Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation
The Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Burlington, Vermont. Its 2025 filing lists grants to Vermont organizations supporting areas including housing, youth programs, education, and flood relief.
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation gave $433K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in Vermont. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $433,000
- -73.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- -6.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,867
- -71.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $1,752,168
- +24.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (3 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its filing directs applicants to the grant application procedure attached as Statement 11 and to the grant restrictions in Statement 12.
- Review Cycle
- Letters of interest should be submitted between January 1 and March 1. The 2026 submission period has passed.
- Deadline
- Letters of interest should be submitted between January 1 and March 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Craig S Matanle
Mailing address: PO Box 638, Burlington, VT 05402
Phone: (802) 863-3494
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cots ($200K). Together the top 10 received $408K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 77 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 15 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $78K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $26K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 96% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 622% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $31K (2019) to $9.8M (2022). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $433K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cots Burlington, VT | Operating Support | $200,000 |
| Community Sailing Center Burlington, VT | Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Vermont Community Foundation Middlebury, VT | Support Vermont Flood Relief Programs | $50,000 |
| King Street Center Burlington, VT | Operating Support | $30,000 |
| Friends of Fletcher Free Library Burlington, VT | Support for Summer Challenge Program | $26,000 |
| Neighbors in Action Cabot, VT | Operating Support | $18,000 |
| Community College of VT Winooski, VT | Life Gap Grants for Students | $10,000 |
| Essex Chips Essex JCT, VT | Operating Support | $9,000 |
| Vermont Works for Women Winooski, VT | Rosie's Girls Program | $7,500 |
| Ronald McDonald House Burlington, VT | Operating Support | $7,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,752,168 | $786,498 | $441,224 | $433,000 | 15 | $439,424 | $251,868 | $70,690 |
| 2024 | $1,406,894 | $1,281,868 | $1,628,822 | $1,621,000 | 16 | $1,626,886 | $686,411 | $70,036 |
| 2023 | $1,753,848 | $3,205,093 | $3,812,818 | $3,690,000 | 14 | $3,698,441 | $793,418 | $121,230 |
| 2022 | $2,361,573 | $10,277,755 | $9,803,858 | $9,750,000 | 18 | $9,772,890 | $5,107,654 | $167,274 |
| 2021 | $1,887,676 | $1,158,678 | $48,354 | $46,500 | 14 | $46,754 | $678,050 | $71,382 |
| 2020 | $777,352 | $-46,659 | $51,318 | $41,000 | 12 | — | $15,004 | $44,032 |
| 2019 | $875,329 | $47,330 | $38,440 | $30,500 | 10 | — | $44,730 | $47,242 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $71K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included operating support and program funding for organizations serving Vermont communities. For example, King Street Center describes its work as empowering youth through learning, play, and opportunity; Essex CHIPS says it supports and empowers youth to make healthy decisions and become community leaders. Vermont Works for Women describes its mission as advancing gender equity and supporting women and youth in their careers.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $433,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with a median of $9,000. The largest awards included $200,000 to COTS for operating support; $50,000 to Community Sailing Center for operating support; $50,000 to Vermont Community Foundation for Vermont flood relief programs; and $30,000 to King Street Center for operating support. Other listed awards included $26,000 to Friends of Fletcher Free Library for its Summer Challenge Program and $18,000 to Neighbors in Action for operating support.
The Vermont Community Foundation describes its mission as building philanthropic resources for healthy and vital Vermont communities. The Boys and Girls Club of Burlington says it aims to help young people reach their potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas J Gauntlett as president/chair, Mary Alice McKenzie as vice president, Patricia Motch as secretary, and David H Coates as treasurer. It also lists Melissa Gauntlett and Jeffrey Cole as directors.
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation is led by Thomas J. Gauntlett, President & Chair on every filing since 2019; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Thomas J. Gauntlett
President & Chair
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Gauntlett
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Cole
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David H. Coates
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Motch
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Alice McKenzie
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Courtney Buffum (2019–2021) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation
How much does Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation give each year?
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation gave $433K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.6M across 16 grants.
What is Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $9,000, and its average grant was $28,867, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation that year got $78K on average.
Where does Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation give grants?
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation gives mostly in Vermont: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Burlington, VT (7 grants) and Winooski, VT (2 grants).
Does Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Cots ($200,000), Community Sailing Center ($50,000) and Vermont Community Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation?
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $439K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $71K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included operating support and program funding for organizations serving Vermont communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's EIN?
Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3359381. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 23, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/courtney-and-victoria-buffum-family-foundation-morg_dc73aa68b2d5480ba21e1e6db64a357c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043359381_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/courtney-and-victoria-buffum-family-foundation-morg_dc73aa68b2d5480ba21e1e6db64a357c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-25. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Courtney and Victoria Buffum Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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