The Ascienzo Family Foundation
The Ascienzo Family Foundation is a domestic not-for-profit corporation registered in Ulster County, New York, and incorporated on November 23, 2014. Based in Lake Katrine, New York, the foundation partners with and assists nonprofit organizations to distribute grants focused on social justice, community health, and well-being.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$322K
+10.5% YoY
Grant Count
82
+7.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+2.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations engaged in:
- Social justice initiatives
- Community health and well-being
- Educational opportunities
- Poverty alleviation
- Services for the elderly
The foundation emphasizes that Foundation Ambassadors and Local Partners are at the heart of the grants distributed through the organization.
Grantmaking
The foundation has made grants including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains a dual geographic focus:
- Local: Red Hook, New York and the surrounding Dutchess County region
- Regional and Beyond: An ambassador corps of over 50 former Red Hook High School graduates extends the foundation's reach to other locales
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
243 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Nicholas J. Ascienzo — Founder and Board Member
Nicholas is a retired public school educator with over four decades of teaching experience in Red Hook. His career in education continues to shape the foundation's work and vision. He maintains connection to the Red Hook community through an ambassador network of former high school graduates and lives in Lake Katrine, where he enjoys the Hudson Valley's history and outdoor activities.
Ali Fraenkel (RHHS '11) — Founding Director
Ali brings expertise in philanthropic innovations and social entrepreneurship. Her background includes studies in effective charitable giving, work with the Learning by Giving Foundation, and creation of an online course on charitable giving with thousands of participants worldwide.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NICHOLAS J ASCIENZO | President | 25 | — |
| ALI FRAENKEL | AT LARGE | 10 | — |
| SOPHIE LANG | Vice President | 10 | — |
| BRITTANY MOSHER | AT LARGE | 10 | — |
| JENNIFER MELITSKI | Treasurer | 10 | — |
| FRANCES THOMPSON | Secretary | 10 | — |
| SUE KAISER | AT LARGE | 10 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation is entering its 12th year of giving as of February 2026. The organization has been actively building its ambassador network of Red Hook High School alumni to extend its grantmaking reach beyond the local community while maintaining deep connections to the Red Hook area.
Tapping Red Hook Alumni as Ambassadors, Ascienzo Foundation Approaches ItsContact Information
The Ascienzo Family Foundation
60 Penstock Lane
Lake Katrine, NY 12449
Phone: 845-594-7879
Email: ascienzofamilyfoundation@gmail.com
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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