The Klingenstein-Martell Foundation concentrates its giving on independent K–12 education and cultural institutions, favoring a small number of large, often repeat grants. Major recipients include elite independent schools (notably Emma Willard and The Town School) and New York–area arts and history organizations, with occasional support for medical/research institutions. Grants are typically general-purpose or scholarship-oriented and appear to be provided as sizable, sometimes non-cash gifts.
A defining feature of The Klingenstein-martell Foundation Fka the Sarah D Klingenstein Foundation is its sustained support for independent K–12 education, especially through repeat, high-value grants to Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. The pattern is not limited to schools: the foundation also backs New York cultural institutions and a smaller set of research and community organizations, often through general-purpose support. Across the recent grants list, several recipients appear in multiple years, suggesting a deliberate preference for continuing relationships rather than one-off awards. The largest recent grant in the file is a $1,240,618 noncash grant to Emma Willard School in 2025, followed by additional six-figure support for the same school in prior years. Other sizable grants went to The Town School in New York City and the New York Historical Society in New York. The foundation also shows occasional project-specific giving, including support for the Toronto Godspell film through City Lore Inc and scholarship support for The NY Shakespeare Festival. Its giving profile combines institutional support, education, and cultural preservation.
Independent schools are a central part of the foundation’s portfolio. It gave $1,240,618 to Emma Willard School for general purpose support in 2025, and the same school also received $602,723 in 2024 and $587,458 in 2023. The Town School likewise received repeated general-purpose support, including $203,319 in 2025, $199,884 in 2024, and $195,959 in 2023. Cultural institutions form another clear thread. The foundation gave $255,000 to the New York Historical Society for general purpose support in 2025, and also made a $40,664 noncash stock donation to the same organization that year. Arts-related grants also include $250,000 to City Lore Inc for the Toronto Godspell film and $150,000 to The NY Shakespeare Festival for scholarship support in 2024. Research and higher education appear as well, with $320,000 to Stony Brook Foundation in 2023 and $40,000 to Emerson College in 2024 and 2025.
The reported grant size profile centers on sizable awards: p25 is $28,750, median grant size is $50,000, and p75 is $145,000. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, especially in education and arts funding. The foundation also uses noncash gifts, including stock donations, and it funds individuals as well as institutions. Its giving is local in scope, with most grants going to recipients in New York.
$4.4M
$77.2M
$1.6M
$4.9M
Most grants fall between $29K and $145K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$29K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$145K
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Concentrated, high-dollar funding with multiple repeat grants to a few core beneficiaries; many gifts are general-purpose and include large non-cash contributions rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: Emma Willard School, The Town School, New York Historical Society, The New York Shakespeare Festival, Stony Brook Foundation
Grantmaking is concentrated in New York, which accounts for 82% of grants to recipients in the HQ state. New York City appears often through awards to organizations such as the New York Historical Society, The New York Public Library, and City Lore Inc. Troy, New York is another recurring location through Emma Willard School, while New York, New York and Stony Brook, New York also appear repeatedly. Outside New York, the recent list includes grants in Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, and one recipient in Jonesboro, GA.
The recent grants show a strong emphasis on independent K–12 schools and cultural institutions. Emma Willard School, The Town School, and the New York Historical Society receive repeated support, while arts-related grants also include City Lore Inc and The NY Shakespeare Festival.
Yes. Emma Willard School received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; The Town School also received grants in those three years; and 7 Lakes Alliance appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated gifts.
The grant-size distribution is centered at $50,000 median, with a lower quartile of $28,750 and an upper quartile of $145,000. The recent file also includes several six-figure grants, including awards above $1 million.
