Tr U Article 2 Uwo Helen M Dekay Fbo Dekay Foundation (deKay Foundation)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ~$2,076,054 (most recent year)
• Total Assets: ~$29,698,114
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Quarterly reviews (January, April, June, September) for stipendiary program
• Grant Range: $150–$1,250/month (individual stipends); $110,000–$740,000 (organizational grants)
• Geographic Focus: New York metropolitan area; also Illinois

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Contact Details

• Website: jpmorgan.com/private-bank/foundations/dekay
• Email: deKay_Foundation@jpmorgan.com
• Trustee: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA
• Co-Trustee/VP: Francis M. Simms Jr.
• Address: Chicago, IL 60603 (legal/administrative address)

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Overview

The deKay Foundation was established in 1966 following the death of Helen M. deKay, who specified in her will that the foundation be used to provide direct financial assistance to formerly self-supporting elderly persons whose assets have been eroded and who can no longer live independently without financial help. JPMorgan Chase Bank NA serves as sole corporate trustee, with Francis M. Simms Jr. serving as Co-Trustee and Vice President.

The foundation holds total assets of approximately $29.7 million and distributes roughly $2.1 million per year. Its primary stated mission is to help elderly individuals remain in their homes safely and comfortably, protecting their dignity and individuality while encouraging continued community engagement. The foundation operates across two distinct channels: a formal stipendiary program for elderly individuals (administered via social workers through JP Morgan's Private Bank), and a smaller number of larger institutional grants to organizations in New York and Illinois. The foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is a 4947(a)(1) private foundation (Form 990-PF filer), with tax-exempt status dating from December 1970.

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Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Individual Stipendiary Program

• Monthly stipends: $150–$1,250 per month, paid directly to vendors (e.g., rental management companies, utilities providers, internet service providers)
• One-time grants: Discretionary one-time payments for comfort and quality-of-life improvements (e.g., hearing aids, mattresses, televisions)
• Application method: Rolling applications reviewed quarterly (January, April, June, September)
• Applicants: Must be referred by a licensed social worker or case manager

2. Institutional/Organizational Grants

• Typical award range: $110,000–$740,000
• Number of awards: Approximately 5 per year (consistent across 2023, 2024, and 2025)
• Application method: No public application process; grants appear to be made at trustee discretion

Priority Areas

• Direct financial assistance to formerly self-supporting elderly individuals (70+) with eroded assets
• Support for organizations serving elderly populations in New York and Illinois
• Human services and private grantmaking
• Enabling elderly individuals to remain living independently at home

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations outside New York metropolitan area and Illinois (for institutional grants)
• Individuals under 70 years of age (for the stipendiary programme)
• Individuals who have not exhausted all available government benefits
• Individuals with assets exceeding $25,000 (excluding primary residence)
• Activities unrelated to elderly care or human services

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Governance and Leadership

• Trustee: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA — serves as sole corporate trustee and administers the foundation's grantmaking operations. JPMorgan Chase receives trustee compensation of $300,000 per year.
• Co-Trustee / Vice President: Francis M. Simms Jr. — listed as co-trustee overseeing grants and the advisory committee process.
• Advisory Committee: Reviews stipendiary applications alongside the trustee on a quarterly basis.

The foundation was created under the terms of Helen M. deKay's will (hence the legal name "Trust Under Will Article 2") and reflects her personal philosophy of preserving the dignity of elderly people who were formerly self-sufficient.

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Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For the Individual Stipendiary Programme (social workers/case managers only):

This programme does not accept applications directly from individuals. Applications must be submitted by a licensed social worker or case manager on behalf of an elderly client. To request an application form, contact:

Email: deKay_Foundation@jpmorgan.com

Eligibility checklist for individual applicants:

• Age 70 or older
• History of self-sufficiency through work or family
• Has a record of community engagement (work, volunteerism, civic activities)
• Assets of $25,000 or less (excluding primary residence)
• Must be using all available government benefits
• Must be located in the New York metropolitan area (five NYC boroughs; Fairfield County, CT; Westchester, Rockland, and Nassau counties, NY; Essex, Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties, NJ)

For Organizational/Institutional Grants:

This funder does not have a public application process for organizational grants. Institutional awards appear to be made at the discretion of the trustee (JPMorgan Chase Bank NA) and co-trustee (Francis M. Simms Jr.), with approximately five awards per year in the $110,000–$740,000 range.

Decision Timeline

• Stipendiary programme: Applications reviewed quarterly — January, April, June, and September
• Institutional grants: No public timeline; decisions appear to be made at trustee discretion
• Annual status reports are required from stipendiary recipients for continued support

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation makes approximately 5 institutional grants per year, suggesting high selectivity. The number of stipendiary recipients is not publicly reported.

Reapplication Policy

Not formally documented. Stipendiary recipients submit annual status reports and appear to receive ongoing support. For institutional grants, no reapplication guidance is publicly available.

