The Alice and Jaclyn Houseknecht Foundation appears to make targeted, small-scale philanthropic investments in higher education access. Their sole reported grant supported scholarship funding at Hunter College, indicating a priority toward helping low-income or needy students pursue college. The foundation’s activity is narrowly focused and appears to be geographically linked to New York-based public higher education.
The Alice and Jaclyn Houseknecht Foundation’s largest reported recent grant was $10,000 to Hunter College Foundation for educational scholarships to students in need. That pattern points to a foundation that uses modest grants to support access to higher education, while also backing a broader mix of human services, health, humanitarian relief, rights, and environmental causes. The foundation’s reported giving is small in scale relative to its assets, but its grants are varied enough to show a consistent preference for direct support to operating organizations and scholarship-related work. Hunter College Foundation appears more than once in the recent grants list, with support in both 2023 and 2024. Family Service League also received repeated support, including funding tied to help for people who are homeless, unemployed, or mentally ill. Other named recipients include Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, The Carter Center Inc, Amnesty International, and The Salvation Army. That mix suggests a grantmaker that combines local New York giving with a set of national and international charities working in education access, crisis response, and public service.
Education is the clearest through line in the foundation’s giving. In 2023, it gave $10,000 to Hunter College Foundation to support educational scholarships to those in need, and it gave Hunter College Foundation another $5,000 in 2024. Beyond scholarships, the foundation supports human services in Long Island communities. Family Service League received $7,500 in 2023 to strengthen families and empower residents using programs that help people who are homeless, unemployed, or mentally ill, followed by $2,500 in 2024. It also funds humanitarian and international relief work. Mercy Corps received $5,000 in 2023 to help people suffering around the world when disaster strikes, economies collapse, or conflict erupts, and another $2,000 in 2024. Doctors Without Borders received $5,000 in 2023 and $3,000 in 2024 for vital medical programs and healthcare.
Reported grant sizes are small: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,875. That places most gifts in a compact range even though a few larger awards appear in the recent list. The foundation’s recent record also shows repeat support for some recipients across multiple years, including Hunter College Foundation, Family Service League, Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, The Carter Center Inc, The Salvation Army, Amnesty International, and USA for Unhcr. It is a private foundation with $1,053,554 in assets, annual grants of $165,406, and it also funds individuals.
$42K
$1.2M
$28K
$52K
Most grants fall between $500 and $2K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$2K
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Very concentrated and limited: a single one-off grant ($10,000) to a public college scholarship fund rather than a diversified or multi-year portfolio.
Notable grantees: Hunter College Foundation
The foundation gives nationally, but half of its grants go to recipients in New York State. New York City recipients show up often, including Hunter College Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, Planned Parenthood, and Amnesty International. Other New York recipients include Family Service League in Huntington, The Retreat in East Hampton, Vassar Haiti Project in Hopewell Junction, and Group for the East End in Southold. Outside New York, grants also went to organizations in Portland, Atlanta, Washington, Stamford, Oakland, Sterling, Montgomery, and Stockbridge.
Its recent grants support educational scholarships, human services, humanitarian relief, health care, human rights, environmental work, and refugee assistance. Named recipients include Hunter College Foundation for scholarships, Family Service League for homeless and mental-health services, Doctors Without Borders for medical programs, and Amnesty International for protecting people when justice, freedom, truth, and dignity are denied.
Typical grants are small. The reported grant-size distribution shows a 25th percentile of $500, a median of $1,000, and a 75th percentile of $1,875. Recent awards include several gifts at $2,000 to $5,000, with a larger $10,000 grant to Hunter College Foundation.
No. The foundation gives nationally, and its recent grants went to recipients in multiple states. New York receives the largest share of grants, but the list also includes organizations in Oregon, Georgia, Washington, Connecticut, California, Virginia, Alabama, and Massachusetts.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat support across years for several recipients, including Hunter College Foundation, Family Service League, Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, The Carter Center Inc, The Salvation Army, Amnesty International, and USA for Unhcr.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SALVATION ARMY | NEW YORK, NY | $3,030 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | FAIRFIELD, CT | $3,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HUNTER COLLEGE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $2,750 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| FAMILY SERVICE LEAGUE | HUNTINGTON, NY | $2,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SOUTHAMPTON HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | SOUTHAMPTON, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| UNITED HELP UKRAINE | GAITHERSBURG, MD | $2,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| KRIPALU CENTER FOR YOGA & HEALTH | STOCKBRIDGE, MA | $1,500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| EAST HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| FIVER CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER | MONTGOMERY, AL | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MONTAUK FIRE DEPARTMENT | MONTAUK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NYY LANGONE HEALTH SYSTEM | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| MONTAUK PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY FDN | MONTAUK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERI CARES FREE CLINICS INC | STAMFORD, CT | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CONCERNED CITIZENS OF MONTAUK | MONTAUK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY | KERRVILLE, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PROJECT MOST | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PEARL HEINLEIN FOUNDATION | BRIGHTWATERS, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| USA FOR UNHCR | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| PADDLERS FOR HUMANITY | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $818 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ELEANOR WHITMORE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $750 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THIRTEENWNET | NEW YORK, NY | $750 | 2026 | CHARTIABLE |
| PORTLEDGE SCHOOL | LOCUST VALLEY, NY | $600 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| THE RETREAT | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| HEIFER INTERNATIONAL | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| GROUP FOR THE EAST END | SOUTHOLD, NY | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ANIMAL RESCUE FUND OF THE HAMPTONS | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION | LINCOLN, NE | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CARE | ATLANTA, GA | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| JANE'S DUE PROCESS | AUSTIN, TX | $500 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $300 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| SAG HARBOR CINEMA | SAG HARBOR, NY | $250 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| FAMILY SERVICE LEAGUE | HUNTINGTON, NY | $3,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PEARL HEINLEIN FOUNDATION | BRIGHTWATERS, NY | $3,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CARTER CENTER | ATLANTA, GA | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $2,300 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| UNITED HELP UKRAINE | GAITHERSBURG, MD | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER | MONTGOMERY, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WORLD WILDLIFE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| KRIPALU CENTER FOR YOGA & HEALTH | STOCKBRIDGE, MA | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PROJECT MOST | EAST HAMPTON, NY | $1,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| FIVER CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
THE SALVATION ARMY
$3,030CHARITABLE
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$3,000CHARITABLE
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
$2,000CHARITABLE
CHARITABLE
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$2,000CHARITABLE
UNITED HELP UKRAINE
$2,000CHARITABLE
EAST HAMPTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$1,000CHARITABLE
MONTAUK FIRE DEPARTMENT
$1,000CHARITABLE
MONTAUK PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY FDN
$1,000CHARITABLE
AMERI CARES FREE CLINICS INC
$1,000CHARITABLE
CONCERNED CITIZENS OF MONTAUK
$1,000CHARITABLE
PEARL HEINLEIN FOUNDATION
$1,000CHARITABLE
PADDLERS FOR HUMANITY
$818CHARITABLE
ELEANOR WHITMORE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
$750CHARITABLE
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
$500CHARITABLE
ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION
$500CHARITABLE
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
$300CHARITABLE
SAG HARBOR CINEMA
$250CHARITABLE
PEARL HEINLEIN FOUNDATION
$3,500CHARITABLE
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$3,000CHARITABLE
THE SALVATION ARMY
$2,500CHARITABLE
UNITED HELP UKRAINE
$2,000CHARITABLE
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
$1,000CHARITABLE