The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc
The Esther A & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2025 grants supported neuroscience research, early literacy, early childhood policy and advocacy, and nonprofit reporting.
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc at a glance
In short: The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc gave $16.9M across 99 grants in 2025 (avg $170K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,857,159
- +82.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 99
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $170,274
- +71.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $150,000
- Total assets
- $348,148,693
- +190.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (17% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 360 Madison Ave Floor 7, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 583-1100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc
Who The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was President and Fellows of Harvard College (OSP) ($650K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($200,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
269 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 147 grants of 269 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund is based in New York, New York. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York (17%), the District of Columbia (14%), California (12%), Massachusetts (11%), and Pennsylvania (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 99 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc gives
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 437% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.1M (2021) to $16.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 99 grants totaling $16.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Neuroscience | $600,000 |
| The Regents of the University of CA San Francisco Los Angeles, CA | Neuroscience | $600,000 |
| The Lenfest Institute for Journalism LLC Philadelphia, PA | Non-Profit Reporting | $500,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College (OSP) Cambridge, MA | Neuroscience | $450,000 |
| Health Federation of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Early Childhood Policy/Advocacy | $400,000 |
| Relay Graduate School of Education New York, NY | Early Literacy Grants | $381,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of NY New York, NY | Neuroscience | $350,000 |
| Bipartisan Policy Center Washington, DC | Early Childhood Policy/Advocacy | $350,000 |
| Washington University in Saint Louis St. Louis, MO | Neuroscience | $300,000 |
| UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, TX | Neuroscience | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The fund files Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $348,148,693 | $329,192,065 | $19,422,965 | $16,857,159 | 99 | $18,842,792 | $85,920,112 | $17,577,651 |
| 2024 | $119,702,530 | $7,596,262 | $11,143,051 | $9,252,334 | 93 | $10,832,039 | $2,077,771 | $6,437,257 |
| 2023 | $123,254,867 | $3,683,723 | $7,868,628 | $6,281,295 | 75 | $7,575,338 | $1,506,196 | $5,875,282 |
| 2022 | $127,438,666 | $2,194,797 | $6,245,954 | $3,139,614 | 1 | $4,366,785 | $997,107 | $6,222,464 |
| 2021 | $132,747,675 | $93,429,967 | $4,541,778 | $3,075,743 | 1 | — | $91,892,338 | $4,825,272 |
| 2020 | $44,005,067 | $1,682,417 | $6,001,316 | $4,895,555 | 2 | — | $1,613,682 | $5,208,196 |
| 2019 | $47,007,781 | $3,452,989 | $5,716,173 | $4,662,561 | 2 | — | $1,855,226 | $5,180,268 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc reported a distributable amount of $17.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state an overall mission for the fund. Its 2025 grants show support for neuroscience, early literacy, early childhood policy and advocacy, and nonprofit reporting.
The fund’s grantees describe a range of work. The Health Federation of Philadelphia says it plans, advocates for, administers, and develops primary health care for low-income Philadelphians. The Bipartisan Policy Center says it promotes bipartisan solutions through analysis, negotiation, and dialogue, addressing issues including health, economic policy, and governance. The Reading League says it advances awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction. The National Council on Teacher Quality describes itself as a research and advocacy nonprofit working to ensure every child has effective teachers.
Other 2025 recipients include universities whose stated missions encompass education and research. Harvard describes its work as undergraduate, graduate, and professional education and research across academic domains; NYU identifies education, research and scholarship, and patient care as its primary missions; and MIT describes its mission as advancing knowledge and educating students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the fund reported 99 grants totaling $16,857,159. Grant amounts ranged from $830 to $600,000, with a median of $150,000.
Among the largest grants were $600,000 each to Yale University and the Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, for neuroscience; $500,000 to the Lenfest Institute for Journalism for nonprofit reporting; and $450,000 to Harvard for neuroscience. The fund also awarded $400,000 to the Health Federation of Philadelphia and $350,000 to the Bipartisan Policy Center for early childhood policy and advocacy, and $381,000 to Relay Graduate School of Education for early literacy grants.
The Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Awards in Neuroscience program is listed as active. It supports early-career investigators conducting basic or clinical research relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders. The stated award is $150,000 annually for three years, up to $450,000 total. The program encourages applications from underrepresented groups and prioritizes candidates with promising scientific careers who may not have received substantial prior funding.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Andrew Klingenstein as trustee and CEO; Nancy K Simpkins as vice president; Sarah K Martell as secretary and trustee; Julie Klingenstein as trustee; Alan Klingenstein as treasurer; Emma Brownstein as trustee; Eliot Brenner as executive director and trustee; Alexandra D Klingenstein as trustee; Greg Brownstein as trustee; and Zachary Toal as trustee.
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc is led by Andrew Klingenstein, Trustee & CEO since 2020 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andrew Klingenstein
Trustee & CEO
President & Director → Trustee & CEO, 2020
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eliot Brenner
Executive Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$159K (2020) → $332K (2025)
Sarah K. Martell
Secretary & Trustee
Secretary & Director → Secretary & Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$11K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Julie Klingenstein
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emma Brownstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alexandra D. Klingenstein
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greg Brownstein
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zachary Toal
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alan Klingenstein
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy K. Simpkins
Vice President
Director → Trustee, 2020
Trustee → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Patricia Klingenstein (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Teresa Klingenstein (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Thomas D. Klingenstein (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Emily Klingenstein (2019) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $332K, to Eliot Brenner (Executive Director, Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc
How much does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc give each year?
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc gave $16.9M across 99 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $9.3M across 93 grants.
What is The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's typical grant size?
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's median grant in 2025 was $150,000, and its average grant was $170,274, across 99 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc give grants?
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's top state is New York, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (14%) and California (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (14 grants), New York, NY (12 grants), Boston, MA (6 grants) and Cambridge, MA (3 grants).
Does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 99 grants with a stated purpose on The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Neuroscience" (28 grants), "Environment" (27 grants) and "Early Childhood Funding Models" (11 grants).
Who are The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's largest grantees?
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's largest 2025 grantees include President and Fellows of Harvard College (OSP) ($650,000 across 2 grants), Yale University ($600,000) and The Regents of the University of CA San Francisco ($600,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($200,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc?
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc reported $348.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc fund?
The available information does not state an overall mission for the fund. Its 2025 grants show support for neuroscience, early literacy, early childhood policy and advocacy, and nonprofit reporting. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Does The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds efforts to improve health and health equity in the United States, including systems change addressing structural barriers to health. In 2024, its grants ranged from $125 to $12.15 million, with a median of $40,000. It typically funds through targeted programs and partnerships; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$13.4B
Grants
3,093
Total Given
$622.6M
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
The Simons Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Simons Foundation funds research and public engagement in mathematics and the physical, life, autism, and neuroscience sciences. In 2024, it made 1,727 grants, with a median award of $72,000 and amounts ranging from $1,480 to $20 million, supporting organizations in the U.S. and internationally. It states that it funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,727
Total Given
$272.0M
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Washington, DC
The Pew Charitable Trusts funds nonpartisan policy research and initiatives, civic participation, and—especially in Philadelphia—arts and culture and services for people in need. Its 2025 grants had a median of $75,000, though amounts varied widely; funding is national, with substantial support in Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. The profile does not state whether Pew accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
535
Total Given
$140.6M
More similar funders
More Funders in New York
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-esther-a-and-joseph-klingenstein-fund-inc-morg_0d6b525cfce4465da02f2821cc7e9906
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136028788_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Esther a \& Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-esther-a-and-joseph-klingenstein-fund-inc-morg_0d6b525cfce4465da02f2821cc7e9906},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Esther a & Joseph Klingenstein Fund Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?