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Getting on Their Radar

The following is specific intelligence about this funder's approach to identifying institutional grant recipients:

• United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) connection: The deKay Foundation is listed in Philanthropy New York's directory as "deKay Foundation c/o United Neighborhood Houses," suggesting that UNH has served as an administrative point of contact or conduit for the foundation's New York-area grantmaking. Organizations with a connection to UNH, or those that are UNH members, may be better positioned to come to the foundation's attention.
• JPMorgan Private Bank: The foundation is administered through JP Morgan's Private Bank foundation management services. JPMorgan manages grants for roughly 10,000 requests and distributes over $340 million annually across its client foundations. Organizations that already have relationships with JPMorgan's philanthropic and non-profit sector staff may gain visibility.
• Social service sector alignment: Given that the foundation's core mission is elderly care and the stipendiary programme requires social worker involvement, organizations active in geriatric social services, community-based elderly care, and human services in New York and Illinois are the most relevant prospects.

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Application Success Factors

• Social worker referral is mandatory for the stipendiary programme — no amount of advocacy or personal outreach from an elderly individual will substitute for a formal referral from a licensed social worker or case manager.
• Exhaust government resources first: The foundation requires that applicants have already applied for and be using all available government benefits. Applications that do not demonstrate this will not be considered.
• Geographic specificity matters: The stipendiary programme is strictly limited to the New York metropolitan area as defined (five boroughs, specific NY/NJ/CT counties). Organizations or social workers submitting referrals from outside this zone are not eligible.
• History of self-sufficiency is a core criterion: Helen M. deKay's intent was specifically to support people who were formerly self-supporting — not people who have always relied on public assistance. Applications should clearly document the applicant's prior work history and community contributions.
• Organizational grantees are few and selected without a public process: With only 5 institutional awards per year in the $110,000–$740,000 range and no open application, organizations pursuing institutional funding should focus on relationship building with JPMorgan's Private Bank foundation team and United Neighborhood Houses, rather than direct solicitation.
• Annual reporting is expected: Stipendiary recipients must submit annual status reports to maintain funding. Organizations facilitating referrals should be prepared to support this reporting requirement.

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Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation operates two distinct programmes: a stipendiary programme for elderly individuals (accessible via social worker referral) and a small pool of large institutional grants (not open to application).
• The stipendiary programme is the only publicly accessible funding channel — it requires a social worker or case manager to initiate the application to deKay_Foundation@jpmorgan.com.
• Institutional grants ($110,000–$740,000) are made at trustee discretion with no public application process; only approximately 5 are awarded per year.
• Geographic eligibility is tightly defined for the stipendiary programme: New York metro area only (specific borough and county list applies).
• The foundation has ~$29.7 million in assets and distributes ~$2.1 million annually, with JPMorgan Chase Bank NA as sole corporate trustee receiving $300,000 in annual trustee compensation.
• Organizations seeking institutional funding should explore a relationship with United Neighborhood Houses (New York) and JPMorgan's Private Bank philanthropy team as the most plausible routes to visibility.
• The foundation's mission is deeply aligned with Helen M. deKay's original intent: dignified, independence-preserving support for elderly individuals who were once self-sufficient. Applications and outreach that reflect this philosophy will resonate most strongly.

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References

1. JP Morgan Private Bank — deKay Foundation Stipendiary Program (official programme page): https://www.jpmorgan.com/private-bank/foundations/dekay — Accessed February 2026. Primary source for eligibility requirements, geographic focus, application process, stipend amounts, and contact details.

2. Instrumentl 990 Report — Trust Uw For The De Kay Foundation: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/tr-u-article-2-uwo-helen-m-dekay-fbo-dekay-foundation — Accessed February 2026. Source for total assets ($29,698,114), annual giving ($2,076,054), grant range ($110,000–$740,000), number of awards (5 per year), and trustee details.

3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Tr U Article 2 Uwo Helen M Dekay Fbo Dekay Foundation: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/136203234 — Accessed February 2026. Source for financial overview including revenue ($2,180,185), expenses ($2,411,953), charitable disbursements ($2,237,654), and trustee compensation ($300,000).

4. Cause IQ — Trust Uw for the de Kay Foundation: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/trust-uw-article-2-uwo-helen-m-dekay-fbo-dekay-fou,136203234/ — Accessed February 2026. Source for 2020 financial data (total revenues $2,932,464; total assets $30,032,216).

5. Grantmakers.io — TR U Article 2 Uwo Helen M Dekay FBO Dekay Foundation: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/136203234-tr-u-article-2-uwo-helen-m-dekay-fbo-dekay-foundation/ — Accessed February 2026. Source for grant funding categories and geographic focus.

6. Philanthropy New York — deKay Foundation c/o United Neighborhood Houses: https://philanthropynewyork.org/redhen/org/738 — Accessed February 2026. Source confirming the foundation's connection to United Neighborhood Houses in New York.

7. Charity Navigator — TR U Article 2 UWO Helen M Dekay FBO Dekay Foundation: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/136203234 — Accessed February 2026. Source for foundation classification (4947(a)(1) Private Foundation).