Charina Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Charina Foundation accepts only invited requests and does not take unsolicited applications, so a small charity should not send a cold request, and should first look for a route to an invitation through an existing contact.
- Its typical grants, the band into which about 8 in 10 of its 848 grants to organisations fall, run from $2,500 to $20,000, with a median of $5,000, so a modest request is the natural fit; its largest grant was $750,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- In its most recent filing, 71% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in one of the two filings before it, so renewed giving makes up most of its grant dollars.
- Its stated themes are art museums, schools, hospitals and health charities, and no geographic focus is stated in its filing, so check whether your work fits those themes before anything else.
Overview
Charina Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (afar.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation’s primary purpose is to support, by contributions, other organisations exempt under section 501(c)(3), rather than to carry out direct charitable activities itself. Through the Charina Foundation, Richard Menschel directed philanthropy to a wide range of institutions, including art museums, schools, hospitals and health charities. Its recorded grants also include universities, libraries, arts organisations, community and social-service organisations, and groups working in civil rights and refugee assistance. The grant record labels its organisation awards as general support, rather than setting out a single specialised programme.
Themes
- Art museums
- Schools
- Hospitals
- Health charities
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York and Massachusetts.
How to apply
Grants go only to preselected charitable organisations; unsolicited requests are not accepted. The filing provides no submission steps for organisations seeking a grant.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 71% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 848 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 71% of grant dollars went to organisations Charina Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada, United Kingdom).
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 279 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $7,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Harvard University · General support$750,0002024 tax year
- UJA-Federation of New York · General support$115,0002024 tax year
- Refugees International · General support$100,0002024 tax year
- Morgan Library and Museum · General support$75,0002024 tax year
- Phipps Neighborhoods · General support$75,0002024 tax year
- Museum of the City of New York · General support$75,0002024 tax year
- American Jewish Committee · General support$60,0002024 tax year
- Socrates Sculpture Park · General support$59,7502024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Charis M Drant — Director / Part-Time
- Celene A Menschel — Director / Part-Time
- Sabina C Menschel — Director / Part-Time
- Ronay Menschel — President / Part-Time
- Richard L Menschel — Chairman / Part-Time
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,196,081 | $3,090,497 | $59,843,141 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,562,312 | $3,407,380 | $75,459,175 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,986,634 | $3,785,330 | $72,709,002 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Charina Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- New York, NY
Applying to Charina Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY