The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation is a private foundation, based in Purchase, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $420K. Net investment income was $1.2M.
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation at a glance
In short: The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation gave $420K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $47K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $420,000
- +31.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $46,667
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $8,824,777
- +8.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Williams College ($225K). Together the top 9 received $420K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 25 grants of 34 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation gives
- Giving grew 143% from 2022 to 2025. 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
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $173K (2022) to $420K (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $420K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Williams College Williamstown, MA | General Support | $225,000 |
| Rye Country Day School Rye, NY | General Support | $125,000 |
| Community Synogogue of Rye Rye, NY | General Support | $25,000 |
| Feeding Westchester Elmsford, NY | General Support | $15,000 |
| Japan Society Inc New York, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
| Friends of Rye Nature Center Rye, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| Rye Free Reading Room Rye, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| Rye Historical Society Rye, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| The Clark Institute Williamstown, MA | General Support | $5,000 |
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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 | $8,824,777 | $1,175,302 | $454,435 | $420,000 | 9 | $424,450 | $1,174,891 | $466,147 |
| 2024 | $8,103,910 | $2,352,670 | $343,219 | $320,000 | 8 | $324,500 | $2,351,951 | $424,915 |
| 2023 | $6,094,459 | $316,203 | $215,731 | $205,000 | 8 | $209,000 | $315,263 | $351,684 |
| 2022 | $5,993,987 | $157,273 | $178,168 | $172,500 | 5 | $174,828 | $154,965 | $302,374 |
| 2021 | $6,014,882 | $1,593,035 | $264,560 | $235,000 | 4 | $239,405 | $1,588,880 | $299,873 |
| 2020 | $4,686,407 | $15,188 | $297,250 | $295,000 | 6 | — | $71,094 | $240,510 |
| 2019 | $4,968,469 | $894,471 | $259,053 | $237,500 | 5 | — | $890,245 | $243,754 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation reported a distributable amount of $466K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chris A. Wachenheim
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edgar Wachenheim III
Trustee
Trustee & Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sue W. Wachenheim (2019–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Chris a Wachenheim Foundation
How much does The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation give each year?
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation gave $420K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $320K across 8 grants.
What is The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $46,667, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation give grants?
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (45%). The most frequent recipient cities were Rye, NY (5 grants) and Williamstown, MA (2 grants).
Does The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Williams College ($225,000), Rye Country Day School ($125,000) and Community Synogogue of Rye ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation?
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation reported $8.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $424K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $466K (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 is The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's EIN?
The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2578681. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 29, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
Live grants for the work The Chris a Wachenheim Foundation funds
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