Kessler Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $982,664 (2023)
Total Invested Since 2003: Over $55 million
Grant Range: $25,000 - $250,000
Geographic Focus: National (2025 focus: AL, AR, KY, MS, WV)
Status: Phasing out external grantmaking by 2026

Contact Details

Website: kesslerfoundation.org
Location: East Hanover, NJ
EIN: 31-1562134

Overview

Kessler Foundation was established in 1986 and has been a leading national funder dedicated to improving employment and quality of life outcomes for people with disabilities. Since launching their grantmaking program in 2003, the Foundation has invested more than $55 million in innovative initiatives that have opened doors to meaningful work for people with disabilities nationwide, helping over 10,000 individuals acquire jobs and training. Beyond grantmaking, Kessler Foundation operates a renowned rehabilitation research enterprise with award-winning scientists developing interventions for people with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neurological and developmental disabilities. The Foundation is beginning a strategic transition to phase out external grantmaking by 2026 to focus resources on sustaining and expanding their research enterprise, in response to significant reductions in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health and other agencies.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Signature Employment Grants (Final Cycle - 2025)

Amount: Up to $50,000 annually for up to 2 years (maximum $100,000 total)
Geographic Focus: Organizations operating in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and West Virginia only
Purpose: Groundbreaking employment projects for people with disabilities in states with the lowest employment participation rates
Application Method: Two-stage process - concept papers due February 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET; selected applicants invited to submit full proposals
Indirect Costs: Up to 15% allowed in budget
Status: This is the final grant cycle; the Foundation will sunset grantmaking by December 31, 2026

Historical Programs (No Longer Accepting Applications)

Community Employment Grants: $25,000 - $50,000 for one year (New Jersey organizations)
Special Initiative Grants: Variable amounts for New Jersey programs

Priority Areas

Kessler Foundation's grantmaking has been grounded in the belief that all people with disabilities have a right to pursue competitive, integrated employment and live with dignity within communities. Their funding priorities have included:

Pilot initiatives and demonstration projects developing new employment models
Social ventures addressing the employment gap between people with and without disabilities
Work-readiness training programs
Career pathway services and customized employment models
Projects addressing the intersection of race, class, gender, disability, and poverty within employment frameworks
Programs helping individuals re-enter the job market following injury

Preference given to: Interventions that address intersectionality—particularly race, class, gender, disability, and poverty—within the framework of helping individuals with disabilities obtain employment or re-enter the job market following injury.

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions were not documented in available sources, the Foundation's clear focus is on employment outcomes for people with disabilities rather than other disability-related needs like healthcare, housing, or direct services unrelated to employment.

Governance and Leadership

Rodger L. DeRose - President & CEO Rodger L. DeRose leads one of the largest public charities in the U.S. focused on rehabilitation research and disability employment. Prior to joining Kessler, he spent two decades in senior marketing and general management roles at SC Johnson, followed by an executive role as partner and chief operating officer of the Technology Software Division at Arthur Andersen. After retiring from the corporate world in 2001, he led the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America as president and CEO. Under his leadership, DeRose's hiring of thought leaders in cognitive and mobility research has led to over $230 million in research-directed funding through grants awarded from government agencies and private donors.

Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP - Senior Vice President, Center for Grantmaking Elaine E. Katz oversees Kessler Foundation's comprehensive grant-making program and communications department. During her tenure, the Foundation has awarded more than $50 million in grant support for national and community-based employment programs. For more than 25 years, Katz has worked with non-profit organizations in the areas of board development, fundraising, marketing, and business development. She is recognized as a leader in the disability employment field and has been elected to the National APSE Board. Katz will retire on December 31, 2025, coinciding with the sunset of the grantmaking program.

The Foundation also has a Board of Trustees that provides governance oversight.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply (2025 Signature Employment Grant Only)

Eligibility: Tax-exempt organizations, including nonprofits, schools, universities, and government entities in the U.S. or its territories, operating programs in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, or West Virginia.

Application Process:

Stage 1 - Concept Paper: Due February 21, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET
Stage 2 - Full Proposal: By invitation only for selected applicants after concept paper review

Important Note: The Foundation will complete all active grant obligations but will no longer accept or review new proposals after December 31, 2026. The 2025 Signature Employment Grant cycle is the final opportunity for new applicants.

Decision Timeline

For research-related proposals (not employment grants), the Foundation historically allowed 2 to 3 months for the review and approval process. The actual length of time depends on several factors including the type of review required. For employment grant concepts, applicants can expect to be notified if selected for full proposal submission within several weeks to months following the February deadline.

Success Rates

In 2023, Kessler Foundation awarded 8 grants totaling $982,664. Historically, the Foundation has funded innovative, pilot-stage projects that demonstrate potential for significant impact on employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Specific success rate percentages were not publicly documented.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's documented priorities and funded projects, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Innovation and Model Development Elaine E. Katz noted that Signature Employment Grants focus on "developing or adapting ideas, processes, or services to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities." The Foundation seeks projects that generate new models to address the employment gap.

2. Addressing Intersectionality Preference is given to interventions addressing the intersection of race, class, gender, disability, and poverty. Successful applicants clearly articulate how their programs serve populations experiencing multiple forms of marginalization.

3. Evidence of Impact Projects that have helped people with disabilities acquire competitive, integrated employment demonstrate measurable outcomes. Historical grants have supported over 10,000 individuals in acquiring jobs and training.

4. Sector-Specific Approaches Funded projects include sector-specific training such as:

Restaurant and food service work-readiness (National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation - $500,000)
Hydroponic greenhouse agriculture (Arthur & Friends - $500,000)
Customized employment and peer support models (Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission - $250,000)

5. Sustainability and Scalability Projects demonstrating potential for replication or expansion beyond the grant period show stronger alignment with the Foundation's mission of advancing the field forward.

6. Geographic Priority Alignment For 2025, organizations must demonstrate deep connections to and operations in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, or West Virginia—states with the lowest employment participation rates for people with disabilities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Final opportunity: The 2025 Signature Employment Grant is the last chance to receive funding from Kessler Foundation before grantmaking sunsets in 2026
Geographic restriction: Only organizations operating in AL, AR, KY, MS, or WV are eligible for the 2025 cycle
Innovation valued: Focus on developing new models, pilot initiatives, and demonstration projects rather than sustaining existing programs
Intersectionality matters: Clearly articulate how your program addresses multiple dimensions of marginalization beyond disability alone
Two-stage process: Invest time in a compelling concept paper (due February 21, 2025) as this determines whether you advance to full proposal
Budget flexibility: Up to 15% indirect costs allowed, providing some administrative support
Competitive, integrated employment: Demonstrate commitment to helping people with disabilities achieve competitive jobs in integrated settings, not sheltered workshops or segregated employment

References

Kessler Foundation official website (kesslerfoundation.org), accessed January 2026
Kessler Foundation Center for Grantmaking page, available at kesslerfoundation.org/center-grantmaking
Philanthropy News Digest, "Kessler Foundation invites applications for Signature Employment Grants," RFP announcement
Instrumentl 990 Report for Kessler Foundation Inc (EIN 31-1562134), 2023 data
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation press release, "Kessler Foundation Awards $500K in Grants to Strengthen Restaurant Work-Readiness Training"
Kessler Foundation Leadership page (kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/leadership)
LinkedIn profile: Elaine E. Katz, Senior Vice President of Grants
LinkedIn profile: Rodger DeRose, President & CEO
Council of New Jersey Grantmakers, Kessler Foundation profile
Kessler Foundation FAQ page regarding grantmaking sunset