The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc
The Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund is a private family foundation incorporated in 1945 and based in New York City. The Fund was established by Esther and Joseph Klingenstein, with Joseph serving as co-founder of the investment firm Wertheim and Company. For over four decades, the Fund has evolved from supporting institutions in the New York City area to becoming a major funder of neuroscience research, early childhood development, early literacy, and climate change mitigation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$119.7M
-2.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.3M
+47.3% YoY
Grant Count
93
+24.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$99K
+18.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Fund is committed to:
- Investing in breakthrough neuroscience research — supporting early career scientists engaged in basic or clinical neuroscience research
- Helping communities mitigate climate change
- Improving early childhood mental health and well-being — particularly among low-income children
- Ensuring that all children can read — through early literacy programs
Grantmaking
The Fund administers multiple grant programs:
Grant Range
& Statistics
Average Grant
$84,773; 53 recipients; last awarded in 2024
Ready to take the next step with The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund supports work in:
- New York
- Washington, DC
- Connecticut
- Maine
- United States (for neuroscience research)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $119,702,530
- Total Annual Giving: $10,832,039
- Total Revenue: $7,596,262
- Total Expenses: $11,143,051
- Most Recent Filing: 2024
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $119,702,530 | $123,254,867 | $127,438,666 |
| Revenue | $7,596,262 | $3,683,723 | $2,194,797 |
| Expenses | $11,143,051 | $7,868,628 | $6,245,954 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $10,832,039 | $7,575,338 | $4,366,785 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,077,771 | $1,506,196 | $997,107 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,437,257 | $5,875,282 | $6,222,464 |
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
104 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrew Klingenstein — Trustee, CEO
- Eliot Brenner — Executive Director, Trustee
- Nancy K Simpkins — Vice President
- Sarah K Martell — Secretary, Trustee
- Julie Klingenstein — Trustee
- Alan Klingenstein — Treasurer
- Emma Brownstein — Trustee
- Alexandra D Klingenstein — Trustee
- Greg Brownstein — Trustee
- Zachary Toal — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANDREW KLINGENSTEIN | TRUSTEE, CEO | 5 | — |
| NANCY K SIMPKINS | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| SARAH K MARTELL | SECRETARY, TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| JULIE KLINGENSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| ALAN KLINGENSTEIN | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| EMMA BROWNSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ELIOT BRENNER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRUSTEE | 30 | $237,634 |
| ALEXANDRA D KLINGENSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| GREG BROWNSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| ZACHARY TOAL | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 61 Broadway, Suite 1601, New York, NY 10006
- Phone: (212) 583-1100
- Website: www.klingenstein.org
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities