U.S.-Japan Council.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Eiichiro Kuwana is listed on the 2024 filing as president and secretary.
Mulberry Essence Foundation is led by Eiichiro Kuwana, President, Secretary & Director on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eiichiro Kuwana
President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Mulberry Essence Foundation
How much does Mulberry Essence Foundation give each year?
Mulberry Essence Foundation gave $3.5M across 63 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.8M across 65 grants.
What is Mulberry Essence Foundation's typical grant size?
Mulberry Essence Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,200, and its average grant was $55,922, across 63 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mulberry Essence Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Mulberry Essence Foundation give grants?
Mulberry Essence Foundation's top state is Rhode Island, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (18%) and California (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), Cambridge, MA (7 grants), Washington, DC (6 grants) and Greenwich, CT (5 grants).
Does Mulberry Essence Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Mulberry Essence Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (63 of 63) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mulberry Essence Foundation's largest grantees?
Mulberry Essence Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Brown University ($1,360,000 across 2 grants), Global Citizens Initiative ($455,005 across 4 grants) and Stanford University ($400,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mulberry Essence Foundation?
Mulberry Essence Foundation reported $49.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mulberry Essence Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. Among the recipients, Global Citizens Initiative describes its mission as bringing together young global citizens and empowering them as lifelong ethical leaders of positive change. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mulberry Essence Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not require an application or grant proposal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mulberry Essence Foundation's EIN?
Mulberry Essence Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2068389. 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mulberry Essence Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mulberry-essence-foundation-morg_d6e854b60f5746048022a9f273df764d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_812068389_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mulberry Essence Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mulberry-essence-foundation-morg_d6e854b60f5746048022a9f273df764d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Mulberry Essence 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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