The Chestnut Foundation
The Chestnut Foundation is a private foundation based in Lawrence, New York. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including Jewish educational and religious organizations and organizations providing community support.
The Chestnut Foundation at a glance
In short: The Chestnut Foundation gave $813K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $24K), mostly in New York. 44% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $813,257
- +55.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- -10.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $23,919
- +73.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,300
- Total assets
- $11,031,383
- +1.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (15 of 34, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (70% 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 The Chestnut Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 394 Kenridge Rd, Lawrence, NY 11559
Phone: (310) 280-5015
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Chestnut Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Yeshiva Ohavei Torah ($348K). Together the top 10 received $758K.
Grant Size Distribution
184 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 161 grants of 184 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 15% to New Jersey, 7% to California, 7% to Pennsylvania, and 1% to Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Chestnut Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 34 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $7K repeat.
- 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 115% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% 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 $378K (2021) to $1.0M (2022). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $813K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yeshiva Ohavei Torah Bronx, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $347,550 |
| Gateways Organization Inc Monsey, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $113,350 |
| Bnos Bais Yaakov Lakewood, NJ | Public Support of Organization Mission | $100,680 |
| Yeshiva Gedolah of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Public Support of Organization Mission | $60,000 |
| Cong Ahavas Torah V'chesed Philadelphia, PA | Public Support of Organization Mission | $57,000 |
| Cong Mikdash Dovid Monsey, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $20,000 |
| Yeshiva University New York, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $20,000 |
| Hashevaynu Queens, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $15,000 |
| Yeshiva Darchei Torah Queens, NY | Public Support of Organization Mission | $12,500 |
| Congregation Khal Chasidim of Lawrence Lawrence, NJ | Public Support of Organization Mission | $12,140 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chestnut 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,031,383 | $1,171,046 | $1,046,409 | $813,257 | 34 | $905,774 | $503,356 | $964,760 |
| 2023 | $10,918,109 | $1,227,082 | $698,054 | $524,840 | 38 | $583,113 | $629,437 | $545,249 |
| 2022 | $10,389,081 | $810,824 | $1,235,510 | $1,041,572 | 41 | $1,108,531 | $103,015 | $537,211 |
| 2021 | $10,813,767 | $2,024,803 | $618,891 | $377,925 | 44 | $447,442 | $769,789 | $532,152 |
| 2020 | $9,407,855 | $1,655,027 | $693,263 | $445,800 | 27 | — | $229,852 | $446,884 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chestnut Foundation reported a distributable amount of $965K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied charitable purposes. Gateways Organization Inc describes its mission as furthering Jewish education and raising awareness of Jewish history for people of all backgrounds. Yeshiva University describes its work as providing higher, professional, and postdoctoral education and training, research, and clinical programs. Hashevaynu Inc describes its purpose as furthering Jewish concepts and religious beliefs.
Other 2024 grantees describe operating a preschool and elementary school providing religious and secular education (Yeshiva Nachlei Torah Inc), empowering Orthodox Jewish female widows and supporting their families (Samchainu Inc), and assisting sick and elderly people with services including medical-expense support, meals, patient advocacy, and family support (Bikur Cholim of Manhattan Inc).
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $813,257. Grants ranged from $47 to $347,550, with a median of $3,300.
The largest reported grants included $347,550 to Yeshiva Ohavei Torah in the Bronx, New York; $113,350 to Gateways Organization Inc in Monsey, New York; $100,680 to Bnos Bais Yaakov in Lakewood, New Jersey; $60,000 to Yeshiva Gedolah of Los Angeles; and $57,000 to Cong Ahavas Torah V'Chesed in Philadelphia. The stated purpose for these grants was public support of the recipient organization’s mission.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Benjamin Kest as president, Asher Kest as treasurer, and Rachel Lorber as secretary.
The Chestnut Foundation is led by Benjamin Kest, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Benjamin Kest
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$15K (2023) → $93K (2024)
Asher Kest
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Lorber
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $93K, to Benjamin Kest (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Chestnut Foundation
How much does The Chestnut Foundation give each year?
The Chestnut Foundation gave $813K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $525K across 38 grants.
What is The Chestnut Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chestnut Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,300, and its average grant was $23,919, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chestnut Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does The Chestnut Foundation give grants?
The Chestnut Foundation gives mostly in New York: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (15%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brooklyn, NY (8 grants), Monsey, NY (4 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Lakewood, NJ (3 grants).
Does The Chestnut Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Chestnut Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Support of Organization Mission" (34 grants).
Who are The Chestnut Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chestnut Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Yeshiva Ohavei Torah ($347,550), Gateways Organization Inc ($113,350) and Bnos Bais Yaakov ($100,680), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Chestnut Foundation?
The Chestnut Foundation reported $11.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $906K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $965K (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 Chestnut Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied charitable purposes. Gateways Organization Inc describes its mission as furthering Jewish education and raising awareness of Jewish history for people of all backgrounds. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chestnut Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chestnut Foundation's EIN?
The Chestnut Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3001070. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Chestnut 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 November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Chestnut Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chestnut Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chestnut-foundation-morg_f2114d8fe98a4c8383ac39af023211b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_463001070_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chestnut Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chestnut-foundation-morg_f2114d8fe98a4c8383ac39af023211b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Chestnut 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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