Golden Rule Foundation
Golden Rule Foundation is a private non-operating foundation based in Rockport, Maine. Established in September 1982, it operates as an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to grantmaking across the United States.
Key facts about Golden Rule Foundation
- EIN
- 59-9207701
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $157,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- Average grant
- $5,815
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Primary geography
- New York (22% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Golden Rule Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Golden Rule Foundation's 27 itemized 2025 grants were New York (22%), Virginia (21%) and Maine (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Richmond, VA (2 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (2 grants). 11% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
How Golden Rule Foundation gives
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Golden Rule Foundation
- How to evaluate Golden Rule Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Golden Rule Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$157K
-1.9% YoY
Grant Count
27
+8.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-9.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's governing principle is the American ideal of self-help. The organization maintains diversified giving across multiple program areas, including education and four other focus areas.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$500 to $180,000
Review Cycle
January 22, 2026
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Golden Rule Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Funding is geographically diversified across 11 states plus the District of Columbia. Within Maine, grants concentrate in Bucksport (21%), Searsport (16%), and Hope (16%), with 25% of total giving directed to Maine organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 27 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (October 2025):
- Total Revenue: $550,578
- Total Expenses: $236,290
- Net Income: $314,288
- Total Assets: $2,706,088
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Net Assets: $2,706,088
Revenue Composition (FY 2025):
- Sales of Assets: $473,031 (85.9%)
- Dividends: $76,711 (13.9%)
- Interest Revenue: $12 (0.0%)
- Other Income: $824 (0.1%)
- Contributions Received: $0
Expense Breakdown (FY 2025):
- Charitable Disbursements: $169,661 (71.8%)
- Compensation of Officers: $28,500 (12.1%)
Historical Asset Trend: Assets have declined from $3,658,485 (October 2013) to $2,706,088 (October 2025), representing a long-term downward trajectory. Recent five-year funding shows a 13% decline, suggesting a more competitive application environment.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Studio Two Three ($18,000), Northeast Historic Film ($15,000), Arcadia University ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Two Three Richmond, VA | Administrative support for programming and general administrative support. | $18,000 |
| Northeast Historic Film Bucksport, ME | Funding for operations and Here All The Time | $15,000 |
| Arcadia University Glendale, PA | Funding for the creation of art by David Guinn | $15,000 |
| Hooves for Harmony Inc Rohnert Park, CA | Our program is expanding to include more than just children with disabilitiesand foster children. We have joined forces with other nonprofits to reach someof the most vulnerable children in our community: those who live in poverty.We are working with Novato Spirit, Gilead House (homeless shelter), andMarin Community Clinic. | $11,000 |
| Friends of Urban Inc Bronx, NY | This grant will allow our school to enhance our performing arts, acting andchorus programming. We will use this funding to hire a musical director, actingteacher and choreographer to coach our students. We will also allocate moneyfor our set design crew. Our goal is to provide students with acting classes andsinging lessons and to perform a school musical and talent show. | $10,000 |
| The Visual Arts Center of Richmond Richmond, VA | This grant request is to support the continued success and expansion ofCommunity Partnerships Programs (CPPs) at VisArts. This includes: MakeSpace, Art After School (AAS), Adult Partnerships (Studio S and Veterans)and Engage, our gallery education program.CPPs deliver artseducation and studio arts experiences to 2,500 youth and over 500 adultcommunity-members who are in need. | $10,000 |
| US PIRG Education Fund Denver, CO | Funding to support the PennPIRG Education Fund | $10,000 |
| Fire Museum Presents Philadelphia, PA | General operations and venue rental spaces. | $9,000 |
| Belfast Area Child Care Services Belfast, ME | We want to continue our music and movement program for the children atBelfast Area Children's Center and Starrett Children's Center. We will bring ina musician each week as well as a yoga instructor to teach children aboutmusic and movement. The benefits of both Yoga and music for children arewell documented as far as being beneficial in reducing stress and advancingbrain development. | $8,000 |
| ISSUE Project Room Brooklyn, NY | Funding for the development of audiences and artistic activity | $7,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board members include:
- Sian Evans (Chairman) — $6,000 compensation
- Gareth Evans (Trustee)
The Foundation reports seven officers and board members.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sian Evans | Chairman | 4 | $6,000 |
| Gareth Evans | Trustee | 1 | $6,000 |
| Tegan Evans-Stephen | Trustee | 1 | $6,000 |
| Trevor Evans | Treasurer | 1 | $6,000 |
| Aidan Stephen | Secretary | — | $1,500 |
| Axelle Evans | Trustee | — | $1,500 |
| Lucie Evans | Trustee | — | $1,500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Golden Rule Foundation fund?
The Foundation's governing principle is the American ideal of self-help. The organization maintains diversified giving across multiple program areas, including education and four other focus areas.
How do I apply for a grant from Golden Rule Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Golden Rule Foundation make grants?
Funding is geographically diversified across 11 states plus the District of Columbia. Within Maine, grants concentrate in Bucksport (21%), Searsport (16%), and Hope (16%), with 25% of total giving directed to Maine organizations.
What size grants does Golden Rule Foundation award?
In 2025, Golden Rule Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $157K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Golden Rule Foundation's EIN?
Golden Rule Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-9207701. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Golden Rule Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.