The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation

PENNINGTON, NJ EIN: 52-1720903

The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation is a private foundation established in 1990 and based in Pennington, New Jersey. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking with a primary focus on animal welfare and care.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$11.5M

-0.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$861K

-12.8% YoY

Grant Count

-7.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$25K

-5.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation reported a distributable amount of $793K 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 foundation's stated purpose is giving primarily for the care and welfare of animals. The foundation supports organizations working in animal rescue, animal medical services, and related animal welfare initiatives.

Grantmaking

The foundation distributes approximately $860,500 to $974,000 annually. Typical grant awards range from $795 to $457,000, with recent grants including:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $2.8M (57%)

New Jersey $454K (9%)

Florida $397K (8%)

Pennsylvania $283K (6%)

Ohio $226K (5%)

Maine $190K (4%)

Connecticut $123K (3%)

Massachusetts $120K (2%)

+8 more states

States

Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Indiana Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Washington

Cities

AllstonBaltimoreBangorBar HarborBelle VernonBennettBloomfieldBriarcliff ManorBridgetonBrooklynChathamCherry HillCherryfieldCle ElumConshohockenCotatiE BrookfieldEast AuroraEast HanoverEgg Harbor City

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Giving (as of 2023)

Total Assets: $11,512,615 to $11,549,053
Total Annual Giving: $860,500 to $974,067
Total Expenses: $1,216,592
Total Liabilities: $50,000

The foundation maintains a strong asset base and consistent annual giving capacity.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$11,512,615	$11,549,053	$11,777,155
Revenue	$999,514	$974,067	$536,794
Expenses	$1,035,952	$1,216,592	$1,486,088
Qualifying Distributions	$946,860	$1,124,505	$1,405,298
Net Investment Income	$835,257	$375,872	$306,107
Distributable Amount	$792,835	$681,570	$715,541

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

195 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cornell University ($200,000), Farm Sanctuary Inc ($75,000), Animal Medical Center ($60,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
A PURRFECT WORLD BLOOMFIELD, NJ	CARING FOR OUR CATS	$5,000
ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER NEW YORK, NY	FRANK V.D. LLOYD FUND FOR GUIDE DOGS	$60,000
ANIMAL PROTECTION LEAGUE OF NJ GLEN GARDNER, NJ	MT. OLIVE TNR PROJEC	$7,000
BANGOR HUMANE SOCIETY BANGOR, ME	ANIMAL CARE AND ADOPTION	$25,000
CANCERCARE NEW YORK, NY	PAW PROGRAM	$5,000
CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE NEW ALBANY, OH	FEEDING & CARE OF SERVICE DOGS	$45,000
CATSKILL ANIMAL SANCTUARY INC SAUGERTIES, NY	DIRECT CARE OF RESCUED FARMED ANIMALS	$30,000
CENTER FOR ORANGUTAN AND CHIMPANZEE CONSERVATION INC WAUCHULA, FL	APE NUTRITION PROGRAM	$25,000
CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY	CESTONE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT	$200,000
COTTONTAIL COTTAGE FARM SANCTUARY CHERRYFIELD, ME	HAY FUND	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Michele Cestone serves as President of the foundation with an annual compensation of $75,000.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
MICHELE J CESTONE	TRUSTEE & PRESIDENT	35	$75,000
MARIA A CESTONE ESQUIRE	TRUSTEE & SECRETARY	1	$750
DENNIS BAILEY	TRUSTEE	1	$750

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation fund?

How do I apply for a grant from The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation?

**Grant Amounts & Activity** The foundation distributes approximately $860,500 to $974,000 annually. Typical grant awards range from $795 to $457,000, with recent grants including: • Cornell University: $280,000 (Cestone Scholarship Support) • Farm Sanctuary: $75,000 (Rescue & Refuge Program) • Stephen and Christine Schwarzman Animal Medical Center: $50,000 (Frank V.D. Lloyd Fund for Guide Dogs) • Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY: $5,000 (Veterinary Care Program) The foundation has made at …

Where does The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

What size grants does The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation award?

In 2024, The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation awarded 35 grants totaling $861K — an average of about $25K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation reported a distributable amount of $793K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation's EIN?

The Michele & Agnese Cestone Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1720903. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.