Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation
Preselected recipients only
Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation is a private foundation in Wilmington, Delaware. In tax year 2025 it gave $521,200 in 48 grants; the typical grant was $2,000 and the largest $100,000. It only gives to organizations it selects itself and does not accept unsolicited applications.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$521,200
- Number of grants48
- Typical grant$2,000
- Largest grant$100,000
- Assets$17.8 million
- New grantees29%
Giving in 2025 was up from $325,720 the year before.
29% of its 2025 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $197,971 | 44 | $8.1 million |
| 2024 | $325,720 | 47 | $14.0 million |
| 2025 | $521,200 | 48 | $17.8 million |
How to apply
Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation says in its IRS filing that it only makes contributions to preselected organizations, so unsolicited applications are unlikely to be considered. Organizations it funds are usually invited.
What Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 11 states, the most to Georgia.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 9 | $193,800 |
| New York | 8 | $165,600 |
| Massachusetts | 18 | $57,000 |
| Alabama | 2 | $53,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $30,000 |
| California | 1 | $10,000 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | $4,500 |
| Oregon | 3 | $3,800 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $1,500 |
| New Jersey | 1 | $1,000 |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| East Lake Foundation Inc | To enhance the lives of East Lake community residents: schools, recreation, lifelong learning, history and culture | $100,000 |
| United Jewish Appeal Federation of Jewish Philanth | the Day After Fund | $100,000 |
| Hebrew Benevolent Congregation the Temple | A Campaign for the Ages | $50,000 |
| Jewish Community Center on the Hudson Inc | To initiate a pilot senior engagement program to include, but not limited to, a staff person to manage issues of transportation and senior assistance | $50,000 |
| Temple Beth El Foundation | audio-visual technology fund for upgrades both within and without the synagogue to improve the access and technical quality of audio and visual programming for members of the congregation | $50,000 |
| William Bremen Jewish Heritage Museum | for salary to maintain staff in the Archives Department | $30,000 |
| Friends of Ofanim Inc | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Friends of the Arava Institute LTD | for the Academic Program | $20,000 |
| Congregation Beth Jacob and Irving Levin Jewish Ce | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Interfaithfamily Com Inc | General & Unrestricted | $8,000 |
| American Dance Machine for the 21st Century Founda | General & Unrestricted | $7,000 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston I | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Jewish Educational Loan Fund Inc | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Minerals Metals & Materials Society Inc | the Young Leaders Program | $5,000 |
| MIT Alumni Fund | the Course 3 Engineers for a Small Planet Fund | $4,000 |
| Boston Ballet Inc | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Hias Inc | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| New York City Ballet Inc | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Southern Poverty Law Center Inc | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Temple Emunah | General & Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Atlanta Jewish Film Society Inc | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| Israel Cancer Research Fund Inc | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| 51 Walden Inc | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Concord Carlisle Foundation Inc | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Congregation Shearith Israel | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Emerson Hospital | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts College | the SMFA Print Department fund to deserving students | $2,000 |
| Brightside Animal Center | General & Unrestricted | $1,800 |
| Neranenah Inc | General & Unrestricted | $1,800 |
| Rebeccas Tent Inc | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Rosh Pinah Chavurah of the Rivertowns | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Inc | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Best Friends Animal Society | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Congregation or Hadash Inc | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| High Desert Food & Farm Alliance | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Hillel the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Kerem Shalom Inc | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| Neighborimpact | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| New York-Presbyterian Fund Inc | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Faye A Kimerling
- Lionel C Kimerling
- Deborah K Schneider
Questions people ask
Does Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation accept grant applications?
No. Its IRS filing says it only makes contributions to preselected organizations.
How much does Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation give?
$521,200 in tax year 2025, across 48 grants, with a typical grant of $2,000.
Who runs Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation?
Its 2025 filing lists Faye A Kimerling (Trustee), Lionel C Kimerling (Trustee) and Deborah K Schneider (Trustee).
What does Charles & Esther Lee Kimerling Charitable Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly faith communities, arts and culture and education.