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
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
No grants recorded for .
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
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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