The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger is a private foundation based in Somerville, New Jersey. Its 2025 filing says it supports other 501(c)(3) organizations with both local and national focus.
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger at a glance
In short: The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger gave $82K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in New Jersey. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $82,000
- -52.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- -24.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,316
- -36.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,260,953
- +9.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (4 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 36 East Main Street, Somerville, NJ 08876-2308
Phone: (908) 704-1400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cooperative Housing Corp ($35K across 7 grants). Together the top 10 received $79K.
Grant Size Distribution
109 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 109 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing shows that 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey. Other recipient states were Kentucky (6%), Virginia (4%), Maryland (4%), and New York (2%). The foundation states that its charitable activity supports organizations of both local and national focus.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 12 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 60% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 $82K (2025) to $227K (2021). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $82K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperative Housing Corp Somerville, NJ | General | $8,850 |
| Union Catholic Scotch Plains, NJ | General | $6,500 |
| Cooperative Housing Corp Somerville, NJ | General | $5,900 |
| Cooperative Housing Corp Somerville, NJ | General | $5,900 |
| Cooperative Housing Corp Somerville, NJ | General | $5,900 |
| Diabled American Vets Chap 16 Cold Spring, KY | General | $5,000 |
| Friends of the Carpenter Plainfield, NJ | General | $5,000 |
| Independence for Veterans Bedminster, NJ | General | $5,000 |
| Military Order of Purple Heart Burlington, NJ | General | $5,000 |
| VFW Post 8371 Hillsborough, NJ | General | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,260,953 | $184,345 | $117,542 | $82,000 | 19 | $82,000 | $130,019 | $137,356 |
| 2024 | $2,966,393 | $182,268 | $208,769 | $170,900 | 25 | $171,055 | $30,285 | $144,377 |
| 2023 | $2,419,893 | $63,027 | $175,884 | $139,325 | 20 | $142,747 | $31,775 | $131,655 |
| 2022 | $2,872,921 | $213,272 | $209,005 | $170,700 | 24 | $170,700 | $166,266 | $137,715 |
| 2021 | $3,285,874 | $217,369 | $266,088 | $227,200 | 21 | $228,525 | $151,270 | $158,703 |
| 2020 | $3,159,328 | $126,920 | $184,940 | $151,730 | 15 | — | $59,264 | $145,080 |
| 2019 | $3,038,463 | $146,175 | $177,146 | $143,100 | 14 | — | $76,157 | $145,524 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger reported a distributable amount of $137K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes its direct charitable activity as supporting other 501(c)(3) organizations of both local and national focus. The 2025 grants listed in the filing include general-purpose support for organizations serving veterans and other communities.
Among the grantees, Cooperative Housing Corporation describes its mission as providing affordable shared residences and services for low- to moderate-income older adults and some adults with special needs, including companionship and support. Independence for Veterans describes its work as providing support and assistance to U.S. veterans, including clothing, necessities, and direct financial assistance.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $82,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $8,850, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed grant was $8,850 to Cooperative Housing Corp; other notable grants included $6,500 to Union Catholic, $5,000 to Independence for Veterans, and $5,000 to Friends of the Carpenter.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Winifred Vastola as president; G Robert Santye as treasurer; and Donald Whitelaw, William Savo, Gerard Walsh, and Keith Vastola as trustees.
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger is led by Winifred Vastola, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Winifred Vastola
President
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$750 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Donald Whitelaw
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$250 (2019) → $0 (2025)
William Savo
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$250 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Gerard Walsh
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
$250 (2023) → $0 (2025)
Keith Vastola
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
$250 (2024) → $0 (2025)
G. Robert Santye
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$500 (2019) → $0 (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Lawrence Vastola (2019–2024) — President
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 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $250, to Lawrence Vastola (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger
How much does The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger give each year?
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger gave $82K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $171K across 25 grants.
What is The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's typical grant size?
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,316, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger give grants?
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger gives mostly in New Jersey: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kentucky (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Somerville, NJ (7 grants) and Scotch Plains, NJ (2 grants).
Does The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's largest grantees?
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's largest 2025 grantees include Cooperative Housing Corp ($35,400 across 7 grants), Union Catholic ($9,500 across 2 grants) and Diabled American Vets Chap 16 ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger?
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $82K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $137K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its direct charitable activity as supporting other 501(c)(3) organizations of both local and national focus. The 2025 grants listed in the filing include general-purpose support for organizations serving veterans and other communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's EIN?
The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4854125. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 20, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-gerald-and-elizabeth-geiger-morg_b8eb28ee4c204d0bb1d066af46a4090e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_474854125_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Gerald \& Elizabeth Geiger funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-gerald-and-elizabeth-geiger-morg_b8eb28ee4c204d0bb1d066af46a4090e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Gerald & Elizabeth Geiger'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.
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