National Emphysema Foundation Inc
National Emphysema Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Norwalk, Connecticut. Its stated mission is to improve the quality of life of people with emphysema and their caregivers through education, advocacy, and research initiatives for the medical community and the public.
National Emphysema Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: National Emphysema Foundation Inc gave $83K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Connecticut. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $82,658
- -23.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- -8.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,514
- -16.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,960,117
- -2.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (55% 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 National Emphysema Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 128 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851
Phone: (203) 866-5000
Website: https://emphysemafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who National Emphysema Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Norwalk Hospital ($19K). Together the top 10 received $79K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 70 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 23% to New York, and 6% each to New Jersey, Illinois, and the District of Columbia. These figures describe the locations of that year’s reported grant recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is National Emphysema Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 47% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 75% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $83K (2024) to $157K (2021). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $83K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Norwalk Hospital Norwalk, CT | Education | $18,653 |
| Elmhurst Hosptial Queens, NY | Community | $10,100 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Education | $10,000 |
| Nuvance Health Danbury, CT | Education | $10,000 |
| Cebu Doctors University Cebu City, CT | Education | $6,800 |
| Deborah Hospital Foundati Browns Mills, NJ | Community | $5,000 |
| National Jewish Health New York, NY | Research | $5,000 |
| Cook County Health Chicago, IL | Education | $5,000 |
| Aspen Lung Washington, DC | Education | $5,000 |
| Grady Health Atlanta Atlanta, GA | Community | $3,605 |
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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 | $2,960,117 | $77,124 | $159,165 | $82,658 | 11 | $125,437 | $137,814 | $168,091 |
| 2023 | $3,042,158 | $154,948 | $182,282 | $108,082 | 12 | $147,727 | $121,198 | $159,489 |
| 2022 | $3,069,492 | $341,256 | $193,672 | $107,747 | 15 | $154,139 | $107,556 | $168,091 |
| 2021 | $2,921,908 | $194,481 | $247,102 | $157,138 | 18 | $205,636 | $94,067 | $143,892 |
| 2020 | $2,974,529 | $113,677 | $217,587 | $137,308 | 14 | — | $92,507 | $147,768 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, National Emphysema Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $168K 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
The foundation’s mission is to improve quality of life for patients with emphysema and their caregivers by providing and supporting educational, advocacy, and research initiatives. Its website says it encourages research and further education of physicians and provides information to patients and caregivers.
The 2024 filing lists grants to organizations including Norwalk Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital, Yale University, Nuvance Health, National Jewish Health, and Cook County Health. The listed grant purposes include education, community, and research; these are purposes recorded for the grants, not a separate statement of the foundation’s program areas.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $82,658. Grant amounts ranged from $3,500 to $18,653, with a median of $5,000. Notable grants included $18,653 to Norwalk Hospital for education, $10,100 to Elmhurst Hospital for community, $10,000 each to Yale University and Nuvance Health for education, and $5,000 to National Jewish Health for research.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website identifies Laurence G. Nair, MD, as president; Ronald A. Nair, JD, MIM, as secretary and treasurer; and Karyn N. Bhak, MPH, as a board member. It identifies Rhoda H. Senator, EdD, as executive director.
The 2024 filing lists Dr. Laurence Nair as president, Karyn Bhak as trustee, Rhoda Nair as executive director, and Ronald Nair Esq as secretary.
National Emphysema Foundation Inc is led by Laurence Nair, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Laurence Nair
President
Preseident → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
$5K (2020) → $2K (2024)
Karyn Bhak
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Rhoda Nair
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
$5K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Ronald Nair Esq.
Secretary An
On filings since 2020
$15K (2020) → $12K (2024)
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 $12K, to Ronald Nair ESQ (Secretary an). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Emphysema Foundation Inc
How much does National Emphysema Foundation Inc give each year?
National Emphysema Foundation Inc gave $83K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $108K across 12 grants.
What is National Emphysema Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
National Emphysema Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,514, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Emphysema Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does National Emphysema Foundation Inc give grants?
National Emphysema Foundation Inc gives mostly in Connecticut: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (23%) and New Jersey (6%).
Does National Emphysema Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on National Emphysema Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (6 grants) and "Community" (4 grants).
Who are National Emphysema Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
National Emphysema Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Norwalk Hospital ($18,653), Elmhurst Hosptial ($10,100) and Yale University ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is National Emphysema Foundation Inc?
National Emphysema Foundation Inc reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $125K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $168K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does National Emphysema Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to improve quality of life for patients with emphysema and their caregivers by providing and supporting educational, advocacy, and research initiatives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Emphysema Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is National Emphysema Foundation Inc's EIN?
National Emphysema Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7124098. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does National Emphysema Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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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