The John and Wendy NEU Foundation
The John and Wendy Neu Foundation is a private foundation based in Kearny, New Jersey. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in animal welfare, environmental conservation, journalism, justice and democracy, and higher education.
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation at a glance
In short: The John and Wendy NEU Foundation gave $2.4M across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $185K), top state Virginia. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,400,000
- +0.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- -27.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $184,615
- +39.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $1,282,378
- -16.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (43% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The John and Wendy NEU Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 78 John Miller Way 102, Kearny, NJ 07032
Phone: (646) 467-6700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John and Wendy NEU Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Peta ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
104 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 104 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia (34%), New York (33%), New Jersey (19%), California (10%), and Massachusetts (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The John and Wendy NEU Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $261K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 62% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2023) to $2.5M (2020). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Peta Norfolk, VA | Donation to establish and protect the rights of all animals | $1,000,000 |
| Brennan Center for Justice New York, NY | Donation to reform,revitalize, and support the laws and to help fight democracy and justice | $500,000 |
| Altasea at the Port of Los Angeles San Pedro, CA | Charitable | $250,000 |
| Companion Animal Placement Weehawken, NJ | Donation to help rescue and place homeless companion animals in loving homes | $240,000 |
| Animal Haven New York, NY | Donation to provide homes and abandoned cats and dogs throughout the tri-state area | $100,000 |
| Nynj Baykeeper Keyport, NJ | Donation to help conserve and restore the hudson raritan estuary | $100,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University New York, NY | Donation to provide staffing of quarterly board meetings, annual board meetings, and orientation of new trustees | $100,000 |
| The Lesniak Instittute Union, NJ | Charitable | $40,000 |
| Girls for a Change N Chesterfld, VA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Dogs and Cats of Antigua Eastham, MA | Charitable | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The John and Wendy NEU Foundation?
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 | $1,282,378 | $2,185,436 | $2,416,570 | $2,400,000 | 13 | $2,407,840 | $48,906 | $67,580 |
| 2024 | $1,534,592 | $2,075,039 | $2,406,490 | $2,387,250 | 18 | $2,388,650 | $76,865 | $72,754 |
| 2023 | $1,539,676 | $850,309 | $1,642,366 | $1,651,000 | 18 | $1,626,565 | — | $98,999 |
| 2022 | $2,581,733 | $258,512 | $2,047,997 | $2,000,000 | 26 | $2,012,965 | — | $149,205 |
| 2021 | $4,121,218 | $4,234,899 | $2,126,310 | $2,084,000 | 29 | $2,085,713 | $409,302 | $153,686 |
| 2020 | $1,662,627 | $1,649,633 | $2,526,603 | $2,492,000 | 20 | — | $517,028 | $61,049 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John and Wendy NEU Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K 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
A mission statement for the foundation is not provided. Its 2024 grants included support for animal rescue and wildlife rehabilitation, environmental conservation, and organizations focused on justice and democracy. The foundation also made a grant to Columbia University for staffing board meetings and trustee orientation.
Grantees describe their own work in varied terms. AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles says it advances scientific collaboration and a sustainable blue economy. Conservation Law Foundation says it uses law, science, and markets to protect New England’s environment and build resilient communities. Animal Haven says it finds homes for dogs and cats in the tri-state area, while Liberty Humane Society says it works to improve animal welfare and reduce pet homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $2,387,250. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $700,000, with a median of $70,000. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 13 grants totaling $2.4 million.
Among the largest grants were $700,000 to PETA for animal rights; $400,000 to the Brennan Center for Justice for work described as supporting law reform, democracy, and justice; and $302,000 to Companion Animal Placement to help rescue and place homeless companion animals. Other substantial grants included $250,000 to AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, $200,000 to the Natural Resources Defense Council, and $100,000 each to NYNJ Baykeeper, PBS NewsHour (WETA), and the Trustees of Columbia University.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Wendy K. Neu as president/director, Peter Kelman as treasurer/director, Steve Nislick as secretary/director, and Jacqueline Kelman Bisbee as vice president/director.
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation is led by Wendy K. Neu, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wendy K. Neu
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacqueline Kelman Bisbee
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Kelman
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Nislick
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The John and Wendy NEU Foundation
How much does The John and Wendy NEU Foundation give each year?
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation gave $2.4M across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.4M across 18 grants.
What is The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's typical grant size?
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $184,615, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John and Wendy NEU Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does The John and Wendy NEU Foundation give grants?
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (30%) and New Jersey (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants).
Does The John and Wendy NEU Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (7 grants).
Who are The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's largest grantees?
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Peta ($1,000,000), Brennan Center for Justice ($500,000) and Altasea at the Port of Los Angeles ($250,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The John and Wendy NEU Foundation?
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $68K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The John and Wendy NEU Foundation fund?
A mission statement for the foundation is not provided. Its 2024 grants included support for animal rescue and wildlife rehabilitation, environmental conservation, and organizations focused on justice and democracy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John and Wendy NEU Foundation?
The foundation 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 John and Wendy NEU Foundation's EIN?
The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3731089. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The John and Wendy NEU Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The John and Wendy NEU Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- UK Annual Writing Award: 'Pleasure in the Task of Writing' £250 (1st prize); £50 (runners-up); books for school library · Due November 5, 2026
- Nellie Mae Event Sponsorship Fund Grant Up to US $5,000 · Due November 5, 2026
- Rubin and Gloria Feldman Family Educational Institute Up to $5,000 · Due November 5, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The John and Wendy NEU Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John and Wendy NEU Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-wendy-neu-foundation-morg_1832decf631147499cb32bca428f9b4a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133731089_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John and Wendy NEU Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-and-wendy-neu-foundation-morg_1832decf631147499cb32bca428f9b4a},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-03. 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 John and Wendy NEU Foundation'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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