New York Life Foundation
The New York Life Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Established in 1979, it reports more than $470 million in contributions to nonprofits and focuses on programs benefiting young people and their families, particularly in education, coaching and mentorship, and childhood bereavement support.
New York Life Foundation at a glance
In short: New York Life Foundation gave $27.3M across 621 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), top state Texas. 78% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $27,297,945
- +0.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 621
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $43,958
- +7.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $146,229,302
- +3.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 78% first-time grantees (481 of 619, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Texas (31% 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 New York Life Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: Heather Nesle
Mailing address: 51 Madison Avenue 16Th Floor, New York, NY 10010
Phone: (212) 576-7341
Email: heather_nesle@newyorklife.com
Website: https://newyorklife.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from New York Life Foundation
Aim High Grant Program: One-Year Grants
New York Life Foundation
Amount
US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Aim High Grant Program: Two-Year Grants
New York Life Foundation
Amount
US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grief Reach Changemaker Supported Community Expansion Grant
New York Life Foundation
Amount
Up to US $160,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who New York Life Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Blackbaud Giving Fund (Yourcause LLC) ($7.2M). Together the top 10 received $13.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
3,542 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3,073 grants of 3,542 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes its giving as supporting communities across the country. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Texas (31%), New York (18%), California (9%), the District of Columbia (8%), and Massachusetts (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 621 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is New York Life Foundation open to new grantees?
78%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 481 of 619 grantees (78%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $179K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $33K repeat.
- 17% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 466% 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 $26.4M (2021) to $63.2M (2020). In 2024 it made 621 grants totaling $27.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blackbaud Giving Fund (Yourcause LLC) Carrollton, TX | Public Multipurpose | $7,163,862 |
| After-School All-Stars Los Angeles, CA | Educ. General | $1,200,000 |
| Eluna Philadelphia, PA | HHS General | $1,035,000 |
| City Year Inc Boston, MA | Educ. General | $750,000 |
| Higher Achievement Program Inc Washington, DC | Educ. General | $750,000 |
| Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Arlington, VA | CCA General | $700,000 |
| Judi's House Aurora, CO | HHS General | $675,000 |
| Sesame Workshop New York, NY | CCA General | $535,000 |
| The Bell Foundation Inc Westwood, MA | Educ. General | $525,000 |
| Afterschool Alliance Washington, DC | Educ. General | $512,000 |
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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 | $146,229,302 | $39,138,977 | $27,966,215 | $27,297,945 | 621 | $27,518,032 | $7,138,974 | $5,899,294 |
| 2023 | $140,917,777 | $8,999,184 | $30,753,252 | $27,274,901 | 668 | $27,316,125 | $31,976,848 | $6,203,896 |
| 2022 | $147,747,420 | $26,526,741 | $24,661,647 | $27,123,759 | 613 | $27,182,339 | $4,553,954 | $6,867,072 |
| 2021 | $168,400,034 | $20,100,563 | $36,378,010 | $26,373,541 | 679 | $26,446,928 | $9,761,750 | $7,997,579 |
| 2020 | $168,659,820 | $36,022,812 | $52,194,500 | $63,176,851 | 961 | — | $9,952,870 | $7,766,969 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, New York Life Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.9M 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 stated purpose is to strengthen individuals, families, and communities by connecting them with resources to grow and persevere. Its website says it primarily supports programs benefiting young people, particularly educational enhancement and childhood bereavement support, and also identifies coaching and mentorship as areas of focus.
Its education grantmaking includes enrichment during out-of-school hours for middle school students, including afterschool and summer programs intended to help students transition to high school. The Aim High program supports after-school, summer, or expanded-learning programs for middle school students. Grief Reach funds organizations supporting grieving children and families, with opportunities focused on capacity building, community education and professional training, community-based support and outreach, and program enhancement or expansion. The website says a new Coaching the Future request for proposals is expected to launch in 2027; it describes the initiative as supporting programs that train, equip, and support coaches and mentors.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work among its grantees. After-School All-Stars says it provides academic, mentoring, career-readiness, recreation, wellness, and other enrichment programs for underserved youth and families. Eluna says it supports children, teens, and families impacted by grief or addiction. Higher Achievement says it provides a rigorous afterschool learning environment and caring role models for middle school students. Judi’s House says it helps grieving children and families find connection and healing.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 621 grants totaling $27,297,945. Grants ranged from $500 to $7,163,862, with a median grant of $500. The largest reported grants included $7,163,862 to Blackbaud Giving Fund (YourCause LLC), $1,200,000 to After-School All-Stars, $1,035,000 to Eluna, $750,000 each to City Year and Higher Achievement Program, $700,000 to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, and $675,000 to Judi’s House.
