Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation
The Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation is a private foundation based in Avon, Connecticut. In 2025, it gave $670,000 in grants to 23 charitable organizations.
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation at a glance
In short: Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation gave $670K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in Connecticut. 4% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $670,000
- +18.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $29,130
- +18.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $8,388,408
- +17.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (71% 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 Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 47 West Main Street, Avon, CT 06001-4706
Phone: (860) 677-1974
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Avon Old Farms School ($100K). Together the top 10 received $505K.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 98 grants of 113 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 71% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 17% to Florida, 8% to New York, and 4% to New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 23 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 96% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 67% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $330K (2020) to $670K (2025). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $670K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Avon Old Farms School Avon, CT | General Support | $100,000 |
| Healing Meals Community Project Bloomfield, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| Journey Home Hartford, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| Our Companions Animal Rescue Manchester, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| The Frick Collection New York, NY | General Support | $50,000 |
| The Open Hearth Hartford, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| University of Saint Joseph West Hartford, CT | General Support | $50,000 |
| Atlantic Classical Orchestra Fort Pierce, FL | General Support | $40,000 |
| Hibiscus Children's Center Jensen Beach, FL | General Support | $40,000 |
| Hartford Youth Scholars Hartford, CT | General Support | $25,000 |
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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 | $8,388,408 | $2,108,800 | $885,753 | $670,000 | 23 | $724,299 | $1,998,450 | $665,348 |
| 2024 | $7,165,361 | $2,373,708 | $715,969 | $565,000 | 23 | $610,150 | $2,277,967 | $563,138 |
| 2023 | $5,507,316 | $961,588 | $548,321 | $420,000 | 20 | $448,905 | $880,408 | $446,119 |
| 2022 | $5,091,538 | $1,116,117 | $528,414 | $400,500 | 21 | $429,210 | $1,035,677 | $411,194 |
| 2021 | $4,502,973 | $838,318 | $541,640 | $430,750 | 26 | $459,530 | $757,098 | $455,208 |
| 2020 | $4,206,295 | $227,642 | $422,901 | $329,500 | 21 | — | $164,742 | $340,059 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $665K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Avon Old Farms School says its mission is to develop boys into men of strong moral character through an inclusive community focused on academic, athletic, and creative excellence. Journey Home says it works with partners to end homelessness in Connecticut’s capital region. The Frick Collection describes its work as operating an art museum and library for public enjoyment and the advancement of fine arts study.
Other 2025 recipients include the University of Saint Joseph, which describes its work as providing liberal arts and professional education to a diverse student population, and Hibiscus Children’s Center, whose stated purpose is to support services for abused and neglected children.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $670,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $25,000. The largest grant was $100,000 to Avon Old Farms School for general support. Other notable grants included $50,000 each to Healing Meals Community Project, Journey Home, Our Companions Animal Rescue, The Frick Collection, The Open Hearth, and the University of Saint Joseph, all for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher S Drew and John E Drew as trustees.
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher S. Drew
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$7K (2020) → $27K (2025)
John E. Drew
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$76K (2020) → $136K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $136K, to John E Drew (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation
How much does Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation give each year?
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation gave $670K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $565K across 23 grants.
What is Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's typical grant size?
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $29,130, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation give grants?
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (17%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Hartford, CT (6 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Stuart, FL (2 grants) and Naugatuck, CT (2 grants).
Does Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's largest grantees?
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Avon Old Farms School ($100,000), Healing Meals Community Project ($50,000) and Journey Home ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation?
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation reported $8.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $724K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $665K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's EIN?
Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-6183605. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Elizabeth Ferry Speer 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/elizabeth-ferry-speer-foundation-morg_dcc5928aed5a4b23a2baae22e7d41c1a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_276183605_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/elizabeth-ferry-speer-foundation-morg_dcc5928aed5a4b23a2baae22e7d41c1a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Elizabeth Ferry Speer 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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