Future Standard Foundation
The Future Standard Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the philanthropic arm of Future Standard, and its website describes its work as advancing equitable opportunity across the firm’s communities through civic engagement, philanthropy, and employee engagement.
Future Standard Foundation at a glance
In short: Future Standard Foundation gave $815K across 138 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $815,449
- +4.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 138
- +146.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,909
- -57.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,125
- Total assets
- $86,457
- +1180.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (47 of 94, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (67% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Future Standard Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests should include a description of the organization, a description of the request, sponsorship levels, and the organization’s tax determination letter. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Aldercy Lam
Mailing address: 201 Rouse Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19112
Phone: (215) 495-1150
Website: https://futurestandard.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Future Standard Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Philadelphia Financial Scholars ($126K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $473K.
Grant Size Distribution
462 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 449 grants of 462 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed primarily in Pennsylvania (67%), followed by New York (13%), Massachusetts (6%), Georgia (6%), and Texas (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 138 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Future Standard Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 47 of 94 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $5K repeat.
- 35% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $551K (2020) to $815K (2024). In 2024 it made 138 grants totaling $815K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Financial Scholars Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Philadelphia Soccer 2026 Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $45,000 |
| Child Mind Institute New York, NY | General Support | $25,000 |
| The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Team Impact Quincy, MA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of America Atlanta, GA | General Support | $25,000 |
| The Studio Museum in Harlem New York, NY | General Support | $25,000 |
| The Philadelphia Citizen Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Team Impact Quincy, MA | General Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Future Standard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $86,457 | $882,927 | $819,065 | $815,449 | 138 | $815,446 | — | $3,051 |
| 2023 | $6,751 | $770,000 | $782,320 | $782,320 | 56 | $782,320 | — | $4,020 |
| 2022 | $142,371 | $789,000 | $800,786 | $677,487 | 67 | $677,487 | — | $2,411 |
| 2021 | $30,857 | $500,000 | $567,313 | $567,313 | 79 | — | — | $5,483 |
| 2020 | $102,120 | $350,017 | $551,002 | $550,997 | 122 | — | $17 | $6,696 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Future Standard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2024 — 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 stated aim is to advance equitable opportunity across the firm’s communities. Its website describes community work that includes charitable support, volunteerism, nonprofit board service, and incubating emerging organizations advancing a more just and equitable future.
The 2024 grantees show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, The Philadelphia Citizen describes its mission as providing solutions-focused journalism and encouraging civic participation in and around Philadelphia. Team Impact says it matches children facing serious and chronic illnesses with college athletic teams to address emotional trauma and social isolation. The Child Mind Institute describes work supporting children and families dealing with mental health and learning disorders.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 138 grants totaling $815,449. Grants ranged from $25 to $100,000, with a median of $1,125. The largest listed award was $100,000 to Philadelphia Financial Scholars for general support. Other notable awards included $45,000 to Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and $25,000 each to the Child Mind Institute, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, the Anti-Defamation League, Team Impact, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and The Philadelphia Citizen, all for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Forman as chairman; Laura Sparks as president beginning in 2024; Michael Gerber as president through the end of 2024; Stephen Sypherd as secretary; and Phil Browne as treasurer. The foundation’s website identifies Laura Sparks as its president.
Future Standard Foundation is led by Michael Gerber, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Gerber
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Sparks
President
New on the 2024 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Forman
Chairman
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phil Browne
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Sypherd
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Mia Fioravanti (2020–2022) — Executive Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Future Standard Foundation
How much does Future Standard Foundation give each year?
Future Standard Foundation gave $815K across 138 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $782K across 56 grants.
What is Future Standard Foundation's typical grant size?
Future Standard Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,125, and its average grant was $5,909, across 138 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Future Standard Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Future Standard Foundation give grants?
Future Standard Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (13%) and Massachusetts (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (57 grants), New York, NY (15 grants), Dallas, TX (11 grants) and Fort Washington, PA (4 grants).
Does Future Standard Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 99% of Future Standard Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (136 of 138) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Future Standard Foundation's largest grantees?
Future Standard Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Philadelphia Financial Scholars ($125,567 across 3 grants), Anti-Defamation League ($65,000 across 4 grants) and Team Impact ($50,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Future Standard Foundation?
Future Standard Foundation reported $86K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $815K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Future Standard Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to advance equitable opportunity across the firm’s communities. Its website describes community work that includes charitable support, volunteerism, nonprofit board service, and incubating emerging organizations advancing a more just and equitable future. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Future Standard 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 Future Standard Foundation's EIN?
Future Standard Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4111956. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Future Standard Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/future-standard-foundation-morg_b11ef5bd84eb4c1795ef0c3ece8ef6a7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_464111956_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Future Standard Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/future-standard-foundation-morg_b11ef5bd84eb4c1795ef0c3ece8ef6a7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Future Standard 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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