Frederick Stearns Foundation
The Frederick Stearns Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in Washington and other states, including organizations involved in education, housing, public broadcasting, crisis response, and conservation.
Frederick Stearns Foundation at a glance
In short: Frederick Stearns Foundation gave $60K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Washington. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $60,000
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +4.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,609
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $725,991
- +2.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (3 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (77% 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 Frederick Stearns Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Contact Christopher L. Clark with a letter stating the organization’s purpose and request. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Christopher L Clark
Mailing address: 1945 Yale Pl E, Seattle, WA 98102
Phone: (206) 624-5244
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Frederick Stearns Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Boys and Girls Club - King County ($11K). Together the top 10 received $44K.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 105 grants of 105 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, 8% to Idaho, 7% to Washington, D.C., 5% to Virginia, and 3% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Frederick Stearns Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 23 grantees (13%) 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 $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2021) to $60K (2025). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $60K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys and Girls Club - King County Seattle, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $10,500 |
| Gonzaga University Spokane, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $5,000 |
| Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education Lewiston, ID | Further Charitable Goals | $5,000 |
| Low Income Housing Institute Seattle, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $5,000 |
| Whitman College Walla Walla, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $5,000 |
| Kuow Public Radio Seattle, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $3,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Further Charitable Goals | $3,000 |
| PBS Foundation Arlington, VA | Further Charitable Goals | $3,000 |
| Bellarmine Preparatory Academy Tacoma, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $2,000 |
| Harvest Against Hunger Seattle, WA | Further Charitable Goals | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Frederick Stearns Foundation?
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 | $725,991 | $89,954 | $71,021 | $60,000 | 23 | $62,415 | $79,714 | $62,385 |
| 2024 | $708,359 | $36,268 | $64,220 | $54,000 | 22 | $56,280 | $35,583 | $56,638 |
| 2023 | $738,336 | $35,771 | $67,516 | $57,750 | 19 | $59,860 | $33,631 | $55,035 |
| 2022 | $771,494 | $52,067 | $65,894 | $55,500 | 19 | $57,490 | $43,663 | $59,776 |
| 2021 | $787,942 | $112,563 | $58,614 | $49,500 | 22 | — | $105,369 | $54,339 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frederick Stearns Foundation reported a distributable amount of $62K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. For example, the Low Income Housing Institute says it develops and operates housing for low-income and homeless people and advocates for housing policies. The Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education says it supports educational opportunities through scholarships and grants for teachers. World Central Kitchen describes its work as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The Methow Conservancy says it works to conserve the land and natural beauty of the Methow Valley.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 23 grants totaling $60,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $10,500, with a median of $2,000. The largest grant was $10,500 to Boys and Girls Club – King County. Other notable grants included $5,000 each to Gonzaga University, Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education, Low Income Housing Institute, and Whitman College; and $3,000 each to KUOW Public Radio, World Central Kitchen, and PBS Foundation.
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists Christopher L. Clark as the contact and requests a letter stating the organization’s purpose and request. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Christopher L. Clark as chairperson and Gregory D. Clark and Linda C. Clark as board members.
Frederick Stearns Foundation is led by Christopher L. Clark, Chairperson on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher L. Clark
Chairperson
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gregory D. Clark
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda C. Clark
Board Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Frederick Stearns Foundation
How much does Frederick Stearns Foundation give each year?
Frederick Stearns Foundation gave $60K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $54K across 22 grants.
What is Frederick Stearns Foundation's typical grant size?
Frederick Stearns Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,609, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frederick Stearns Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Frederick Stearns Foundation give grants?
Frederick Stearns Foundation gives mostly in Washington: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Idaho (8%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (12 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Frederick Stearns Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Frederick Stearns Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Further Charitable Goals" (23 grants).
Who are Frederick Stearns Foundation's largest grantees?
Frederick Stearns Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Boys and Girls Club - King County ($10,500), Gonzaga University ($5,000) and Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Frederick Stearns Foundation?
Frederick Stearns Foundation reported $726K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $62K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $62K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Frederick Stearns Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations whose own missions span several areas. For example, the Low Income Housing Institute says it develops and operates housing for low-income and homeless people and advocates for housing policies. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Frederick Stearns Foundation?
Contact Christopher L. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Frederick Stearns Foundation's EIN?
Frederick Stearns Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-6449464. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Frederick Stearns Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Washington
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Lucky Seven Foundation
Wilmington, DE
Lucky Seven Foundation funds human services and related community causes, including scholarships, civic leadership, homelessness services, Indigenous arts, and environmental accountability. In 2024, its grants ranged from $100 to $240,000, with a median of $2,000 and an average of about $8,000; 87% of grant dollars went to Washington State organizations. The profile refers applicants to the foundation’s application process but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$27.6M
Grants
215
Total Given
$1.8M
Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
The Gates Foundation funds work to reduce disease and poverty, improve health and gender equality in lower-income countries, and support education and economic mobility in the United States, especially Washington State; it works in more than 140 countries. Its 2024 grants had a median of $500,000, with awards ranging from $1 to $350.5 million. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals, but periodically offers opportunities through published requests for proposals.
Assets
$78.7B
Grants
4,974
Total Given
$6.3B
M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Vancouver, WA
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust funds nonprofit capacity-building and projects in arts and culture, civic and community services, education, health and environmental stewardship, and scientific research across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its 2024 median grant was $87,000, with awards ranging from $4,000 to about $1.55 million. Eligible organizations can submit a Letter of Inquiry; full applications are by invitation.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
797
Total Given
$116.6M
The Avista Foundation
Spokane, WA
The Avista Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in education, basic needs and poverty, and economic and cultural vitality. Its 2025 grants had a median of $1,000, though awards ranged from $20 to $350,000, and it serves communities in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, parts of southern Oregon, Sanders County, Montana, and Juneau, Alaska.
Assets
$10.6M
Grants
577
Total Given
$2.2M
REI Cooperative Action Fund
Sumner, WA
The REI Cooperative Action Fund supports U.S. nonprofits expanding equitable access to the outdoors, connecting historically excluded communities with outdoor experiences, and advancing research on nature and health. In 2024, grants ranged from $9,342 to $386,438, with a median of $15,000; it funds organizations serving communities across the U.S. and does not accept unsolicited grant requests, though recommendations are considered.
Assets
$11.2M
Grants
561
Total Given
$13.5M
More similar funders
More Funders in Washington
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Frederick Stearns Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/frederick-stearns-foundation-morg_dc24a7b0265c4222a96819d7b81f7d9f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_916449464_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Frederick Stearns Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/frederick-stearns-foundation-morg_dc24a7b0265c4222a96819d7b81f7d9f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Frederick Stearns 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.
Frederick Stearns Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?