Ossen Family Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker West Hartford, CT EIN: 26-1243178

The Jeffrey P Ossen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in West Hartford, Connecticut. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations, most of them in Connecticut, working in areas including health care, legal services, housing, food, and arts learning.

Key facts about Ossen Family Foundation

In short: Ossen Family Foundation gave $829K across 78 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Connecticut. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
26-1243178
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$828,847
Grants made (2025)
78
Average grant
$10,626
Median grant
$1,800
Total assets
$17,759,318
Primary geography
Connecticut (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Quick answers about Ossen Family Foundation

How much does Ossen Family Foundation give each year?

Ossen Family Foundation gave $829K across 78 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $667K across 54 grants.

What is Ossen Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Ossen Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,800, and its average grant was $10,626, across 78 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Ossen Family Foundation give grants?

Ossen Family Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Hartford, CT (14 grants), West Hartford, CT (6 grants), Willimantic, CT (5 grants) and New York, NY (5 grants).

Does Ossen Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 68% of Ossen Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (53 of 78) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Food Program" (3 grants).

Who are Ossen Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Ossen Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Center for Medicare Advocacy Inc ($100,000), Generations Family Health Center Inc ($70,000) and Click Inc ($55,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Ossen Family Foundation?

Ossen Family Foundation reported $17.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

How Ossen Family Foundation gives

  • 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 195% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 Ossen Family Foundation

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$17.8M

-1.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$829K

+24.2% YoY

Grant Count

78

+44.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$11K

-14.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ossen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2025 — 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 included support for organizations whose own missions include advancing Medicare access and health equity, protecting civil legal rights for low-income families, providing affordable health care in eastern Connecticut, and creating opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Other grantees provide emergency housing, support services for people experiencing homelessness, and energy assistance.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 54 grants totaling $667,496. Grants ranged from $250 to $100,500, with a median grant of $2,879. The largest awards included $100,500 to Center for Medicare Advocacy for general operating support of programs; $90,000 to Connecticut Legal Services for general purposes; $62,200 to Generations Family Health Center for dental programs; $60,000 to Horizons for general purposes; and $50,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of CT for general purposes.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut. The reported shares for New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont were 1% each; California was listed at 0%.

Grant Distribution by State

16states

Share of all 78 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

HartfordWillimanticWest HartfordLebanonNew YorkNew LondonNorwichGlastonburyBaltimoreBrooklynMiddletownWashingtonArdmoreEast HartfordHamdenJewett CityNew HavenSouth WindhamWindhamBoston

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $17,952,624 $2,352,393 $1,083,989 $667,496
2023 $16,705,916 $905,728 $902,871 $610,673
2022 $16,920,387 $918,070 $1,265,518 $920,202
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M20212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$17,759,318$17,952,624$16,705,916
Revenue$1,123,344$2,352,393$905,728
Expenses$1,308,051$1,083,989$902,871
Qualifying Distributions$1,133,589$961,946$809,654
Net Investment Income$995,771$2,248,861$806,726
Distributable Amount$1,015,852$928,641$861,027

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 13, 2023)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M26 grants20211 grants202237 grants202354 grants202478 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Center for Medicare Advocacy Inc: $100KCenter for Medicare AdvocacyInc$100KGenerations Family Health Center Inc: $70KGenerations Family HealthCenter Inc$70KClick Inc: $55KClick Inc$55KBig Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut Inc: $51KBig Brothers Big Sisters ofConnecticut Inc$51KConnecticut Legal Services Inc: $50KConnecticut Legal Services Inc$50KThe Neighbor Fund: $50KThe Neighbor Fund$50KMy Sisters' Place Inc: $41KMy Sisters' Place Inc$41KThames River Community Service: $34KThames River Community Service$34KWomens Business Development Council Inc: $30KWomens Business DevelopmentCouncil Inc$30KThames Valley Council for Community Action Inc: $28KThames Valley Council forCommunity Action Inc$28K

Grant Size Distribution

196 grants across all recorded years

169<$50K19$50–100K7$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
CENTER FOR MEDICARE ADVOCACY INC Willimantic, CTGENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES$100,000
GENERATIONS FAMILY HEALTH CENTER INC Willimantic, CTSUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER POSITION$70,000
CLICK INC Windham, CTSUPPORT EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYEES$55,000
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CONNECTICUT INC Hartford, CTGENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES$50,500
CONNECTICUT LEGAL SERVICES INC Middletown, CTGENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES$50,000
THE NEIGHBOR FUND Willimantic, CTGENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES$50,000
MY SISTERS' PLACE INC Hartford, CTGENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES$41,000
THAMES RIVER COMMUNITY SERVICE Norwich, CTPURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF FLOORING, AND FURNITURE FOR APARTMENTS$33,879
WOMENS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL INC Hartford, CTCHILD CARE BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM$30,000
THAMES VALLEY COUNCIL FOR COMMUNITY ACTION INC Jewett City, CTBONTERRA FUNDRAISING SOFTWARE ADD-ON FOR COACHING$27,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Carolyn Linkov as president, Jacqueline Berkowitz as treasurer and executive director, and Elizabeth Ossen as secretary.

Ossen Family Foundation is led by Jacqueline O. Berkowitz, Executive Director & Trustee since 2025 (on filings since 2022); all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jacqueline O. Berkowitz

    Executive Director & Trustee

    Treasurer & Trustee → Treasurer & Executive Director, 2023

    Treasurer & Executive Director → Executive Director & Trustee, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $94K (2023) → $160K (2025)

  • Carolyn R. Linkov

    Trustee

    President & Trustee → President, 2023

    President → Trustee, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    $29K (2024) → $25K (2025)

  • Elizabeth S. Ossen

    Trustee

    Secretary & Trustee → Secretary, 2023

    Secretary → Trustee, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    $13K (2024) → $10K (2025)

Former officers (3)
  • Former: Eileen M Ossen (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Richard Brvenik (2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Sara Ann Jakub (2021) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Jacqueline O Berkowitz — Executive Director/Trustee: $160KJacqueline O BerkowitzExecutive Director/Trustee$160KCarolyn R Linkov — Trustee: $25KCarolyn R LinkovTrustee$25KElizabeth S Ossen — Trustee: $10KElizabeth S OssenTrustee$10K

Contact

Mailing address: PO Box 370085, West Hartford, CT 06137
Phone: (860) 978-4206

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ossen Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose own missions include advancing Medicare access and health equity, protecting civil legal rights for low-income families, providing affordable health care in eastern Connecticut, and creating opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Other grantees provide emergency housing, support services for people experiencing homelessness, and energy assistance.

How do I apply for a grant from Ossen Family Foundation?

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 Ossen Family Foundation's EIN?

Ossen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1243178. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does Ossen Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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