The Neel Foundation
The Neel Foundation is a private foundation established in 1964 and based in Croton on Hudson, New York. The foundation operates with no employees and focuses on supporting known local charities through charitable contributions.
Key facts about The Neel Foundation
- EIN
- 54-0761588
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $102,235
- Grants made (2025)
- 131
- Average grant
- $780
- Median grant
- $500
- Primary geography
- New York (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Neel Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Neel Foundation's 131 itemized 2025 grants were New York (20%), Virginia (10%) and North Carolina (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (14 grants), New York, NY (8 grants), Asheville, NC (6 grants) and Briarcliff Manor, NY (5 grants). None of its 131 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Contribution" (131 grants).
How The Neel Foundation gives
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Neel Foundation
- How to evaluate The Neel Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$102K
+1.1% YoY
Grant Count
131
+9.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$780.42
-7.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is supporting known local charities. Its grantmaking activities are supported through multiple income sources, including interest income, dividend income, and investment gains, which are invested to generate funds for charitable donations.
Grantmaking
The Neel Foundation makes contributions to various 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. Recent grant activity includes:
Grant Range
**: Grants typically range from $500 to $5,000, with a median grant size of $500
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, including North Carolina, Oregon, and Florida, though it maintains a focus on local charities in its home region.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 131 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $1,989,331
- Total Revenue: $281,264
- Total Expenses: $133,170
- Total Distributions: $108,000
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $1,840,000
- Total Revenue: $151,807
- Total Expenses: $123,221
- Net Income: $28,586
The foundation generates revenue through interest income, dividend income, and investment gains, which are reinvested to support charitable giving.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
506 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Kennebec Valley Community College ($5,000), Briarcliff Congregational Church ($4,560 across 4 grants), Medglobal ($4,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KENNEBEC VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fairfield, ME | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $5,000 |
| MEDGLOBAL Rolling Meadows, IL | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $4,000 |
| NATURES BEST FOUNDATION McLean, VA | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $3,000 |
| ADOPT-A-NATIVE-ELDER Salt Lake City, UT | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,700 |
| ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Asheville, NC | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,500 |
| BRIARCLIFF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Briarcliff Manor, NY | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,500 |
| ASSOCIATION TO BENEFIT CHILDREN New York, NY | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,000 |
| COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL Colorado Springs, CO | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,000 |
| FALCON RIDGE EQUINE RESCUE Valley Center, CA | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,000 |
| IRC INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE Albert Lea, IL | CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by family members serving in volunteer capacities:
- James Neel – President (1 hour per week, no compensation)
- Mary Neel Gilbert – Vice President (minimal hours, no compensation)
- Wendy Neel Ellsworth – Secretary (minimal hours, no compensation)
- Kathryn Leeds Neel – Treasurer (minimal hours, no compensation)
- Sophia Neel Kountz – Director (minimal hours, no compensation)
- Amy Bowen Neel – Director (minimal hours, no compensation)
Contact: 914-271-3428
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Neel | President | 1 | — |
| Mary Neel Gilbert | Vice President | 0.01 | — |
| Wendy Neel Ellsworth | Secretary | 0.01 | — |
| Kathryn Leeds Neel | Treasurer | 0.01 | — |
| Sophia Neel Kountz | Director | 0.01 | — |
| Amy Bowen Neel | Director | 0.01 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Neel Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is supporting known local charities. Its grantmaking activities are supported through multiple income sources, including interest income, dividend income, and investment gains, which are invested to generate funds for charitable donations.
How do I apply for a grant from The Neel Foundation?
The Neel Foundation makes contributions to various 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. Recent grant activity includes: • **Grant Range**: Grants typically range from $500 to $5,000, with a median grant size of $500 • **Recent Grants (2024)**: The foundation made approximately 120 grants totaling $108,000 in distributions, including: • Asheville Symphony Orchestra: $2,500 • Oregon Food Bank: $2,125 • Tomoka Christian Church: $2,000 • Additional 67+ grants totaling $47,465
Where does The Neel Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, including North Carolina, Oregon, and Florida, though it maintains a focus on local charities in its home region.
What size grants does The Neel Foundation award?
In 2025, The Neel Foundation awarded 131 grants totaling $102K — an average of about $780.42 per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Neel Foundation's EIN?
The Neel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-0761588. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.