The Essex Avenue Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, established in 2021. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a significant philanthropic resource with a concentrated approach to grantmaking across multiple focus areas and geographic regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$616.1M
+11.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$27.8M
+18.5% YoY
Grant Count
77
+11.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$360K
+6.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Essex Avenue Foundation reported a distributable amount of $39.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly disclosed mission statement. However, its grantmaking demonstrates focus on:
- Housing and homelessness
- Environmental conservation
- Education
- Healthcare, particularly cancer research
- Food security
- Human services
- Poverty alleviation
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis. No public application process or request for proposals is disclosed.
Grant Range
$6,000–$5,000,192
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation demonstrates a strong geographic concentration in New York State, which received 62% of grants (43 of 69 grants in 2023). Secondary focus areas include:
- New Jersey
- California
- District of Columbia
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Illinois
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Oregon
- Texas
- Vermont
International funding has also been documented in locations such as Lusaka.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $616,149,256
- Total revenue: $92,084,172
- Total expenses: $28,034,101
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $552,000,000–$698,000,000 (figures vary by source)
- Total revenue: $113,000,000–$115,000,000
- Total expenses: $23,600,000–$23,400,000
Liabilities: $0 (2023)
Staffing: 0 employees listed on tax filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $616,149,256 | $552,099,185 | $460,850,279 |
| Revenue | $92,084,172 | $114,892,724 | $100,018,578 |
| Expenses | $28,034,101 | $23,643,818 | $17,651,298 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $27,964,626 | $23,630,818 | $17,651,298 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,084,097 | $1,892,724 | $6,179 |
| Distributable Amount | $39,107,480 | $29,707,370 | $23,481,795 |
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
156 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Escuela Comunitaria Del Bronx Bronx Community Scho ($1,895,108), Breaking Ground Housing Development Fund Corporati ($1,000,000), City and Country School Inc ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABORTION CARE NETWORK WASHINGTON, DC | Keep Our Clinics fund | $100,000 |
| ALI FORNEY CENTER NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $750,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR A LIVING OCEAN LONG BEACH, NJ | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| BILLION OYSTER PROJECT NEW YORK, NY | Design & Permitting of Oyster Reefs | $500,000 |
| BREAKING GROUND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND CORPORATI NEW YORK, NY | Working Capital Fund | $1,000,000 |
| BRONX RIVER ALLIANCE INC BRONX, NY | General & Unrestricted | $75,000 |
| BRONXWORKS INC BRONX, NY | General & Unrestricted | $500,000 |
| CEC STUYVESANT COVE INC LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | General & Unrestricted | $300,000 |
| CHRISTIAN HERALD ASSN INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $500,000 |
| CITY AND COUNTRY SCHOOL INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Ann Jenkins – Director and President
- Greta Jenkins – Director
- Leo Jenkins – Director
- Michael Jenkins – Director
- Sophia Jenkins – Director
- Valerie Crosswhite – Secretary
All board members serve without compensation. The foundation is supported by the Jenkins family.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valerie Crosswhite | Sec | 20 | — |
| Ann Jenkins | Dir, Pres | 10 | — |
| Greta Jenkins | Dir | 1 | — |
| Leo Jenkins | Dir | 1 | — |
| Michael Jenkins | Dir | 1 | — |
| Sophia Jenkins | Dir | 1 | — |
| Elizabeth Lasorte | Treas | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Essex Avenue Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly disclosed mission statement. However, its grantmaking demonstrates focus on: • Housing and homelessness • Environmental conservation • Education • Healthcare, particularly cancer research • Food security • Human services • Poverty alleviation
How do I apply for a grant from The Essex Avenue Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $23.4–$27.8 million (recent years) • Grant range: $6,000–$5,000,192 • Median grant size: $210,000 • Number of grants: 69 grants awarded in 2023; 63 grants in 2024 **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • New York Foundling (The Home of Integrated Behavioral Health and the Road To Success Program): $1,000,000 • City and Country School (C&C) (General & Unrestricted): $1,000,000 • We Care Solar (General & Unrestricted): $750,000 **Application Process:** The foundati…
Where does The Essex Avenue Foundation make grants?
The foundation demonstrates a strong geographic concentration in New York State, which received 62% of grants (43 of 69 grants in 2023). Secondary focus areas include: • New Jersey • California • District of Columbia • Connecticut • Florida • Illinois • Louisiana • Massachusetts • Maryland • Maine • Oregon • Texas • Vermont International funding has also been documented in locations such as Lusaka.
What size grants does The Essex Avenue Foundation award?
In 2024, The Essex Avenue Foundation awarded 77 grants totaling $27.8M — an average of about $360K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Essex Avenue Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Essex Avenue Foundation reported a distributable amount of $39.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Essex Avenue Foundation's EIN?
The Essex Avenue Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-1891431. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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