The Acierno Family Foundation
The Acierno Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2025 filing reports grants supporting scholarships and charitable programs, including organizations working in food assistance, disaster relief, health, and human services.
The Acierno Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Acierno Family Foundation gave $570K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), top state Delaware. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $570,000
- +7.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +38.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,655
- -22.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,136,688
- +1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (11 of 29, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Delaware (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Acierno Family Foundation
- 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: 1011 Centre Road 310, Wilmington, DE 19805
Phone: (610) 565-7004
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Acierno Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Edmonds Academy ($150K). Together the top 10 received $444K.
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 88 grants of 110 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Delaware organizations received 45% of grant dollars. North Carolina received 12%, and Virginia, Illinois, and Maryland each received 9%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Acierno Family Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 29 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 45% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $500K (2020) to $600K (2022). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $570K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Edmonds Academy Wilmington, DE | Scholarships | $150,000 |
| Food Bank of Delaware Newark, DE | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $55,000 |
| Alzheimer's Association Chicago, IL | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $50,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | US Disaster Relief | $50,000 |
| Catholic Charities Alexandria, VA | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $49,200 |
| Cancer Research Institute New York, NY | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $20,000 |
| The Light House Inc Annapolis, MD | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $20,000 |
| The V Foundation for Cancer Research Cary, NC | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $20,000 |
| Annapolis Wellness Corp Annapolis, MD | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $15,000 |
| Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware Newark, DE | The Furtherance of Charitable Programs | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Acierno Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,136,688 | $731,281 | $645,524 | $570,000 | 29 | $572,400 | $667,734 | $625,637 |
| 2024 | $9,024,931 | $886,213 | $591,557 | $530,000 | 21 | $531,800 | $833,720 | $586,317 |
| 2023 | $8,730,303 | $581,690 | $594,673 | $530,000 | 21 | $531,510 | $520,815 | $521,820 |
| 2022 | $8,743,258 | $169,154 | $675,469 | $600,000 | 22 | $601,312 | $164,624 | $529,438 |
| 2021 | $9,249,573 | $597,543 | $579,060 | $510,000 | 17 | $511,101 | $531,848 | $597,912 |
| 2020 | $9,231,565 | $-98,486 | $564,595 | $500,000 | 13 | — | $162,865 | $512,689 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Acierno Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $626K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its reported 2025 grants include $150,000 for scholarships and grants described as supporting charitable programs, as well as $50,000 for U.S. disaster relief.
The grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. The Food Bank of Delaware says it provides food to Delawareans and collaborates on long-term solutions to hunger and poverty. The Light House says it provides shelter, works to prevent homelessness, and supports self-sufficiency in Anne Arundel County. The Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware says it works to stop seizures, find a cure, and address challenges created by epilepsy. Samaritan’s Purse describes its work as providing spiritual and physical aid to people affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $570,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $150,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Its largest grants included $150,000 to St. Edmonds Academy for scholarships, $55,000 to the Food Bank of Delaware, $50,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association, $50,000 to Samaritan’s Purse for U.S. disaster relief, and $49,200 to Catholic Charities. Other reported grants included $20,000 each to the Cancer Research Institute and The Light House, and $15,000 each to Annapolis Wellness Corporation and the Epilepsy Foundation of Delaware.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael A. Acierno as director, president, and treasurer, and John J. Yannacone as director, vice president, and secretary.
The Acierno Family Foundation is led by Michael A. Acierno, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael A. Acierno
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John J. Yannacone
Director, Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 The Acierno Family Foundation
How much does The Acierno Family Foundation give each year?
The Acierno Family Foundation gave $570K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $530K across 21 grants.
What is The Acierno Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Acierno Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $19,655, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Acierno Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Acierno Family Foundation give grants?
The Acierno Family Foundation's top state is Delaware, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (12%) and Virginia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, DE (4 grants), Annapolis, MD (4 grants), Newark, DE (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Acierno Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on The Acierno Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "The Furtherance of Charitable Programs" (27 grants).
Who are The Acierno Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Acierno Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Edmonds Academy ($150,000), Food Bank of Delaware ($55,000) and Alzheimer's Association ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Acierno Family Foundation?
The Acierno Family Foundation reported $9.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $572K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $626K (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 The Acierno Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its reported 2025 grants include $150,000 for scholarships and grants described as supporting charitable programs, as well as $50,000 for U.S. disaster relief. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Acierno 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 The Acierno Family Foundation's EIN?
The Acierno Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3460019. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Acierno Family Foundation 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Acierno Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Acierno Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-acierno-family-foundation-morg_72121cb1b9c149a4a0cbcddd171265c2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_823460019_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Acierno Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-acierno-family-foundation-morg_72121cb1b9c149a4a0cbcddd171265c2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 The Acierno Family 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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