William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund is a private foundation headquartered in Hamden, Connecticut. Established in 1946 by businessman Archibald Graustein in memory of his brother William Caspar Graustein—a Harvard mathematics professor who died in an automobile accident in 1945—the fund formally began operations in Connecticut on August 6, 1993, following a substantial bequest from Hallie Hubbard Graustein (William's widow). The organization employs 7 staff members and operates with dedicated paid staff.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$121.2M
-1.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.1M
-5.3% YoY
Grant Count
167
+16.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$30K
-18.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund reported a distributable amount of $5.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund's mission is to "achieve equity in education by working with those affected and inspiring all to end racism and poverty."
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
This mission reflects a strategic shift in 2015 toward addressing systemic inequities affecting communities of color. The Discovery Initiative (2001-2015) invested over $60 million across Connecticut communities in pursuit of these goals.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s & Range:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Connecticut (primary focus)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $121,160,570 (2024)
- Total Annual Giving: $5,067,225 (2024)
- IRS Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-deductible donations
- IRS Ruling Year: 1994
A significant endowment boost occurred in 1987 when shares in the Aubrey G. Lanston Company (a U.S. government securities firm) were sold, yielding over $50 million.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $121,160,570 | $122,654,873 | $122,724,471 |
| Revenue | $6,322,420 | $5,981,870 | $4,615,888 |
| Expenses | $9,915,189 | $10,068,841 | $8,679,325 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,648,161 | $5,340,777 | $7,621,646 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,858,653 | $4,549,095 | $3,369,723 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,443,545 | $1,910,473 | $2,172,022 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
WCGMF - Equity Grants For Community Groups- Funding Level- Up to $85,000
WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
WCGMF Director’s Discretionary Fund Grant
WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
WCGMF Rapid Response Grants
WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Serc Foundation ($101,250), Serc Foundation ($101,250), Relay Graduate School of Education ($101,250).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YOUTH BUSINESS INITIATIVE NORWALK, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF GREENWICH GREENWICH, CT | STAND AGAINST RACISM EVENT | $2,500 |
| WRITER'S BLOCK INK NEW LONDON, CT | WRITER'S BLOCK INK | $25,000 |
| WATERBURY MAIN STREET INC WATERBURY, CT | BRASS CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL | $2,500 |
| WATERBURY BRIDGE TO SUCCESS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP WATERBURY, CT | WATERBURY BRIDGE TO SUCCESS CRADLE TO CAREER/P-20 CANS GENERAL OPERATING | $67,500 |
| WATERBURY BRIDGE TO SUCCESS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP WATERBURY, CT | SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT | $7,500 |
| WATERBURY BRIDGE TO SUCCESS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP WATERBURY, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| VSAA ARTS BOOSTER CLUB VANCOUVER, WA | ARTS BOOSTER CLUB PROJECTS | $1,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT FOUNDATION INC FARMINGTON, CT | CULTIVATING UNDERREPRESENTED EDUCATORS, SUPPORTING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES | $16,800 |
| UNITED WAY OF COASTAL AND WESTERN CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT, CT | CONNECTICUT CRADLE TO CAREER COALITION (CT C2C) CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Leadership:
- Gislaine Ngounou, Chief Executive Officer (appointed 2024)
- William Johnson, Director of Education Strategy
- Carmen Siberon, Senior Program Officer
- Sheena Strawter-Anthony, Director of Investments
- Raquel Santiago-Martinez, Director of Finance and Administration
Board of Trustees:
- William C Graustein, Trustee
- Lisa Graustein, Trustee
- Barbara Tinney, Trustee
- Laura A Berry, Trustee
- Lucas Codognolla, Trustee
- Anna Blanding, Trustee
- Constance Royster, Trustee
- Jessica Sager, Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM C GRAUSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 5 | $7,623 |
| LISA GRAUSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| BARBARA TINNEY | TRUSTEE | 2 | $24,600 |
| LAURA A BERRY | TRUSTEE | 2 | $35,300 |
| LUCAS CODOGNOLLA | TRUSTEE | 2 | $22,000 |
| ANNA BLANDING | TRUSTEE | 5 | $69,600 |
| CONSTANCE ROYSTER | TRUSTEE | 5 | $31,800 |
| JESSICA SAGER | TRUSTEE | 5 | $17,600 |
| GISLAINE NGOUNOU | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 50 | $100,000 |
Contact Information
- Address: One Hamden Center, 2319 Whitney Avenue, Suite 2B, Hamden, CT 06518
- Phone: 203-230-3330 or 203-230-3331
- Website: wcgmf.org
- Email: voconnor@wcgmf.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund fund?
The fund's mission is to "achieve equity in education by working with those affected and inspiring all to end racism and poverty." Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services This mission reflects a strategic shift in 2015 toward addressing systemic inequities affecting communities of color. The Discovery Initiative (2001-2015) invested over $60 million across Connecticut communities in pursuit of these goals.
How do I apply for a grant from William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund?
**Grant Sizes & Range:** • Typical awards: $500–$200,000 • Median grant amount: $10,000 • Range observed: $1,000–$118,000 • Annual giving: $4.3–$5.3 million **Recent Activity:** • 167 grants awarded (as of 2024 tax year) • Total giving: $5,067,225 (2024) • 2 live grant opportunities currently available **Application Process:** • Primarily invitation-only; some open programs available • Pre-application contact required: Call 203-230-3330 before submitting materials • Board meetings held in Septe…
Where does William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund make grants?
Connecticut (primary focus)
What size grants does William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund award?
In 2024, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund awarded 167 grants totaling $5.1M — an average of about $30K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund reported a distributable amount of $5.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund's EIN?
William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6037391. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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