Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family
The Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2000 and based in Hartford, Connecticut. The foundation supports arts and culture, higher education, health, human services, and Jewish organizations.
Key facts about Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family
- EIN
- 06-1562154
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $381,084
- Grants made (2024)
- 61
- Average grant
- $6,247
- Median grant
- $1,800
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (11 of 46, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,970,802
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. 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 Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family's 61 itemized 2024 grants were Connecticut (97%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hartford, CT (26 grants), West Hartford, CT (11 grants), New Britain, CT (3 grants) and Storrs, CT (2 grants). 59% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 46 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 441% 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 Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family
- How to evaluate Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.0M
+47.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$381K
+3.7% YoY
Grant Count
61
-4.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+8.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family reported a distributable amount of $90K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Arts and Culture
- Higher Education
- Health Care
- Social Services and Human Services
- Jewish Organizations
The foundation does not maintain a public website, which limits transparency regarding specific grantmaking strategies and detailed priority areas. Tax filings indicate that education, health, human services, arts, and Jewish causes represent the foundation's primary focus areas.
Grantmaking
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is concentrated primarily in Connecticut. However, a limited number of grants extend to national organizations, regional groups in the Northeast, and causes that hold special meaning to family members.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 61 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $1,970,802
- Total Giving: $381,084
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $1,330,000
- Total Revenue: $384,000
- Total Expenses: $369,000
- Total Liabilities: $4,580
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,970,802 | $1,332,594 | $1,323,547 |
| Revenue | $1,051,561 | $383,640 | $282,341 |
| Expenses | $415,419 | $368,854 | $284,260 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $396,439 | $370,876 | $261,854 |
| Net Investment Income | $671,591 | $95,957 | $74,838 |
| Distributable Amount | $89,854 | $102,544 | $128,094 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- 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
293 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Renbrook School ($100,000), Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art ($65,550 across 5 grants), Hartford Stage ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RENBROOK SCHOOL West Hartford, CT | TAKE FLIGHT: THE CAMPAIGN FOR RENBROOK | $100,000 |
| WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART Hartford, CT | SUPPORT OF PREMIER MEMBERSHIP | $50,000 |
| HARTFORD STAGE Hartford, CT | UNRESTRICTED PURPOSE | $25,000 |
| THEATER WORKS HARTFORD Hartford, CT | FEVER DREAMS | $25,000 |
| BUSHNELL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Hartford, CT | THE BUSHNELL'S ANNUAL FUND | $15,000 |
| CONNECTICUT SCIENCE CENTER Hartford, CT | ANNUAL GIVING | $15,000 |
| SOUTH PARK INN Hartford, CT | UNRESTRICTED PURPOSE | $13,334 |
| MANDELL JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER West Hartford, CT | PILLARS SOCIETY GIFT | $12,500 |
| NEW BRITAIN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART New Britain, CT | UNRESTRICTED PURPOSE | $12,000 |
| HARTFORD HOSPITAL Hartford, CT | 32ND ANNUAL BLACK & RED | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Cheryl Chase — Co-founder and co-president of the foundation. She is a real estate executive and co-president of Chase Enterprises, a company known for shaping the Hartford skyline and developing modern buildings including One Financial Plaza in Hartford. Chase holds a bachelor's degree in English and History from Tufts University and a J.D. from University of Connecticut Law School (1978).
Stuart Bear — Co-founder of the foundation. A retired judge who served on the Connecticut Appellate Court. Bear is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheryl a Chase | President/Director | 5 | — |
| John P Redding | Secretary/Director | 1 | — |
| Dara Chase Dyer | Director | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: Chase Enterprises 225 Asylum Street Hartford, CT 06103-1534
Telephone: 860-549-1674
EIN: 06-1562154
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • **Arts and Culture** • **Higher Education** • **Health Care** • **Social Services and Human Services** • **Jewish Organizations** The foundation does not maintain a public website, which limits transparency regarding specific grantmaking strategies and detailed priority areas. Tax filings indicate that education, health, human services, arts, and Jewish causes represent the foundation's primary focus areas.
How do I apply for a grant from Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family make grants?
The foundation's giving is concentrated primarily in Connecticut. However, a limited number of grants extend to national organizations, regional groups in the Northeast, and causes that hold special meaning to family members.
What size grants does Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family award?
In 2024, Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family awarded 61 grants totaling $381K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family reported a distributable amount of $90K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family's EIN?
Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1562154. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.