The Kneisel Foundation Inc
The Kneisel Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Beverly, Massachusetts, established in 1992. The foundation was founded by financier Bill Kneisel and his wife Anne Hooper Kneisel. Bill Kneisel joined Morgan Stanley in 1974 and eventually became head of Morgan's Worldwide Equity Capital Market Group. The foundation operates without a public website, making it a relatively low-profile funder in the philanthropic landscape.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.6M
-6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$362K
+0.1% YoY
Grant Count
62
-7.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+8.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kneisel Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $223K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Kneisel Foundation primarily funds grantmaking in four key areas:
Education: The foundation supports schools with personal connections to the founders, including Harvard Business School and Dartmouth College (Bill's alma maters) and Pingree School (Anne's school). Other education grantees include Babson College, The Highlands School, Hopkins School, Teach for America, The Taft School Corporation, and Brookwood School.
Arts and Culture: The foundation supports museums and arts organizations, with past grantees including Bruce Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, Cape Ann Museum, Mint Museum Auxiliary, and New York City Ballet. The foundation also supports public radio, including WSHU Public Radio.
Health and Human Services: The foundation provides support to hospitals and organizations in the health and human services sector.
General Purpose: The foundation makes general purpose grants to various nonprofit organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not maintain a website and does not provide a clear public application process or guidelines. Networking is noted as the primary avenue for grantseekers to connect with the foundation.
Grant Range
$2,000
Average Grant
$4,300
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports nonprofits in the New England area, with particular focus on Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $2,600,610
- Total revenues: $203,259
- Total expenses: $374,596
- Investment income and dividends: $83,504
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $117,303
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since May 1992 (EIN: 04-3136120)
Staffing: The foundation operates with 0 employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,600,610 | $2,774,721 | $3,004,840 |
| Revenue | $203,259 | $143,475 | $173,269 |
| Expenses | $374,596 | $371,244 | $344,684 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $366,996 | $368,644 | $342,234 |
| Net Investment Income | $198,207 | $138,038 | $168,589 |
| Distributable Amount | $222,649 | $197,187 | $203,423 |
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 Cape Ann Museum ($41,000), Dartmouth College ($40,000), Brookwood School ($27,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 564 PARK AVENUE PRESERVATION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $500 |
| ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION LAKE PLACID, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $1,500 |
| AUTISM SPEAKS WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $1,500 |
| BABSON COLLEGE BABSON PARK, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $1,500 |
| BEVERLY BOOTSTRAPS BEVERLY, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $2,500 |
| BEVERLY HOSPITAL BEVERLY, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $3,500 |
| BROOKWOOD SCHOOL MANCHESTER, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $27,500 |
| BRUCE MUSEUM GREENWICH, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE | $15,000 |
| CAPE ANN MUSEUM GLOUCESTER, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $41,000 |
| CHANGE IS SIMPLE BEVERLY, MA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- William J Kneisel: President & Director, Treasurer
- Anne H Kneisel: Vice President & Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM J KNEISEL | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ANNE H KNEISEL | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | — | — |
| WILLIAM J KNEISEL | TREASURER | — | — |
| ANTHONY P FUSCO | CLERK | — | — |
| WILLIAM J PARSONS JR | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| PAULA A RYAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kneisel Foundation Inc fund?
The Kneisel Foundation primarily funds grantmaking in four key areas: • **Education**: The foundation supports schools with personal connections to the founders, including Harvard Business School and Dartmouth College (Bill's alma maters) and Pingree School (Anne's school). Other education grantees include Babson College, The Highlands School, Hopkins School, Teach for America, The Taft School Corporation, and Brookwood School. • **Arts and Culture**: The foundation supports museums and arts or…
How do I apply for a grant from The Kneisel Foundation Inc?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 67-78 grants in recent years • Total giving in 2024: $361,950 • Median grant size: $2,000 • Average grant size: $4,300 • Typical award range: $100–$41,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • Cape Ann Museum: $41,000 • The Taft School Corporation: $27,500 • Brookwood School: $27,500 **Application Process:** The foundation does not maintain a website and does not provide a clear public application process or guidelines. Networking is noted as the primary avenue f…
Where does The Kneisel Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily supports nonprofits in the New England area, with particular focus on Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.
What size grants does The Kneisel Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Kneisel Foundation Inc awarded 62 grants totaling $362K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Kneisel Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Kneisel Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $223K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Kneisel Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Kneisel Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3136120. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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