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
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $6.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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
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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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Stanford University-osr ($200,000), Cornell University ($100,000), Washington University in Saint Louis ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YALE UNIVERSITY NEW HAVEN, CT | NEUROSCIENCE | $75,000 |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO LA JOLLA, CA | NEUROSCIENCE | $75,000 |
| TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRINCETON, NJ | NEUROSCIENCE | $75,000 |
| GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES WEST KINGSTON, RI | NEUROSCIENCE | $5,000 |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | NEUROSCIENCE | $75,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FR OAKLAND, CA | NEUROSCIENCE | $75,000 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY | NEUROSCIENCE | $100,000 |
| WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN SAINT LOUIS ST LOUIS, MO | NEUROSCIENCE | $100,000 |
| STOWERS INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH KANSAS CITY, MO | NEUROSCIENCE | $100,000 |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NY NEW YORK, NY | NEUROSCIENCE | $100,000 |
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
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc fund?
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
How do I apply for a grant from The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc?
The Fund administers multiple grant programs: • **Neuroscience Program** — Average grant: $84,773; 53 recipients; last awarded in 2024 • **Early Childhood Programs** — Average grant: $122,183; 13 recipients; last awarded in 2024 • **Early Literacy Grants** — Average grant: $158,182; 10 recipients; last awarded in 2024 • **Early Childhood Advocacy** — Average grant: $152,308; 8 recipients; last awarded in 2024 • Grant range: $795 to $3,139,614 • Median grant amount: $100,000 • Total grants award…
Where does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc make grants?
The Fund supports work in: • New York • Washington, DC • Connecticut • Maine • United States (for neuroscience research)
What size grants does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc award?
In 2024, The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc awarded 93 grants totaling $9.3M — an average of about $99K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $6.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's EIN?
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6028788. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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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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