The Chestnut Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so an organisation that has not already been invited should not send it an application.
- If you have an existing link to the foundation, any approach should go through that connection, as the filing gives no further application instructions.
- Its recorded recipients are predominantly Jewish religious, educational and community organisations, and its grants are mainly in New York and New Jersey, though no geographic focus is stated and the filings set out no eligibility criteria, so fit beyond that pattern is hard to judge.
- Most of its grants are small: half of its 113 grants to organisations were $2,100 or less and about 8 in 10 fall between $200 and $60,000, although its largest grant was about $410,000, so a modest request is the realistic size.
- Repeat recipients dominate, with 77% of its grant dollars in its most recent filing going to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests it mainly renews existing relationships.
Overview
The Chestnut Foundation is a US private foundation based in Lawrence, NY.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Chestnut Foundation’s filings describe its grants as public support of recipients’ organisational missions rather than naming a specific funding field. Its recorded recipients are predominantly Jewish religious, educational and community organisations, including congregations, yeshivas and schools, as well as bodies providing charitable and community services. The grant record is concentrated in New York and New Jersey, while also including organisations elsewhere in the United States. The filings do not set out eligibility criteria or explain how trustees select organisations. They indicate that contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations, and provide no further public application instructions.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York and New Jersey.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing gives no further application instructions.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 77% 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 $2,100 or less.
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 24% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to organisations The Chestnut Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 34 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $3,300 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Yeshiva Ohavei Torah · Public support of organization mission$347,5502024 tax year
- Gateways Organization · Public support of organization mission$113,3502024 tax year
- Bnos Bais Yaakov · Public support of organization mission$100,6802024 tax year
- Yeshiva Gedolah of Los Angeles · Public support of organization mission$60,0002024 tax year
- Congregation Ahavas Torah V'Chesed · Public support of organization mission$57,0002024 tax year
- Yeshiva University · Public support of organization mission$20,0002024 tax year
- Congregation Mikdash Dovid · Public support of organization mission$20,0002024 tax year
- Hashevaynu · Public support of organization mission$15,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Rachel Lorber — Secretary
- Asher Kest — Treasurer
- Benjamin Kest — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,235,510 | $1,041,572 | $10,633,226 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $698,054 | $524,840 | $11,756,507 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,046,409 | $813,257 | $12,593,184 | 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 The Chestnut Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Lawrence, NY
Applying to The Chestnut Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Lawrence, NY