Essa Bank & Trust Foundation
Stroudsburg, PA · EIN 20-8227643. Reported 110 grants totalling $10.0M to 90 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Essa Bank & Trust Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $20,000; the smallest was $1,000 and the largest $5,487,792. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton Area Community Foundation | Scranton, PA | $5,487,792 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Monroe County Historical Association | Stroudsburg, PA | $2,000,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| West End Fire Company | Brodheadsville, PA | $399,999 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Developmental Education Services Foundation | Stroudsburg, PA | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Salvation Army | East Stroudsburg, PA | $228,750 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Northampton Community College Foundation | Bethlehem, PA | $220,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Family Promise | Stroudsburg, PA | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pocono Services for Families and Children | East Stroudsburg, PA | $115,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Pocono Family YMCA | Stroudsburg, PA | $97,512 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Animal Welfare Society of Monroe | Stroudsburg, PA | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Stroudsburg United Methodist Church | Stroudsburg, PA | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center | Stroudsburg, PA | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pocono Area Transitional Housing Path | Stroudsburg, PA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| East Stroudburg University Foundation | East Stroudsburg, PA | $41,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health | Newfoundland, PA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Allentown Symphony Association | Allentown, PA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Kiwanis Club of Stroudsburg Scholarship Foundation | East Stroudsburg, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network | Saylorsburg, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ripple Commnity Inc | Allentown, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Luke's Hospital Monroe Campus | Stroudsburg, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cypress House Bakery | Scranton, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Feeding Families Ministry Inc | Newfoundland, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Friends of West End Park & Open Space Commission | Brodheadsville, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Monroe County Habitat for Humanity | Tobyhanna, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pocono Pride | Saylorsburg, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Ronald Mcdonald House Charities of the | Philadelphia, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Women's Resources of Monroe County | Delaware Water Gap, PA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Foundation of Monroe County | Stroudsburg, PA | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Greater Valley YMCA Eastonphillipsburg | Easton, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Miller-Keystone Blood Center | Bethlehem, PA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nepa | Forty Fort, PA | $10,300 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Child Hunger Outreach Partners | Towanda, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| East Stroudsburg Little League | East Stroudsburg, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Garden of Giving | Saylorsburg, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| King's College | Wilkesbarre, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lehigh Carbon Community College Foundation | Schnecksville, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Maternal and Family Health Services | Wilkes Barre, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mcti Foundation | Bartonsville, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Misericordia University | Dallas, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Muhlenberg College | Allentown, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Multiculteral Community Family Services Inc | Upper Darby, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Nepa Educational Television Association (wvia) | Pittston, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Rimrock Masonic Center Association | Stroudsburg, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Stroudsburg Wesleyan Church | Stroudsburg, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Suburban Emergency Medical Services | Stroudsburg, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Scranton | Scranton, PA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Valley Youth House | Bethlehem, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Valor Clinic Foundation | Brodheadsville, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Youth Infusion Inc | Delaware Water Gap, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Barrett Township Volunteer Fire Co | Cresco, PA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pinebrook Family Answers | Allentown, PA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Burn Prevention Network | Allentown, PA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm | Bartonsville, PA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Calv | Nazareth, PA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pocono Mountains Music Fest | Mountainhome, PA | $6,750 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Kettle Creek Enviromental | Stroudsburg, PA | $6,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Children's Advocacy Center of Monroe County | Bartonsville, PA | $5,400 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Alburtis Area Community Center | Alburtis, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Arts Quest | Bethlehem, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Brodhead Chapter #289 Trout Unlimited | Tannersville, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bushkill Township Fire Co | Nazareth, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Clymer Library | Pocono Pines, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Inc | Easton, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Equi-Libruim Inc | Fehr Rd, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Flint Hill Farms Educational Center | Coopersburg, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Food Dignity | Forty Fort, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Friends of Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission | East Stroudsburg, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fusia Community Arts | Stroudsburg, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Girls on the Run | Sciota, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA | Wilkesbarre, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Grow and Give Garden | East Stroudsburg, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Housing Association & Development Corp | Allentown, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jewish Community Center of Lv | Allentown, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Knights of Columbus Council 11935 | East Stroudsburg, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lacawac Santuary Foundation | Lake Ariel, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lehigh Valley Children's Centers | Allentown, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Outreach Center for Community Resources | Scranton, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Phoenixville Area Community Services Inc | Phoenixville, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center | Stroudsburg, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Scranton Public Library | Scranton, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Lighthouse Inc | Philadelphia, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Third Street Alliance for Women & Children | Easton, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| West End Fair Association | Gilbert, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wildlands Conservancy | Emmaus, PA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lehigh Valley Monthly Meeting (lv Quakers) | Lehigh Valley, PA | $2,637 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pocono Township | Tannersville, PA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity | Kingston, PA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| East Stroudburg High School South Band Parent Boosters Inc | East Stroudburg, PA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Camp Papillon Animal Shelter | Stroudsburg, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
12 of 90 (13%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 17%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Camp Papillon Animal Shelter
DONATION IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM P. DOUGLASS
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 42 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33 | $1,781,533 | $6,750 |
| 2022 | 26 | $1,587,704 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 24 | $767,474 | $14,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | $320,000 | $10,000 |
| 2025 | 11 | $5,559,429 | $8,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Get funders for your state and cause by email
We email you funders that gave to organizations in your state and cause, up to five at a time each week and never the same one twice, from their own IRS filings. Free. The weekly email has not started yet.
Unsubscribe in one click from any email. We never sell or share your address. To match on your organization and typical grant size too, keep a private profile.
Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Essa Bank & Trust Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 200 Palmer Street Po Box L, Stroudsburg, PA, 18360. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 20-8227643 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.