Wilensky Foundation
The Wilensky Foundation is a private foundation based in Worcester, Massachusetts. It made 24 grants totaling $66,480 in filing year 2025, supporting organizations whose work includes disease research, animal protection, children’s needs, veterans, human rights, and other charitable purposes.
Wilensky Foundation at a glance
In short: Wilensky Foundation gave $66K across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state New York. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $66,480
- -0.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,770
- -8.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,770
- Total assets
- $966,742
- +1.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (3 of 24, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (17% 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 Wilensky Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says to contact trustee Jacob Arthur Wharton and submit an application on 8½-by-11-inch paper, with reference to the organization’s tax deductibility. The foundation states that it has no application deadlines and limits awards to charitable purposes, excluding political organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Jacob Arthur Wharton
Mailing address: 446 Main Street 19Th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608
Phone: (508) 753-7300
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wilensky Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society ($3K). Together the top 10 received $28K.
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 114 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Worcester, Massachusetts. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states; the largest shares by recipient state were New York (17%) and Tennessee, Virginia, California, and Massachusetts (8% each).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wilensky Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 24 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 88% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $51K (2021) to $67K (2024). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $66K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society New York, NY | Disease Research | $2,770 |
| The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Fo Tuckahoe, NY | Law Enforcement | $2,770 |
| ASPCA Washington, DC | Animal Protection | $2,770 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospita Memphis, TN | Cancer Research | $2,770 |
| Marine Toys for Tots Foundation Triangle, VA | Support of Children in Need | $2,770 |
| Folds of Honor Tulsa, OK | Military Family Support | $2,770 |
| American Jewish World Service New York, NY | Human Rights | $2,770 |
| Little GLD of St Francis for Anim West Cornwall, CT | Animal Protection | $2,770 |
| The Cat House O N the Kings Parlier, CA | Animal Protection | $2,770 |
| Hawaii Comm Found - Maui Strong F Honolulu, HI | Disaster and Emergency Preparedness | $2,770 |
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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 | $966,742 | $96,813 | $81,758 | $66,480 | 24 | $66,480 | $82,684 | $68,033 |
| 2024 | $952,390 | $118,425 | $80,785 | $66,902 | 22 | $66,902 | $104,542 | $62,567 |
| 2023 | $914,492 | $65,285 | $68,943 | $56,521 | 22 | $56,521 | $53,608 | $55,541 |
| 2022 | $918,255 | $33,654 | $74,043 | $59,824 | 23 | $59,824 | $19,712 | $56,521 |
| 2021 | $958,584 | $85,101 | $62,722 | $50,695 | 23 | $50,695 | $74,104 | $60,049 |
| 2020 | $935,715 | $50,944 | $63,023 | $52,124 | 20 | — | $40,663 | $50,470 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wilensky Foundation reported a distributable amount of $68K 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 included support for disease and cancer research, animal protection, law enforcement, children in need, military families and veterans, human rights, women’s rights, and disaster preparedness.
Among its grantees, American Jewish World Service describes its mission as advancing human rights and ending poverty in several world regions. Rachel’s Table says it works to alleviate hunger and reduce food waste in western Massachusetts. NEADS describes providing service dogs and ongoing support to people with disabilities. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $66,480. Each listed grant was $2,770.
Examples of 2025 grants include $2,770 to American Jewish World Service for human rights, $2,770 to Marine Toys for Tots Foundation for support of children in need, and $2,770 to the ASPCA for animal protection. Other recipients included Rachel’s Table, NEADS, Paws of Honor, Healing Towers, and Mission K9 Rescue, each receiving $2,770.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jacob Arthur Wharton as trustee.
Wilensky Foundation is led by Jacob Arthur Wharton, Trustee on the 2025 filing — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jacob Arthur Wharton
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: David Frazier (2020–2024) — 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 Wilensky Foundation
How much does Wilensky Foundation give each year?
Wilensky Foundation gave $66K across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $67K across 22 grants.
What is Wilensky Foundation's typical grant size?
Wilensky Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,770, and its average grant was $2,770, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wilensky Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Wilensky Foundation give grants?
Wilensky Foundation's top state is New York, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Tennessee (8%) and Virginia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Wilensky Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Wilensky Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Animal Protection" (3 grants).
Who are Wilensky Foundation's largest grantees?
Wilensky Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society ($2,770), The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Fo ($2,770) and ASPCA ($2,770), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wilensky Foundation?
Wilensky Foundation reported $967K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $66K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $68K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Wilensky Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for disease and cancer research, animal protection, law enforcement, children in need, military families and veterans, human rights, women’s rights, and disaster preparedness. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wilensky Foundation?
The 2025 filing says to contact trustee Jacob Arthur Wharton and submit an application on 8½-by-11-inch paper, with reference to the organization’s tax deductibility. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wilensky Foundation's EIN?
Wilensky Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6111520. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 12, 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 May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
Live grants for the work Wilensky Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Wilensky Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wilensky Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wilensky-foundation-morg_c5e1eb4e1ba34391b06afd54dec97cfb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046111520_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wilensky Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wilensky-foundation-morg_c5e1eb4e1ba34391b06afd54dec97cfb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Wilensky 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.
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