Grief Reach, administered in partnership with the National Alliance for Children’s Grief, offers grant opportunities throughout the year. The Foundation’s website directs applicants to that organization for current eligibility details and deadlines. Its local grants page says a new Coaching the Future request for proposals is expected in 2027; application timing, eligibility, and funding priorities are to be announced. For application criteria, materials, deadlines, and award restrictions, the Foundation’s filing directs applicants to its website.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Heather Nesle as president and director, and Craig L. DeSanto as director and chairman. Other listed officers and directors are Michael K. McDonnell, Karen A. Bain, Maria V. Collins, Mary Hallahan, Michael J. Burke, Colleen A. Meade, Everett Foxx, and Christopher Thompson.
New York Life Foundation is led by Heather Nesle, President & Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 19 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Heather Nesle
President & Director
President → President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig L. Desanto
Director & Chairman
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Everett Foxx
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Council
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Wong
Director
Director From → Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Miller
Vice Chair & Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martin L. King
Senior Vice President - Investments & Director
Director → Senior Vice President - Investments & Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael K. McDonnell
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colleen A. Meade
Associate General Counsel & Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen A. Bain
Vice President - Tax
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maria V. Collins
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Hallahan
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael J. Burke
Corporate Vice President & COO
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Feldstein
Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Drinkard
Member
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Regina Y. Won
Associate General Counsel & Legal Officer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Thompson
Corporate Vice President - Investments
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maryann Negro
Corporate Vice President & Controller
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Donohue
Treasurer Since
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Craig Sabal (2020–2023) — Senior Vice President - Investments
- Former: Sheila K. Davidson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Youngmi Lee (2021–2023) — Corporate Vice President - Investments
- Former: Debra Curran (2022–2023) — Vice President & Controller
- Former: Carig L. Desanto (2023) — Director & Chairman
- Former: Christine M. McLoughlin (2020–2022) — Corporate Vice President - Investments
- Former: Rachel S. Schwartz (2020–2022) — Associate General Counsel & Legal Officer · Filing note: Until 5/2022
- Former: Carig L. Desanto - Chair (2022) — Director & Chairman · Filing note: Since 4/2022
- Former: Carla T. Rutigliano-Vc (2022) — Vice Chairman & Director · Filing note: Until 3/2022
- Former: Elizabeth A. Sharrier (2022) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Natalie Lamarque (2022) — Director
- Former: Sheila K. Davidson - Vc (2022) — Director & Vice Chairman · Filing note: Since 3/2022
- Former: Theodore Mathas-Chairman (2022) — Chairman, Member & Director · Filing note: Until 4/2022
- Former: Carla T. Rutigliano (2020–2021) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Ka Luk Stanley Tai (2020–2021) — Vice President - Investments · Filing note: Until May 2021
- Former: Kathleen Creegan (2020–2021) — Corporate Vice President & Controller
- Former: Theodore Mathas (2020–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Arthur Seter (2020) — Senior Vice President - Investments · Filing note: Until July 2020
- Former: Ezmir Marisenoj (2020) — Corporate Vice President & Controller · Filing note: Until June 2020
- Former: Jesse Bond (2020) — Director · Filing note: Until December 2020
- Former: Priya Udeshi Crick (2020) — Associate General Counsel & Legal Officer · Filing note: Until June 202
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 New York Life Foundation
How much does New York Life Foundation give each year?
New York Life Foundation gave $27.3M across 621 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $27.3M across 668 grants.
What is New York Life Foundation's typical grant size?
New York Life Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $43,958, across 621 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from New York Life Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does New York Life Foundation give grants?
New York Life Foundation's top state is Texas, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (18%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (29 grants), San Antonio, TX (14 grants), Atlanta, GA (10 grants) and Washington, DC (9 grants).
Does New York Life Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of New York Life Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (620 of 621) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are New York Life Foundation's largest grantees?
New York Life Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Blackbaud Giving Fund (Yourcause LLC) ($7,163,862), After-School All-Stars ($1,250,000 across 2 grants) and Eluna ($1,035,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is New York Life Foundation?
New York Life Foundation reported $146.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does New York Life Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated purpose is to strengthen individuals, families, and communities by connecting them with resources to grow and persevere. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from New York Life Foundation?
New York Life Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check newyorklife.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is New York Life Foundation's EIN?
New York Life Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2989476. 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in New York Life Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). New York Life Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/new-york-life-foundation-morg_e0394e55222c4bcd9d9769f3d286eedd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_132989476_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{New York Life Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/new-york-life-foundation-morg_e0394e55222c4bcd9d9769f3d286eedd},
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 New York Life 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.
New York Life Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?