Thomas Cholnoky Foundation
The Thomas Cholnoky Foundation is a private foundation based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and an individual recipient, including scholarship-designated awards.
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation at a glance
In short: Thomas Cholnoky Foundation gave $48K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $47,500
- +3.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +37.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,318
- -24.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $915,185
- +3.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Ohio (44% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Thomas Cholnoky Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its filing describes an application that includes academic standing, financial need, personal history, and cost. The filing states that awards are limited to students and/or graduates of Hungarian universities studying in the United States; it also states that awards are not limited or restricted.
- Review Cycle
- None stated.
- Deadline
- None stated.
- Contact
Application contact: Thomas V Cholnoky
Mailing address: 50 Sound View Drive 3 South, Greenwich, CT 06830
Phone: (917) 328-3141
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Thomas Cholnoky Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Lost Tree Foundation ($4K). Together the top 10 received $27K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($21,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
43 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 43 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were reported across recipient states, with Ohio receiving 44%, Connecticut 17%, Massachusetts 14%, Washington, DC 11%, and Florida 7%. Other listed recipients were in Vermont and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Thomas Cholnoky Foundation gives
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2020) to $48K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $48K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $21,000 |
| The Lost Tree Foundation North Palm Beach, FL | General Use | $3,500 |
| ALS One Whitman, MA | General Use | $3,500 |
| Greenwich Academy Scholarship Fund Greenwich, CT | General Use/Scholarship | $3,000 |
| Nantucket Conservation Foundation Nantucket, MA | General Use | $3,000 |
| New Canaan Nature Center Scholarship Fund New Canaan, CT | General Use/Scholarship | $3,000 |
| Ukraine House DC Foundation Washington, DC | General Use | $2,500 |
| United Help Ukraine Washington, DC | General Use | $2,500 |
| Stratton Mountain Community Foundation Stratton, VT | General Use | $2,500 |
| Trinity College Hartford, CT | General Use | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Thomas Cholnoky Foundation?
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 | $915,185 | $84,682 | $54,765 | $47,500 | 11 | $49,418 | $81,474 | $46,262 |
| 2024 | $885,268 | $51,226 | $52,195 | $46,000 | 8 | $47,916 | $49,311 | $44,266 |
| 2023 | $881,328 | $31,807 | $46,073 | $40,500 | 7 | $43,096 | $32,199 | $41,276 |
| 2022 | $890,230 | $30,060 | $47,653 | $42,000 | 6 | $44,682 | $27,377 | $43,589 |
| 2021 | $907,823 | $26,828 | $58,793 | $46,500 | 11 | $52,582 | $20,746 | $47,229 |
| 2020 | $939,788 | $9,634 | $25,321 | $24,500 | 4 | — | $9,312 | $46,068 |
| 2019 | $955,505 | $703,955 | $38,174 | $35,000 | 2 | — | $3,315 | $35,783 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Thomas Cholnoky Foundation reported a distributable amount of $46K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants included scholarship-designated awards and support for organizations working in areas such as ALS research and care, conservation, Ukraine-related cultural engagement, and liberal arts education. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ stated missions: ALS ONE describes its work as advancing ALS treatments and care; Nantucket Conservation Foundation describes its work as protecting land and coastal resources and conducting ecological research; Ukraine House DC Foundation describes itself as a place to discover and engage with Ukraine; and Trinity College describes its mission as providing excellence in liberal arts education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $47,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $21,000, with a median of $3,000. The largest award was a $21,000 scholarship to an individual recipient in Ohio.
Other reported 2025 grants included $3,500 to The Lost Tree Foundation, $3,500 to ALS ONE, $3,000 to Greenwich Academy Scholarship Fund, $3,000 to Nantucket Conservation Foundation, $3,000 to New Canaan Nature Center Scholarship Fund, $2,500 to Ukraine House DC Foundation, $2,500 to United Help Ukraine, $2,500 to Stratton Mountain Community Foundation, $2,000 to Trinity College, and $1,000 to MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Deadline: None stated.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas V Cholnoky as director and treasurer, and Lisa Cholnoky as director and president.
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation is led by Lisa Cholnoky, Director & President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lisa Cholnoky
Director & President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Thomas V. Cholnoky
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Thomas Cholnoky Foundation
How much does Thomas Cholnoky Foundation give each year?
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation gave $48K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $46K across 8 grants.
What is Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's typical grant size?
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $4,318, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Thomas Cholnoky Foundation give grants?
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (17%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Thomas Cholnoky Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 91% of Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's largest grantees?
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Lost Tree Foundation ($3,500), ALS One ($3,500) and Greenwich Academy Scholarship Fund ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($21,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Thomas Cholnoky Foundation?
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation reported $915K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $49K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $46K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Thomas Cholnoky Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants included scholarship-designated awards and support for organizations working in areas such as ALS research and care, conservation, Ukraine-related cultural engagement, and liberal arts education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Thomas Cholnoky Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and 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 Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's EIN?
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2610435. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Thomas Cholnoky Foundation 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 16, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
First Eagle Investments Foundation
Wilmington, DE
Assets
$747K
Grants
389
Total Given
$1.2M
Synchrony Foundation
Stamford, CT
In 2024, Synchrony Foundation supported charitable organizations across workforce development, education, financial assistance, and giving, with grants ranging from $150 to $2.6 million and a median of $10,000. Its largest shares of grant funding went to Connecticut, New York, and South Carolina, followed by the District of Columbia and New Jersey; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$72.3M
Grants
394
Total Given
$20.5M
Princeton Area Community Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The foundation supports nonprofits and community programs in areas such as basic needs, education, health, housing, arts, and the environment, with competitive grants focused on under-resourced communities and women and girls. Its 2024 grants had a median of $15,000, and its discretionary grantmaking primarily serves Mercer County and nearby parts of New Jersey and eastern Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The profile describes competitive programs but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$279.6M
Grants
515
Total Given
$31.3M
More similar funders
More Funders in Connecticut
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Thomas Cholnoky Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Thomas Cholnoky Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?