The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Brooklyn, New York, dedicated to supporting and developing creative contemporary music. The family-operated foundation began in 1997 in Tyringham, Massachusetts.
Key facts about The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc
In short: The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc gave $217K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in New York. 48% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 04-3328552
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $216,600
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- Average grant
- $8,022
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (13 of 27, 2024)
- Total assets
- $3,381,682
- Primary geography
- New York (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Quick answers about The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc
How much does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc give each year?
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc gave $217K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $204K across 23 grants.
What is The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,022, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc give grants?
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc gives mostly in New York: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants), Brooklyn, NY (5 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (27 grants).
Who are The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Composers Now Fund for Nyc ($30,000), Luna Composition Lab ($30,000) and The Jazz Gallery ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Is The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 27 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Next steps with The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc
- How to evaluate The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc as a funder
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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
27
+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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation describes its mission as supporting and developing creative contemporary music. Its stated grant focus includes contemporary music, commissions, and community engagement projects.
Its grantees include organizations working in music performance, composition, education, and public programming. For example, Alarm Will Sound says it presents contemporary classical music through tours and recordings, commissions new work, and offers workshops, seminars, and residencies. Bang on a Can describes its work as presenting, commissioning, performing, recording, and teaching contemporary music. Luna Composition Lab says it provides guidance, visibility, and resources to underrepresented artists in artistic and musical composition.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $216,600. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $30,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards included $30,000 to Composers Now Fund for NYC and $30,000 to Luna Composition Lab, followed by $25,000 to The Jazz Gallery. Other notable grants were $20,000 each to Alarm Will Sound and International Contemporary Ensemble, and $10,000 to Kyo-Shin-An Arts.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, New York recipients received 81% of grant dollars. Other recipient-state shares were Pennsylvania, 4%; Massachusetts, 3%; Texas, 3%; and Michigan, 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 27 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,381,682 | $418,940 | $292,149 | $216,600 |
| 2023 | $3,250,692 | $71,366 | $257,284 | $203,650 |
| 2022 | $3,440,150 | $47,370 | $305,454 | $252,705 |
| 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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| COMPOSERS NOW FUND FOR NYC New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
| LUNA COMPOSITION LAB New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $30,000 |
| THE JAZZ GALLERY New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $25,000 |
| ALARM WILL SOUND Brooklyn, NY | CHARITABLE | $20,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORATY ENSEMBLE Brooklyn, NY | CHARITABLE | $20,000 |
| KYO-SHIN-AN ARTS Brooklyn, NY | CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
| MAKE MUSIC ALLIANCE Philadelphia, PA | CHARITABLE | $8,500 |
| HARLEM CHAMBER PLAYERS New York, NY | CHARITABLE | $8,000 |
| LOOKING GLASS ART West Fulton, NY | CHARITABLE | $7,500 |
| BANG ON A CAN Brooklyn, NY | CHARITABLE | $7,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Emily Wasserman as president, Wendy Wasserman as vice president, Stefanie Wasserman as treasurer, James Browne as director, and Norian Caporal Berkowitz as secretary.
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc is led by Emily Wasserman, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Emily Wasserman
President
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Browne
Director
Director → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Norian Caporal Berkowitz
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Wasserman
Vice President
Secretary & Treasury → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stefanie Wasserman
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Stephanie Wasserman (2020–2021) — Director
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 151 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Phone: (718) 852-9283
Website: https://cheswatyr.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation describes its mission as supporting and developing creative contemporary music. Its stated grant focus includes contemporary music, commissions, and community engagement projects. Its grantees include organizations working in music performance, composition, education, and public programming. For example, Alarm Will Sound says it presents contemporary classical music through tours and recordings, commissions new work, and offers workshops, seminars, and residencies. Bang on a Can …
How do I apply for a grant from The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 ↑
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.
What is The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3328552. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Cheswatyr Foundation Inc 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.