Atwood Foundation Inc
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.
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
87
-9.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$27K
+9.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
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
- 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
The foundation accepts unsolicited applications and requires online submission only. Grant application deadlines are:
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
Average Grant
amount: approximately $14,000
Review Cycle
are:
How to Apply
**
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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
States
Cities
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
| 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 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Atwood Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
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
From 2024 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 acrossThe foundation remains one of the largest grassroots funders in Alaska, with significant annual funds to distribute locally despite maintaining a small staff.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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