The Kestrel Foundation

WASHINGTON, CT EIN: 13-4007198 Website

The Kestrel Foundation is a private foundation established in 1998, based in Florham Park, New Jersey. The foundation is also known as the Armstrong-Nickoll Family Foundation or Armstrong Nickoll Family Foundation. It operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with no employees and focuses on general unrestricted grantmaking to qualified organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$13.7M

-1.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$967K

+150.0% YoY

Grant Count

-8.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$17K

+172.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kestrel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $669K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Kestrel Foundation primarily funds general unrestricted grants to organizations across multiple sectors. Based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports organizations working in education, human services, and international humanitarian causes.

Grantmaking

The foundation made 58 grants in 2023, with a total giving amount of $967,100. Recent grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Connecticut, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Grant Distribution by State

Connecticut $1.1M (40%)

Virginia $665K (25%)

New York $459K (17%)

California $272K (10%)

District of Columbia $87K (3%)

Rhode Island $50K (2%)

Pennsylvania $40K (1%)

Oregon $20K (1%)

+6 more states

States

Alabama California Connecticut District of Columbia Illinois New York Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Tennessee Texas Virginia Vermont Washington

Cities

AlbanyBantamBeverly HillsBloomfieldBridgewaterBronxBrooklynChicagoCornwall BridgeDanburyEl PasoFairfieldFranklinHartfordHoustonKentLitchfieldLos AngelesLyndonvilleMclean

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 31, 2023:

Total Assets: $13,855,671
Total Revenues: $240,888
Total Expenses: $798,654
Investment Income and Dividends: $153,060
Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $0

As of 2024 (most recent IRS 990 filing):

Total Assets: $13,670,245
Total Giving: $967,100

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$13,670,245	$13,855,671	$13,759,493
Revenue	$807,876	$240,888	$83,595
Expenses	$1,099,614	$798,654	$731,737
Qualifying Distributions	$980,818	$407,739	$530,506
Net Investment Income	$672,447	$124,780	$461,616
Distributable Amount	$668,675	$640,409	$649,687

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cloudbreak Inc ($665,000), Northwest Ct Land Concervancy ($42,000), Doctors Without Borders ($20,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ACLU FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,000
AFTER SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAM WASHINGTON DEPOT, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (ASPCA) NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
BRADY CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,000
CHILDREN'S COMMUNITY SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA, PA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
CLOUDBREAK INC MCLEAN, VA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$665,000
CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WATERBURY, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$1,000
CONNECTICUT FOODSHARE WALLINGFORD, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$3,500
CONNECTICUT PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP INC (CONN PIRG) HARTFORD, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$200
CONVERSATIONS ON THE GREEN WASHINGTON, CT	GENERAL SUPPORT	$2,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BENJAMIN E NICKOLL	TRUSTEE	2	—
CHRISTINE M ARMSTRONG	TRUSTEE	2	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Kestrel Foundation fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Kestrel Foundation?

The foundation made 58 grants in 2023, with a total giving amount of $967,100. Recent grants include: • Brown University: $25,000 (General Support) • Doctors without Borders USA: $20,000 (General Support) • USA for UNHCR (United States Association for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees): $20,000 (General Support) Typical grant awards range from $100 to $665,000. The foundation provides general support and unrestricted gifts to grantees.

Where does The Kestrel Foundation make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Connecticut, New York, and the District of Columbia.

What size grants does The Kestrel Foundation award?

In 2024, The Kestrel Foundation awarded 56 grants totaling $967K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Kestrel Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Kestrel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $669K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.