The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl is a private foundation based in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2025 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl at a glance
In short: The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl gave $38K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in New York. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $38,000
- -15.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- -6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,714
- -9.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $93,779
- +1.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (61% 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 Mary Cooney and Edward Essl
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 36 Stanford Place, Glen Ridge, NJ 07028
Phone: (973) 994-9400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Adventure Project Corp ($6K). Together the top 10 received $32K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 72 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest share of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (61%). Other listed recipient-state shares were Connecticut (13%), Tennessee (8%), Utah (5%), and New Jersey (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 438% of 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 $38K (2025) to $45K (2024). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $38K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure Project Corp New York, NY | Giving people the tools and resources to lift themselves and their communities out of extreme poverty. | $6,000 |
| National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Inc New York, NY | Brain and Behavior Research Projects. | $5,000 |
| Save the Children Federation Inc Fairfield, CT | To Help Needy Children. | $5,000 |
| Fractured Atlas Inc New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant to Support the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $4,000 |
| American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals New York, NY | Animal Rescue Programs. | $2,000 |
| Best Friends Animal Society Kanab, UT | The Care of an Animal Sanctuary. | $2,000 |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City Metro New York, NY | Help Families and Individuals Affected by Mental Illness. | $2,000 |
| Saint Joseph Catholic Church Maplewood, NJ | Unrestricted Grant to Support the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $2,000 |
| Single Parent Resource Center Inc New York, NY | Single Parents Programs. | $2,000 |
| The Childrens Aid Society New York, NY | Provide Services to Underserved Children in NYC. | $2,000 |
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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 | $93,779 | $16,974 | $40,944 | $38,000 | 14 | $39,000 | $13,030 | $8,913 |
| 2024 | $92,777 | $26,645 | $45,983 | $45,000 | 15 | $45,850 | $24,512 | $12,834 |
| 2023 | $112,115 | $38,968 | $49,011 | $45,000 | 15 | $46,600 | $34,557 | $18,881 |
| 2022 | $122,158 | $42,690 | $42,876 | $40,000 | 14 | $40,000 | $40,140 | $14,071 |
| 2021 | $122,344 | $26,618 | $47,982 | $44,000 | 14 | $44,750 | $23,477 | $15,402 |
| 2020 | $143,629 | $9,672 | $47,545 | $43,000 | 14 | — | $6,550 | $12,567 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl reported a distributable amount of $9K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including children’s services, mental health research and support, arts and creativity, family services, and animal welfare.
The grantees describe their own work in varied ways. Save the Children says its mission is to improve the way the world treats children and achieve lasting change in their lives. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation says it awards grants for scientific research to alleviate the suffering of mental illness. Fractured Atlas says it makes the journey from inspiration to practice more accessible and equitable for artists and creatives. Children’s Aid says it supports children and families in high-needs New York City neighborhoods, while the Single Parent Resource Center says it provides programs and services to single parents and their families. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee describes its work as providing lifetime care and a natural habitat refuge for elephants, and Best Friends Animal Society says it works to save the lives of dogs and cats in shelters.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $38,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $6,000, with a median of $2,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $6,000 to Adventure Project Corp for tools and resources to help people and communities lift themselves out of extreme poverty; $5,000 each to the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression for brain and behavior research projects and to Save the Children Federation to help needy children; and $4,000 to Fractured Atlas as an unrestricted grant supporting its exempt purpose. Other grants included $2,000 each to Children’s Aid, the Single Parent Resource Center, the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, and Best Friends Animal Society.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christina M. Casey, Michael E. Essl, and Michael Lamotta as trustees.
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christina M. Casey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael E. Essl
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Lamotta
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Michael La Motta (2020–2022) — Trustee
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 Mary Cooney and Edward Essl
How much does The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl give each year?
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl gave $38K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $45K across 15 grants.
What is The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's typical grant size?
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,714, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl give grants?
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl gives mostly in New York: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (13%) and Tennessee (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (7 grants).
Does The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's largest grantees?
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's largest 2025 grantees include Adventure Project Corp ($6,000), National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Inc ($5,000) and Save the Children Federation Inc ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl?
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl reported $94K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $39K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including children’s services, mental health research and support, arts and creativity, family services, and animal welfare. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds 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 Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's EIN?
The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1789712. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Mary Cooney and Edward Essl 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
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