The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc

BROOKLYN, NY EIN: 04-3328552 Website

The Cheswatyr Foundation is a private foundation based in Brooklyn, New York, dedicated to supporting and developing creative contemporary music. Established in 1997, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a focus on advancing the field of contemporary music through strategic philanthropic support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.4M

+4.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$217K

+6.4% YoY

Grant Count

+17.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$8K

-9.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $230K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary mission is the support and development of creative contemporary music. The foundation has demonstrated a particular commitment to empowering living composers and supporting organizations that champion contemporary music performance and creation.

Grantmaking

The Cheswatyr Foundation makes grants to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications or solicitations.

Grant Range

$5,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

New York $841K (82%)

Michigan $41K (4%)

California $34K (3%)

Texas $27K (3%)

Pennsylvania $22K (2%)

District of Columbia $20K (2%)

Massachusetts $18K (2%)

Louisiana $8K (1%)

+5 more states

States

California District of Columbia Florida Georgia Louisiana Massachusetts Maine Michigan New York Pennsylvania Texas Virginia Vermont

Cities

AmherstArlingtonAtlantaAustinBecketBercleyBerkleyBostonBrattleboroBreaBronxBrooklynBrunswickChathamChilmarkCulver CityDetroitGreat BarringtonHartsdaleKey Biscane

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2023:

Total Assets: $3,250,692
Total Revenues: $71,366
Total Expenses: $257,284
Total Giving: $203,650

Revenue Breakdown (2023):

Investment income and dividends: $95,195
Grants and contributions: $500
Net loss from sale of non-inventory assets: ($24,329)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$3,381,682	$3,250,692	$3,440,150
Revenue	$418,940	$71,366	$47,370
Expenses	$292,149	$257,284	$305,454
Qualifying Distributions	$235,690	$214,944	$262,969
Net Investment Income	$362,468	$52,850	$36,153
Distributable Amount	$229,788	$212,023	$220,732

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

151 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Composers Now Fund for Nyc ($30,000), Luna Composition Lab ($30,000), The Jazz Gallery ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALARM WILL SOUND BROOKLYN, NY	CHARITABLE	$20,000
AMERICAN COMPOSERS ORCHESRTA NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$5,000
AVALON THEATRE WASHINGTON, DC	CHARITABLE	$1,000
BLANK FORMS BROOKLYN, NY	CHARITABLE	$3,000
BRONX ACADEMY OF ART & DANCE BRONX, NY	CHARITABLE	$5,000
COMPOSERS NOW FUND FOR NYC NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$30,000
INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORATY ENSEMBLE BROOKLYN, NY	CHARITABLE	$20,000
KYO-SHIN-AN ARTS BROOKLYN, NY	CHARITABLE	$10,000
BLOWCOMOTION AUSTIN, TX	CHARITABLE	$6,000
LOOKING GLASS ART WEST FULTON, NY	CHARITABLE	$7,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is led by a board of five individuals:

Emily Wasserman – President (15 hours per week)
Wendy Wasserman – Vice President (5 hours per week)
Stefanie Wasserman – Treasurer (1 hour per week)
James Browne – Director (1 hour per week)
Norian Caporal Berkowitz – Secretary (1 hour per week)

All board members serve without compensation. The foundation operates with limited paid staffing.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
EMILY WASSERMAN	PRESIDENT	15	—
WENDY WASSERMAN	VICE PRESIDENT	5	—
STEFANIE WASSERMAN	TREASURER	1	—
JAMES BROWNE	DIRECTOR	1	—
NORIAN CAPORAL BERKOWITZ	SECRETARY	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2025

The foundation continues to support contemporary music through its commissioning program. The 2025–2026 Cheswatyr Commission features a world premiere by composer Brittany J. Green, with additional works by Allison Loggins-Hull, Akua Dixon, and Jennifer Curtis, presented in partnership with Composers Now at Columbia University.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc?

The Cheswatyr Foundation makes grants to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications or solicitations. **Grant Activity:** • In 2023, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $203,650 • Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $35,000 • Median grant size: $5,000 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • The Jazz Gallery ($23,900) • Luna Composition Lab ($20,000) • New Music USA ($20,000) **Historical Grantees:** The foundation has provided support to organizations including Mi…

What size grants does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc awarded 27 grants totaling $217K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $230K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.