No. The recent grants include noncash awards, such as the $1,240,618 noncash grant to Emma Willard School and a $40,664 noncash stock donation to the New York Historical Society. The foundation also funds individuals through scholarship support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPPER WEST SIDE CINEMA CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $890,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE $140,000 ANNEX CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT $250,000 CUNNINGHAM ARCHIVE SUPPORT $500,000 |
| EMERSON COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $390,000 | 2026 | Concentration Account- $350,000 Institutional Advancment-$ 40,000 |
| EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL | TROY, NY | $382,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CITY LORE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2026 | TORONTO GODSPELL FILM |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NE | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE TOWN SCHOOL(NONCASH) | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $201,338 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY TELEVISION CENTER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE FILM COLLABORATIVE INC - TIME WARP | LOS ANGELES, CA | $170,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| AMAZON FRONTLINES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| BAY STREET THEATRE FESTIVAL | SAG HARBOR, NY | $65,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| 7 LAKES ALLIANCE | BELGRADE LAKES, ME | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GOD'S LOVE WE DELIVER | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| GRATEFUL FILM FUND | STUDIO CITY, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CENTER FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN | PORTLAND, ME | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF THE ADIRONDACKS | TUPPER LAKE, NY | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL (NONCASH) | TROY, NY | $1,240,618 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $255,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CITY LORE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | TORONTO GODSPELL FILM |
| THE TOWN SCHOOL(NONCASH) | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $203,319 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| 7 LAKES ALLIANCE(NONCASH) | BELGRADE LAKES, ME | $51,959 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MERCY HOSPITAL | ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY | $42,413 | 2025 | IN HONOR OF PATRICIA KLINGENSTEIN |
| NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY(NONCASH) | NEW YORK, NY | $40,664 | 2025 | APPLE INC STOCK DONATION |
| NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| EMERSON COLLEGE CONCENTRATION ACCOUNT | BOSTON, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF THE ADIRONDACKS | TUPPER LAKE, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTH FOUNDATION | BREWER, ME | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL (NON-CASH) | TROY, NY | $602,723 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE TOWN SCHOOL (NONCASH) | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $199,884 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE NY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| WORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDATION INC | JONESBORO, GA | $130,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| 7 LAKES ALLIANCE | BELGRADE LAKES, ME | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MERCY HOSPITAL | ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | IN HONOR OF PATRICIA KLINGENSTEIN |
| THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| EMERSON COLLEGE | BOSTON, MA | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION | STONY BROOK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE NEWYORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $22,667 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ROBERT LOUIS STEVESON SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE WILD CENTER | TUPPER LAKE, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL (NON-CASH) | TROY, NY | $587,458 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION | STONY BROOK, NY | $320,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE TOWN SCHOOL (NONCASH) | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $195,959 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| 7 LAKES ALLIANCE (NONCASH) | BELGRADE LAKES, ME | $50,086 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| THE NY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| MERCY HOSPITAL | ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | IN HONOR OF PATRICIA KLINGENSTEIN |
| THE TOWN SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
UPPER WEST SIDE CINEMA CENTER
$1,000,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$890,000GENERAL PURPOSE $140,000 ANNEX CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT $250,000 CUNNINGHAM ARCHIVE SUPPORT $500,000
EMERSON COLLEGE
$390,000Concentration Account- $350,000 Institutional Advancment-$ 40,000
GENERAL PURPOSE
THE TOWN SCHOOL(NONCASH)
$201,338GENERAL PURPOSE
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY TELEVISION CENTER INC
$200,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE FILM COLLABORATIVE INC - TIME WARP
$170,000GENERAL PURPOSE
BAY STREET THEATRE FESTIVAL
$65,000GENERAL PURPOSE
GRATEFUL FILM FUND
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CENTER FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN
$15,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF THE ADIRONDACKS
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL (NONCASH)
$1,240,618GENERAL PURPOSE
NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$255,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE TOWN SCHOOL(NONCASH)
$203,319GENERAL PURPOSE
NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY(NONCASH)
$40,664APPLE INC STOCK DONATION
EMERSON COLLEGE CONCENTRATION ACCOUNT
$40,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON SCHOOL
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF THE ADIRONDACKS
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NORTHERN LIGHT HEALTH FOUNDATION
$4,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE TOWN SCHOOL (NONCASH)
$199,884GENERAL PURPOSE
WORLDWIDE FRIENDS FOUNDATION INC
$130,000GENERAL PURPOSE
EMERSON COLLEGE
$40,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE NEWYORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$22,667GENERAL PURPOSE
ROBERT LOUIS STEVESON SCHOOL
$20,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE WILD CENTER
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
THE TOWN SCHOOL (NONCASH)
$195,959GENERAL PURPOSE
THE TOWN SCHOOL
$40,000GENERAL PURPOSE