Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson
The Frank L and Sarah Miller Coulson Foundation is a private foundation based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The foundation was established by Frank L. Coulson Jr. and Sarah Miller Coulson to support philanthropic causes aligned with their values and interests.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.5M
+2.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$374K
-74.6% YoY
Grant Count
32
+6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-76.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson reported a distributable amount of $771K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Historic Buildings Preservation
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $6,489,746
Total Annual Giving: $373,500
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,489,746 | $6,336,682 | $6,909,447 |
| Revenue | $1,527,669 | $202,642 | $7,858,001 |
| Expenses | $493,016 | $1,593,975 | $510,447 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $373,500 | $1,471,505 | $381,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,326,734 | $156,770 | $2,896,876 |
| Distributable Amount | $771,061 | $780,956 | $872,313 |
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
145 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Philadelphia Museum of Art ($70,000), St Christopher Church ($35,000), Mount Vernon Ladies Association ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1LOVE4 ANIMALS SOUTHEASTERN, PA | GENERAL FUND | $25,000 |
| ALOHA FOUNDATION FAIRLEE, VT | GENERAL FUND | $3,000 |
| ASPCA NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL FUND | $5,000 |
| BARNES FOUNDATION PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL FUND | $10,000 |
| BETHESDA MISSION HARRISBURG, PA | GENERAL FUND | $3,000 |
| CARE ATLANTA, GA | GENERAL FUND | $3,000 |
| COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG FOUNDATION WILLIAMSBURG, VA | GENERAL FUND | $10,000 |
| COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL FUND | $5,000 |
| FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL FUND | $10,000 |
| HOBE SOUND COMMUNITY CHEST HOBE SOUND, FL | GENERAL FUND | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Frank L. Coulson Jr. (1946–2011) was a managing director at Goldman Sachs who spent 37 years with the firm. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Moore School of Engineering in 1968. He served in the U.S. Navy as a naval ship navigator from 1968 to 1974, attaining the rank of Full Lieutenant, and earned his MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of Business while in the Navy. He was elected to partnership at Goldman Sachs in 1990.
Sarah Miller Coulson was born and raised near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and is a 1975 graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where she majored in art history. She worked briefly on Wall Street with the Bank of New York before earning an MBA in Finance from Columbia University in 1982. She spent 18 years in various financial roles with Time Warner Inc. in New York City.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH MILLER COULSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2011, Frank L. Coulson Jr. and Sarah Miller Coulson established the Sarah Miller Coulson and Frank L. Coulson Professorship in Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in honor of Dr. David B. Hellmann.
Penn Athletics Unveils Coulson Family Training Complex in Franklin FieldFrank L. Coulson Jr. and his wife were major donors to the University of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Penn Athletics Unveils Coulson Family Training Complex in Franklin FieldSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Historic Buildings Preservation
How do I apply for a grant from Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $560,005. **Total Annual Giving:** $373,500 (based on most recent IRS 990 filing) **Geographic Scope:** The foundation primarily funds organizations in Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia.
What size grants does Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson award?
In 2024, Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson awarded 32 grants totaling $374K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson reported a distributable amount of $771K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson's EIN?
Frank L & Sarah Miller Coulson's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4148044. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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