Atwood Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker Anchorage, AK EIN: 92-6002571 Website

The Atwood Foundation Inc is a family foundation established in 1962 and based in Anchorage, Alaska. The foundation was created by Bob Atwood, a newspaperman, and his wife Evangeline Rasmuson Atwood to benefit the Anchorage community and its residents. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and serves as a significant philanthropic force in Alaska, supporting nonprofit initiatives across multiple focus areas.

Key facts about Atwood Foundation Inc

EIN: 92-6002571
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $2,350,806
Grants made (2024): 87
Average grant: $27,021
Median grant: $14,350
New grantees (estimate): 17% first-time grantees (13 of 77, 2024)
Total assets: $56,653,256
Primary geography: Alaska (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals: Yes
How to apply: The foundation accepts unsolicited applications and requires online submission only. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Atwood Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Atwood Foundation Inc's 87 itemized 2024 grants were Alaska (99%). The most frequent recipient cities were Anchorage, AK (71 grants), Girdwood, AK (7 grants), Sitka, AK (3 grants) and Anchorage, CA (2 grants). 2% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Season Support" (6 grants) and "2024-2025 Season Support" (3 grants).

Is Atwood Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

17%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 13 of 77 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $34K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $19K repeat.

77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Atwood Foundation Inc

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$56.7M

+11.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.4M

-1.0% YoY

Grant Count

-9.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$27K

+9.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Atwood Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding areas include:

The Arts — including visual arts, performing arts, theater, music, and dance
Journalism — including post-secondary journalism education and journalism-related initiatives
History — historical preservation and education
Youth Programs — youth-focused arts, education, and civic engagement
Education — scholarships and educational programming
Civic Events — community-focused activities and events
Active Duty Military Community — support for military-related activities and family engagement

The foundation also supports post-secondary journalism education at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and scholarship programs at Alaska Pacific University.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

s and Activity:**

Average Grant

amount: approximately $14,000

Review Cycle

are:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds projects in Anchorage, Alaska and surrounding areas, including:

Anchorage
Chugiak
Douglas
Eagle River
Girdwood
Homer
JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
Kenai
Sitka
Wasilla

The foundation also makes grants in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Oakland, California, though its primary geographic focus remains Alaska.

Grant Distribution by State

Alaska $2.3M (99%)

California $20K (1%)

Share of all 87 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

Alaska California Tennessee

Cities

AnchorageGirdwoodSitkaHomerJberDouglasEagle RiverChugiakKenaiOak RidgeOaklandSewardWasilla

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets and Revenue (2023):

Total assets: $50.8 million to $56.6 million
Annual revenue: $3.84 million
Annual expenses: $2.92 million
Total giving: $2.35 million to $2.6 million
Total liabilities: $5,110

Tax Status:

EIN: 92-6002571
Tax-exempt status: Designated as 501(c)(3) since June 1965
Donations are tax-deductible

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$56,653,256	$50,822,342	$46,993,471
Revenue	$5,667,985	$3,840,802	$965,536
Expenses	$3,120,216	$2,918,018	$2,576,792
Qualifying Distributions	$2,635,547	$2,567,573	$2,308,534
Net Investment Income	$6,505,509	$4,485,480	$683,344
Distributable Amount	$2,569,817	$2,356,903	$2,464,913

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 3, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

406 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Atwood Foundation Inc

Foundation

Atwood Foundation Grant

Atwood Foundation Inc

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Alaska Community Foundation ($211,500 across 2 grants), Anchorage Museum Association ($175,000), Alaska Pacific University ($150,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALASKA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Girdwood, AK	ALASKA CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AND ALASKA PRESS CLUB	$210,000
ANCHORAGE MUSEUM ASSOCIATION Anchorage, AK	EDUCATION PROGRAMS, EXHIBIT, NORTH X NORTH, SEED LAB AND ATWOOD ARCHIVE CENTER	$175,000
ALASKA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY Anchorage, AK	ATWOOD MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS	$150,000
ANCHORAGE OPERA Anchorage, AK	2024-25 SEASON SUPPORT	$125,000
ANCHORAGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Anchorage, AK	SEASON SUPPORT	$120,000
ANCHORAGE CONCERT ASSOCIATION Girdwood, AK	SEASON SUPPORT	$100,000
ALASKA JUNIOR THEATER Anchorage, AK	SEASON SUPPORT	$70,000
CYRANO'S THEATER COMPANY Anchorage, AK	OPERATING SUPPORT FOR 2024 SEASON	$65,000
FORAKER GROUP Anchorage, AK	CAPACITY BUILDING SERVICES FOR ATWOOD GRANTEES	$60,000
NORTHERN CULTURE EXCHANGE Anchorage, AK	MULTIPLE MUSIC PROJECTS	$60,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Board of Directors:

David Tobin — Chairman
Carolyn Heyman — Vice Chair
Spencer Shroyer — Treasurer/Secretary
Maria Downey — Director
Natasha von Imhof — Director
Tim Thompson — Director
Jeannette Lee Falsey — Director
Megan Olson — Director

Staff:

Sara Perman — Executive Director (newly announced)
Ira Perman — Former Executive Director (annual compensation: $130,000)

The Executive Director is the sole compensated member of the board. All board members serve on a part-time basis without compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
David Tobin	Chairman	0.5	—
Carolyn Heyman	Vice Chair	0.5	—
Spencer Shroyer	Treasurer/Secretary	1.5	—
Maria Downey	Director	0.5	—
Natasha Von Imhof	Director	0.5	—
Tim Thompson	Director	0.5	—
Jeannette Lee Falsey	Director	0.5	—
Megan Olson	Director	0.5	—
Ira Perman	Executive Director Until July 2024	29	$135,000
Sara Perman	Executive Director	29	$55,444

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The Atwood Foundation announced Sara Perman as its new Executive Director following an extensive succession planning process and board selection. The foundation continues to serve as a partner of Press Forward Alaska and maintains active support for the Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism, a special project funded by the Atwood Foundation in collaboration with other foundations, individuals, businesses, and organizations.

Community Foundation awards $67,400 in Woods Family Music & Arts grants across

The foundation remains one of the largest grassroots funders in Alaska, with significant annual funds to distribute locally despite maintaining a small staff.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Atwood Foundation Inc fund?

The Atwood Foundation seeks to benefit "the people of Anchorage, Alaska & vicinity, particularly the young people, through assisting financially in the initiation, completion and maintenance of non-profit organizations of the arts, journalism, history and other civic enterprises." Primary funding areas include: • **The Arts** — including visual arts, performing arts, theater, music, and dance • **Journalism** — including post-secondary journalism education and journalism-related initiatives • *…

How do I apply for a grant from Atwood Foundation Inc?

The foundation accepts unsolicited applications and requires online submission only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Atwood Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation primarily funds projects in Anchorage, Alaska and surrounding areas, including: • Anchorage • Chugiak • Douglas • Eagle River • Girdwood • Homer • JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) • Kenai • Sitka • Wasilla The foundation also makes grants in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Oakland, California, though its primary geographic focus remains Alaska.

What size grants does Atwood Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Atwood Foundation Inc awarded 87 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $27K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Atwood Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Atwood Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.