Cutler Stephens Foundation
The Cutler Stephens Foundation is a private foundation based in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with listed recipients including educational, environmental, civil liberties, cultural, and rehabilitation organizations.
Cutler Stephens Foundation at a glance
In short: Cutler Stephens Foundation gave $6K across 36 grants in 2025 (avg $173.694), mostly in Massachusetts. 47% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,253
- -24.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 36
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $174
- -32.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $88
- Total assets
- $48,865
- -4.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (17 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (70% 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 Cutler Stephens Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 197 Eighth Street 506, Charlestown, MA 02129
Phone: (617) 241-9006
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cutler Stephens Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Vineyard Trust ($816). Together the top 10 received $4K.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 179 grants of 179 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Massachusetts recipients received 70% of grant dollars, followed by New York at 12%, an unspecified state category at 6%, California at 4%, and Wisconsin at 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cutler Stephens Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 36 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $181; repeat grants $167. How we count
Medians: $76 first-time, $100 repeat.
- 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 38% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $5K (2020) to $11K (2023). In 2025 it made 36 grants totaling $6K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vineyard Trust Edgartown, MA | General Fund | $816 |
| Smith College Northampton, MA | General Fund | $690 |
| Pier 5 Assoc Charleston, MA | General Fund | $500 |
| Wwwsbschoolorg Greenfield, MA | General Fund | $459 |
| Envir Business Council of New York New York, NY | General Fund | $375 |
| WEF Si Digital | General Fund | $355 |
| American Civil Liberty Union New York, NY | General Fund | $350 |
| United Nations Greater Boston Boston, MA | General Fund | $350 |
| Donate Pledge Venice, CA | General Fund | $228 |
| Spaulding Rehabilitation Cambridge, MA | General Fund | $222 |
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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 | $48,865 | $10,155 | $12,395 | $6,253 | 36 | $6,253 | $8,728 | $6,549 |
| 2024 | $51,105 | $10,067 | $13,974 | $8,227 | 32 | $8,227 | $8,699 | $6,039 |
| 2023 | $55,012 | $7,924 | $15,578 | $11,079 | 41 | $11,079 | $6,552 | $5,488 |
| 2022 | $62,666 | $13,402 | $14,667 | $10,094 | 37 | $10,094 | $1,058 | $6,386 |
| 2021 | $63,931 | $4,982 | $9,775 | $5,322 | 33 | — | $2,075 | $6,809 |
| 2020 | $68,724 | $6,735 | $9,651 | $5,267 | 43 | — | $2,285 | $6,180 |
| 2019 | $71,640 | $13,961 | $14,946 | $9,853 | 52 | — | $2,804 | $6,352 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cutler Stephens Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum says it works to help people discover and strengthen connections to the island and its heritage; the Environmental League says it advocates for policy addressing environmental challenges; and More Than Words says it empowers youth facing barriers such as foster care involvement, homelessness, or being out of school.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 36 grants totaling $6,253. Grants ranged from $15 to $816, with a median of $88. The largest listed grants included $816 to Vineyard Trust, $690 to Smith College, $500 to Pier 5 Assoc, and $459 to WWWSBSCHOOLORG. All four were listed for general fund purposes.
Other 2025 recipients include the Environmental League ($150), the Association of State Floodplain Managers ($180), Martha’s Vineyard Museum ($150), Grandmother Project ($50), and More Than Words ($25). The Association of State Floodplain Managers describes its mission as supporting the educational, scientific research, and literary objectives of the association. The Environmental League describes its mission as advocating for policy on climate, environmental, and clean-energy issues.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Sherrie S. Cutler is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
Cutler Stephens Foundation is led by Sherrie S. Cutler, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sherrie S. Cutler
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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 Cutler Stephens Foundation
How much does Cutler Stephens Foundation give each year?
Cutler Stephens Foundation gave $6K across 36 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $8K across 32 grants.
What is Cutler Stephens Foundation's typical grant size?
Cutler Stephens Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $88, and its average grant was $174, across 36 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cutler Stephens Foundation that year got $181 on average.
Where does Cutler Stephens Foundation give grants?
Cutler Stephens Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (9 grants), Edgartown, MA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Cutler Stephens Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 97% of Cutler Stephens Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cutler Stephens Foundation's largest grantees?
Cutler Stephens Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Vineyard Trust ($816), Smith College ($690) and Pier 5 Assoc ($500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cutler Stephens Foundation?
Cutler Stephens Foundation reported $49K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Cutler Stephens Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cutler Stephens Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cutler Stephens Foundation's EIN?
Cutler Stephens Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-2596776. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Cutler Stephens Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 11, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 14, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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