The Gerstner Family Foundation
The Gerstner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Armonk, New York, and part of Gerstner Philanthropies, the philanthropic organization of the Gerstner family. Founded in 1989, it supports biomedical research, environmental research and innovation, education, and assistance for people facing unexpected emergencies.
Key facts about The Gerstner Family Foundation
In short: The Gerstner Family Foundation gave $12.5M across 38 grants in 2024 (avg $328K), top state New York. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-8559135
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $12,467,392
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- Average grant
- $328,089
- Median grant
- $220,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (19 of 38, 2024)
- Total assets
- $157,914,050
- Primary geography
- New York (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for support and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$157.9M
-0.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$12.5M
+109.9% YoY
Grant Count
38
+137.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$328K
-11.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gerstner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Gerstner Family Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 38 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $145K; repeat grants $511K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $365K repeat.
- 18% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 45% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 144% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s primary program areas are Biomedical Research, Environment, Education, and Helping Hands. It funds genomic research with potential clinical applications and support for early-career biomedical researchers; research and innovation addressing methane emissions and plastic pollution; scholarships and other educational support for students whose opportunities are limited by economic circumstances; and help for individuals and families facing unexpected crises.
Grantees’ own missions illustrate the range of organizations it supports. Windward Fund describes its work as providing fiscal sponsorship and operational support to environmental projects. Activate Global says it helps scientists bring research to market. Among human-services grantees, Coalition for the Homeless describes providing direct services and advocacy for homeless people and families, while FamilyAid Boston says it works with parents and caregivers facing homelessness to secure and sustain housing.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 38 grants totaling $12,467,392. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $1,756,000, with a median of $220,500.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its giving is focused in New York City, Boston, and Palm Beach County and surrounding communities, while noting that it also makes grants elsewhere. Its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in New York (36%), Florida (17%), Washington, DC (14%), New Hampshire (14%), and Massachusetts (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $5.9M (2023) to $12.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $12.5M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Trustees of Dartmouth College ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $8.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
185 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 185 (30%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees of Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Education - Scholarship Program | $1,756,000 |
| Windward Fund Washington, DC | Environmental Research | $1,750,000 |
| Treasure Coast Food Bank Incorporated Fort Pierce, FL | Food Pantry Program | $1,006,819 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Biomedical Research | $1,000,000 |
| Activate Global Inc Berkeley, CA | Environmental Research | $609,052 |
| Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Environmental Research | $493,271 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Environmental Research | $479,836 |
| Coalition for the Homeless Inc New York, NY | Emergency Grants Program | $465,000 |
| Familyaid Boston Inc Boston, MA | Emergency Grants Program | $438,000 |
| Diocese of Palm Beach Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Education - Scholarship Program | $414,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $157,914,050 | $16,734,851 | $17,201,146 | $12,467,392 | 38 |
| 2023 | $158,479,453 | $12,193,112 | $11,109,243 | $5,938,703 | 16 |
| 2022 | $157,377,016 | $6,418,815 | $11,013,240 | $6,732,000 | 33 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $157,914,050 | $158,479,453 | $157,377,016 |
| Revenue | $16,734,851 | $12,193,112 | $6,418,815 |
| Expenses | $17,201,146 | $11,109,243 | $11,013,240 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $14,047,507 | $7,240,549 | $7,755,547 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,745,820 | $5,084,722 | $3,220,856 |
| Distributable Amount | $9,735,338 | $9,272,875 | $9,865,201 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2024 filing listed Louis V. Gerstner Jr. as trustee and chairperson; Dr. Elizabeth R. Gerstner as trustee, vice chairperson, and vice president of programs; Bessemer Trust Company of Florida as trustee; and Kara V. Klein as trustee and executive director. The foundation’s website says Dr. Elizabeth Gerstner accepted the chair role following her father’s death in December 2025.
The Gerstner Family Foundation is led by Kara V. Klein, Trustee & Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kara V. Klein
Trustee & Executive Director
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$327K (2020) → $420K (2024)
Louis V. Gerstner Jr.
Trustee & Chairperson
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth R. Gerstner
Trustee, Vice Chairperson & Vice President Programs
Trustee & Vice President → Trustee & Vice President of Programs, 2022
Trustee & Vice President of Programs → Trustee, Vice Chairperson & Vice President Programs, 2023
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$62K (2020) → $100K (2024)
Bessemer Trust Company Of Florida
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Lea Carpenter-Brokaw (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Sandra Horbach (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Stanley Litow (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $420K, to Kara V Klein (Trustee, Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 20 Old Post Road, Armonk, NY 10504-1314
Phone: (914) 499-4900
Website: https://gerstner.org
Frequently asked questions about The Gerstner Family Foundation
How much does The Gerstner Family Foundation give each year?
The Gerstner Family Foundation gave $12.5M across 38 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.9M across 16 grants.
What is The Gerstner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gerstner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $220,500, and its average grant was $328,089, across 38 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gerstner Family Foundation that year got $145K on average.
Where does The Gerstner Family Foundation give grants?
The Gerstner Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (17%) and District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Bronx, NY (2 grants).
Does The Gerstner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Gerstner Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Emergency Grants Program" (13 grants), "Environmental Research" (8 grants) and "Biomedical Research" (6 grants).
Who are The Gerstner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gerstner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Trustees of Dartmouth College ($1,756,000), Windward Fund ($1,750,000) and Treasure Coast Food Bank Incorporated ($1,006,819), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Gerstner Family Foundation?
The Gerstner Family Foundation reported $157.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $14.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gerstner Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s primary program areas are Biomedical Research, Environment, Education, and Helping Hands. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gerstner Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for support and states that it 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 Gerstner Family Foundation's EIN?
The Gerstner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8559135. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Gerstner Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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