The Catherine and Joseph Aresty Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation gives only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity without an existing connection should not send a cold application.
- Its stated emphasis is education, though its grants also go to cultural institutions, community groups, and food-relief and housing organisations, so education work is the clearest fit.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 113 grants to organisations across its last three filings fell between $10,000 and $75,000, the median was $25,000, and half were $25,000 or less, so a request near that size fits its pattern, although its largest grant was $5,000,000.
- Around 10% of its grant dollars in its most recent filing went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, and the filings show grants mainly in the United States and New York, but no geographic focus is stated, so that pattern should not be read as a rule on who may apply.
Overview
The Catherine and Joseph Aresty 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 (wwd.com, thenytrust.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation’s stated emphasis is charitable outreach geared toward education. Its founder was dedicated to helping underprivileged people receive a quality education, and its president has described its creation as a way to help others and linked the work to the lack of educational opportunities facing city residents. Its grants go mainly to organisations in New York, while filings also record a smaller number of grants elsewhere. Recipients include schools and education organisations, cultural institutions, and community groups, including food-relief and housing organisations. Most grants have a general-fund purpose, so the records do not establish more specific priorities across these varied recipients.
Themes
- Education
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in the United States and New York.
How to apply
The foundation gives to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 10% 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 113 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Its charitable outreach is geared toward education. (as reported in other published sources)
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 38% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 10% of grant dollars went to organisations The Catherine and Joseph Aresty Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 76% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 39 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Peter & Rosanne Aresty Foundation · See expenditure responsibility statement$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Steven Aresty Foundation · See expenditure responsibility statement$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Symphony Space · General fund$137,0002024 tax year
- Community Resource Center · General fund$100,0002024 tax year
- Harlem Academy · General fund$100,0002024 tax year
- Academy for Teachers · General fund$75,0002024 tax year
- Prep for Prep · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
- Citizens' Committee for Children · General fund$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Steven Aresty — Treasurer
- Catherine Aresty — Chairman
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,304,564 | $1,147,000 | $22,128,648 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,077,539 | $962,000 | $23,794,679 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $11,225,408 | $1,098,000 | $24,915,534 | 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
Registers and filings
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Catherine and Joseph Aresty Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY
Applying to The Catherine and Joseph Aresty Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY