The Festekjian Family Foundation concentrates its giving almost exclusively on Armenian communal institutions, primarily the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). Grants are sizable and focused on general operating support and leadership-development initiatives within the AGBU network, indicating a donor interest in sustaining Armenian diaspora infrastructure and cultivating future leaders.
Highly concentrated giving: few, relatively large grants almost entirely directed to a single organization and its programmatic affiliates; multiple repeat grants to the same beneficiary and a mix of unrestricted/general purpose and targeted leadership-fund support.
The Nazareth & Nila Festekjian Family Foundation’s most distinctive pattern is its sustained support for Armenian communal institutions, especially the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) network in New York. Across the recent grants list, AGBU appears repeatedly in large awards tied to leadership development, endowment building, general operating support, and event-related fundraising. That consistency points to a foundation that is helping maintain Armenian diaspora infrastructure rather than funding a broad mix of unrelated causes. The biggest recent awards reinforce that picture. In 2025, the foundation gave $50,000 to Armenian General Benevolent Union for the AGBU Berge Setrakian Leadership Fund, and in 2023 it made another $50,000 grant to Armenian General Benevolent Union for the Opportunity Fund and Artoun and Alice Festekjian Memorial Endowment Fund. A $37,500 grant in 2024 for APRI, General Puropose, & NYSEC shows support for multiple Armenian programs within the same institutional network. Smaller grants continue the same pattern through unrestricted support, charitable events, and named funds tied to Armenian organizations and education.
Leadership development is a clear theme. The foundation gave $50,000 in 2025 to Armenian General Benevolent Union for the AGBU Berge Setrakian Leadership Fund, linking its giving to the training of future leaders within the Armenian community. It also supports endowment growth and institutional stability. In 2023, it granted $50,000 to Armenian General Benevolent Union for the Opportunity Fund and Artoun and Alice Festekjian Memorial Endowment Fund, and in 2024 it made a $10,000 award to Armenian General Benevolent Union for the Artoun & Alice Festekjian Endowment Fund. Education appears in smaller, targeted grants. The foundation gave $6,000 to Vem USA Inc for the Ayb School Scholarship Fund and $2,500 to Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Manage for Scholarship Fund. It also funded Armenian student aid through American University of Beirut.
Typical grants are modest, even though a few awards are much larger: the p25 is $1,375, the median is $2,500, and the p75 is $6,000. That suggests a core pattern of smaller support with occasional larger commitments. The recent record shows repeat giving to the same organizations across multiple years, especially Armenian institutions and affiliated programs, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a family foundation, gives directly to organizations and individuals, and does not make program-related investments.
$91K
$2.4M
$116K
$95K
Most grants fall between $1K and $6K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$6K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Notable grantees: Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), AGBU — APRI (Armenian Programs/Research/Initiatives), AGBU — NYSEC (New York/Regional sector programs), AGBU — Berge Setrakian Leadership Fund
Giving is national, with all recorded recipients located in the United States. New York stands out as the top state by grant count, and many of the named recipients are in New York City. Other repeat recipient locations include Glendale, California; Paramus, New Jersey; Evanston, Illinois; Watertown, Massachusetts; Englewood, New Jersey; and Tenafly, New Jersey. Delaware is the headquarters state, but no grants in the recent set went to recipients there.
It gives most often to Armenian communal institutions, especially Armenian General Benevolent Union and related Armenian organizations. The recent grants also include Armenian churches, Armenian student aid, and Armenian cultural or educational programs such as scholarships, endowment funds, and general operating support.
The distribution is centered on smaller awards: p25 is $1,375, median grant size is $2,500, and p75 is $6,000. Recent grants include both smaller gifts and a handful of larger awards at $37,500 and $50,000.
Yes. The same organizations appear across multiple years, especially Armenian General Benevolent Union, which receives several grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Other repeat recipients include Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, Armenian Missionary Assoc of Amer Inc, Northwestern University, and American University of Beirut.
The giving is national and all recorded recipient grants are in the United States. New York receives the most grants, and other recipient locations include California, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, West Virginia, and New Hampshire.
Recent grants include leadership development, general operating support, endowment building, scholarship support, charitable events, youth programming through camps, and support connected to Nagorno-Karabakh through the topic taxonomy and Armenian institutional grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | FOCUS, New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC), Global Leadership Program (GLP), and different programs |
| CHILDREN OF ARMENIA FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH | TENAFLY, NJ | $10,000 | 2026 | Renovation of the Lighting System at the Atrium Hall |
| VEM USA INC | GLENDALE, CA | $8,000 | 2026 | Scholarship fund of Needy Student |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $2,500 | 2026 | Kellogg Leadership Circle fund |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA | UNION CITY, NJ | $2,500 | 2026 | Bishop's Annual fund |
| CHARITYVEST INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $2,000 | 2026 | Nazareth & Nila Festekjian Family Fund |
| THE CARNEGIE HALL CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | Scholarship fund for a Needy Armenian Student |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA | UNION CITY, NJ | $1,000 | 2026 | Cathedral Renovation Fund |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC | PARAMUS, NJ | $500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH | TENAFLY, NJ | $500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARMENIAN AMERICAN HEALTHPROFESSIONALS ORGANIZATION | FAR HILLS, NJ | $500 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | AGBU Berge Setrakian Leadership Fund |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | Arvest at the General Assembly FUND |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | Camp Nubar 60th Anniversary FUND |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | Charitable Event |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2025 | Bishop's Annual Appeal FUND |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CARNEGIE HALL A CORPORATION | LEWISBURG, WV | $2,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH | TENAFLY, NJ | $500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $37,500 | 2024 | APRI, General Puropose, & NYSEC |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | Artoun & Alice Festekjian Endowment Fund |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | Charitable Event |
| VEM USA INC | GLENDALE, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| TEKEYAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION INC | WATERTOWN, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | Charitable Event |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC | PARAMUS, NJ | $2,500 | 2024 | Eugene & Nazeli Ekmekji Endowment Fund |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | Annual Appeal Fund |
| ENGLEWOOD HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION I | ENGLEWOOD, NJ | $2,500 | 2024 | Charitable Event |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY - KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGE | EVANSTON, IL | $2,500 | 2024 | Scholarship Fund |
| ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH | TENAFLY, NJ | $1,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | Armenian Student in need Scholarship Fund |
| ARMENIAN AMERICAN HEALTHPROFESSIONALS ORGANIZATION | FAR HILLS, NJ | $1,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE ARMENIAN EYECARE PROJECT | SAN DIMAS, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | Opportunity Fund & Artoun and Alice Festekjian Memorial Endowment Fund |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $12,500 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHILDREN OF ARMENIA FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $7,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| VEM USA INC | GLENDALE, CA | $6,000 | 2023 | Ayb School Scholarship Fund |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | Charitable Event |
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2023 | Focus 2023 |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY - KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGE | EVANSTON, IL | $2,500 | 2023 | Annual Giving |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC | PARAMUS, NJ | $2,500 | 2023 | Charitable Event |
| ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC | PARAMUS, NJ | $2,500 | 2023 | Eugene & Nazeli Ekmekji Memorial Endowment. |
| ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH | TENAFLY, NJ | $1,500 | 2023 | The Skylight Project |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Annual Appeal |
| HALO TRUST USA INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2023 | Nagorno Karabakh |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | Scholarship |
| ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH | TENAFLY, NJ | $1,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
FOCUS, New York Special Events Committee (NYSEC), Global Leadership Program (GLP), and different programs
ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH
$10,000Renovation of the Lighting System at the Atrium Hall
Kellogg Leadership Circle fund
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA
$2,500Bishop's Annual fund
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA
$1,000Cathedral Renovation Fund
ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC
$500General & Unrestricted
ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH
$500General & Unrestricted
ARMENIAN AMERICAN HEALTHPROFESSIONALS ORGANIZATION
$500General & Unrestricted
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION
$5,000Arvest at the General Assembly FUND
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENVOLENT UNION
$5,000Camp Nubar 60th Anniversary FUND
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA
$5,000Charitable Event
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA
$2,500Bishop's Annual Appeal FUND
CARNEGIE HALL A CORPORATION
$2,000General & Unrestricted
ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH
$500General & Unrestricted
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$37,500APRI, General Puropose, & NYSEC
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$10,000Artoun & Alice Festekjian Endowment Fund
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$10,000Charitable Event
TEKEYAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION INC
$5,000Charitable Event
ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC
$2,500Eugene & Nazeli Ekmekji Endowment Fund
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA
$2,500Annual Appeal Fund
ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH
$1,000General & Unrestricted
ARMENIAN AMERICAN HEALTHPROFESSIONALS ORGANIZATION
$1,000General & Unrestricted
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$50,000Opportunity Fund & Artoun and Alice Festekjian Memorial Endowment Fund
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$12,500General & Unrestricted
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$5,000Charitable Event
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION
$3,000Focus 2023
ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC
$2,500Charitable Event
ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOC OF AMER INC
$2,500Eugene & Nazeli Ekmekji Memorial Endowment.
ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH
$1,500The Skylight Project
DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA
$1,000Annual Appeal
ST THOMAS ARMENIAN CHURCH
$1,000General & Unrestricted