German Christmas Market of New Jersey
German Christmas Market of New Jersey is a private foundation based in Sparta, New Jersey. Its only direct charitable activity, as described on its 2025 filing, is conducting an annual German Christmas Market on the first weekend in December. The event features vendors selling crafts, clothing, and authentic German cuisine, as well as children’s activities including visits with Santa; it draws approximately 30,000 people over the weekend.
Key facts about German Christmas Market of New Jersey
In short: German Christmas Market of New Jersey gave $179K across 62 grants in 2026 (avg $3K), mostly in New Jersey. 18% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 82-1674581
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026
- Annual giving (2026)
- $179,318
- Grants made (2026)
- 62
- Average grant
- $2,892
- Median grant
- $2,625
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (11 of 61, 2026)
- Total assets
- $363,107
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (99% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The filing describes an electronic PDF application process and required materials for first-time applicants. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The filing listed November 14, 2025.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2026 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$363K
+26.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$179K
+12.7% YoY
Grant Count
62
+8.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
+3.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, German Christmas Market of New Jersey reported a distributable amount of $20K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is German Christmas Market of New Jersey open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 11 of 61 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 80% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 74% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 913% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No separate mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing identifies the annual market as its only direct charitable activity. Its grants support a range of community organizations and programs. For example, Samaritan Inn describes its mission as providing emergency food and temporary shelter to homeless families in Sussex County, along with counseling and family skill-building. SCARC says it provides services and supports to people with developmental disabilities and their families in Sussex County. Family Promise of Sussex County describes its mission as securing housing stability for people in crisis.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 62 grants totaling $179,318. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $5,500, with a median of $2,625. Recent large grants included $5,500 to Pope John Athletic Lions Club for athletics; $5,018 to Sussex County Technical School for its food pantry and after-school snack program; and $5,000 each to Domestic Abuse Services, Karen Ann Quinlan Memorial Foundation, Manna House, Samaritan Inn, Sojihuggles Children’s Foundation, Sparta Board of Education German Department, Sussex County Arts Heritage Council, SCARC, Family Promise of Sussex County, and Centenary University Baseball.
The foundation’s filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications were to be submitted electronically as PDFs. First-time applicants were instructed to include a board of directors list with affiliations, an IRS letter of determination, and a New Jersey certificate of incorporation. Funding is restricted to community-based organizations exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(a) that provide services to Northern New Jersey residents. Future applications are considered only after the applicant provides proof that a previously funded project or program is complete.
Review Cycle
The filing listed November 14, 2025. This deadline has passed.
How to Apply
The filing describes an electronic PDF application process and required materials for first-time applicants.
Ready to take the next step with German Christmas Market of New Jersey?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing states that its funding is for community-based organizations serving Northern New Jersey. In filing year 2026, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey and 1% to recipients in Iowa. Many listed grantees are based in Sussex County communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 62 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2020) to $179K (2026). In 2026 it made 62 grants totaling $179K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Pope John Athletic Lions Club ($6K). Together the top 10 received $51K.
Grant Size Distribution
224 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 224 grants of 224 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pope John Athletic Lions Club Sparta, NJ | Athletics | $5,500 |
| Sussex County Technical School Sparta, NJ | Food Pantry & After School Snack Program. | $5,018 |
| Domestic Abuse Services Inc Newton, NJ | Step by step transitional living.resident is provided a furnished apartment for 6-24 months. | $5,000 |
| Karen Ann Quinlan Memorial Foundati Newton, NJ | Healing hearts through arts creative therapy program for grieving children. | $5,000 |
| Manna House Inc Newton, NJ | Support for organization which provides a free daily meal to homeless, elderly, etc. | $5,000 |
| Samaritan Inn Inc Newton, NJ | Family shelter program - provide paid shelter nights for clients. | $5,000 |
| Sojihuggles Childrens Foundation Newton, NJ | Mental Health Initiative | $5,000 |
| Sparta Board of Ed German Dept Sparta, NJ | Scholarship Awards to German Language Students. | $5,000 |
| Sussex County Arts Heritage Council Newton, NJ | Continued growth and expansion of art education gallery programs for local community. | $5,000 |
| Scarc Inc Augusta, NJ | Summer experience - 8 week program, total of 40 participants. | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $363,107 | $662,673 | $587,289 | $179,318 |
| 2025 | $287,580 | $636,624 | $570,634 | $159,043 |
| 2024 | $220,250 | $467,842 | $429,548 | $122,020 |
| Metric | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $363,107 | $287,580 | $220,250 |
| Revenue | $662,673 | $636,624 | $467,842 |
| Expenses | $587,289 | $570,634 | $429,548 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $179,318 | $159,043 | $122,020 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,232 | $5,367 | $16 |
| Distributable Amount | $19,633 | $14,965 | $11,599 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2026 filing are Sabine Watson, president; Susan Foy, vice president; Dawnice LaFave, treasurer; and trustees Judy Beelaert, Daniel Sarnowski, Gina Muth, and Sandra Meyer.
German Christmas Market of New Jersey is led by Sabine Watson, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 7 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Sabine Watson
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy Beelaert
Trustee
President → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Sarnowski
Trustee
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Meyer
Trustee
On filings since 2024
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gina Muth
Trustee
On filings since 2025
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dawnice LaFave
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Foy
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Catherine Kut (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Karin Meyer (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Margaret Anderson (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Gudrun Rank (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Susan Parnell (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: German Christmas Market Of Nj Found
Mailing address: PO Box 113, Sparta, NJ 07871
Phone: (973) 219-5985
Website: https://germanchristmasmarketnj.com
Frequently asked questions about German Christmas Market of New Jersey
How much does German Christmas Market of New Jersey give each year?
German Christmas Market of New Jersey gave $179K across 62 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $159K across 57 grants.
What is German Christmas Market of New Jersey's typical grant size?
German Christmas Market of New Jersey's median grant in 2026 was $2,625, and its average grant was $2,892, across 62 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from German Christmas Market of New Jersey that year got $1K on average.
Where does German Christmas Market of New Jersey give grants?
German Christmas Market of New Jersey gives mostly in New Jersey: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Newton, NJ (20 grants), Sparta, NJ (15 grants), Augusta, NJ (5 grants) and Franklin, NJ (2 grants).
Does German Christmas Market of New Jersey give general operating support?
Occasionally: 5% of German Christmas Market of New Jersey's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 62) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are German Christmas Market of New Jersey's largest grantees?
German Christmas Market of New Jersey's largest 2026 grantees include Pope John Athletic Lions Club ($5,500), Sussex County Technical School ($5,018) and Domestic Abuse Services Inc ($5,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 9% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is German Christmas Market of New Jersey?
German Christmas Market of New Jersey reported $363K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $179K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does German Christmas Market of New Jersey fund?
No separate mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing identifies the annual market as its only direct charitable activity. Its grants support a range of community organizations and programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from German Christmas Market of New Jersey?
The filing describes an electronic PDF application process and required materials for first-time applicants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is German Christmas Market of New Jersey's EIN?
German Christmas Market of New Jersey's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-1674581. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching German Christmas Market of New Jersey by hand.
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