Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Rapid City, South Dakota. Its 2024 filing reports 31 grants totaling $434,360, all to recipients in South Dakota. The filing says applicants must be from the Rapid City area.
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc gave $434K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in South Dakota. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $434,360
- +7.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +10.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,012
- -3.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $3,665,734
- -4.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (5 of 31, 2024)
- Primary geography
- South Dakota (100% 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 Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
Contact James Clement and complete the information request application provided by the foundation. The filing says the application should describe the organization and the purpose of the grant, with a specific, detailed explanation. Applicants must be from the Rapid City area.
- Review Cycle
- The filing states that there is no predetermined deadline.
- Deadline
- The filing states that there is no predetermined deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: James Clement
Mailing address: 243 Founders Park Drive, Rapid City, SD 57702
Phone: (605) 737-5923
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Adult Day Center of the Black Hills ($25K). Together the top 10 received $204K.
Grant Size Distribution
141 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 141 grants of 141 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in South Dakota. The filing states that applicants must be from the Rapid City area.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 31 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 84% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 142% of 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 $345K (2020) to $434K (2024). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $434K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Day Center of the Black Hills Rapid City, SD | Providing Daytime Care for Aging | $25,000 |
| Feeding South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD | To Eliminate Hunger in South Dakota | $25,000 |
| Journey on Inc Lead, SD | General Funding | $20,000 |
| Lifeways Inc Rapid City, SD | Prevention Classes for at-Risk Youth | $20,000 |
| Rapid City Urban Rapid City, SD | Support Public Parks in Rapid City | $20,000 |
| Rural America Initiatives Rapid City, SD | Provide Culturally Based Mentoring | $20,000 |
| Seventh Circuit CASA Program Rapid City, SD | Court Advocates for Abused Children | $20,000 |
| Starting Strong Rapid City, SD | Scholarship Funding for Early Educ | $20,000 |
| Kiwanis Rapid City, SD | Community Services | $18,500 |
| Alliance for Substance Abuse Preven Rapid City, SD | Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc?
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 | $3,665,734 | $292,793 | $471,634 | $434,360 | 31 | $434,380 | $253,975 | $305,958 |
| 2023 | $3,850,040 | $116,069 | $439,506 | $404,500 | 28 | $404,510 | $101,381 | $290,820 |
| 2022 | $4,185,887 | $233,745 | $413,881 | $374,500 | 26 | $374,510 | $183,668 | $303,525 |
| 2021 | $4,378,440 | $401,492 | $458,970 | $418,634 | 29 | $418,644 | $350,378 | $327,262 |
| 2020 | $4,451,731 | $311,312 | $384,765 | $344,850 | 27 | — | $264,206 | $268,295 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $306K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as human services, youth prevention and mentorship, hunger relief, and community services.
Examples illustrate the work of some grantees, as described by the organizations themselves. The Adult Day Center of the Black Hills says it helps aging and disabled people remain at home by providing daytime respite care for families and caregivers. Journey On says it provides street outreach, suicide loss support, and youth mentorship. Rural America Initiatives describes its work as culturally sensitive services, child development, parent support, and mentoring for American Indian children and families in and around western South Dakota.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 31 grants totaling $434,360. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with a median of $15,000. Among the largest awards were $25,000 to Adult Day Center of the Black Hills for daytime care for aging people and $25,000 to Feeding South Dakota to help eliminate hunger in South Dakota. The foundation also awarded $20,000 each to Journey On, Lifeways Inc, Rapid City Urban, Rural America Initiatives, Seventh Circuit CASA Program, and Starting Strong.
Other 2024 recipients included Passages Women’s Transitional Living Inc ($15,000), Dakota Wesleyan University ($15,000), OneHeart ($12,000), and Cornerstone Rescue Mission ($11,860). The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Malcom Chapman as president, Kathy Miller as vice president, Megan Reder-Schopp as secretary, and Dave True as treasurer. It lists Judge Janine Kern, Larry Dahlstrom, Judy Olson Duhamel, Dr William Howard, and Brendyn Medina as directors.
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc is led by Malcom Chapman, President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Malcom Chapman
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judge Janine Kern
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judy Olson Duhamel
Director
Vice President → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Dahlstrom
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Howard
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brendyn Medina
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dave True
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Miller
Vice President
President → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Megan Reder-Schopp
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Robert Cook (2020) — Director
- Former: Terry Whiting (2020) — Secretary
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 Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc
How much does Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc give each year?
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc gave $434K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $405K across 28 grants.
What is Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $14,012, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc give grants?
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc gives mostly in South Dakota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rapid City, SD (26 grants) and Sioux Falls, SD (2 grants).
Does Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 19% of Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Adult Day Center of the Black Hills ($25,000), Feeding South Dakota ($25,000) and Journey on Inc ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc?
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc reported $3.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $434K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $306K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided in the available information. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as human services, youth prevention and mentorship, hunger relief, and community services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc?
Contact James Clement and complete the information request application provided by the foundation. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's EIN?
Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1737658. 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). Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gwendolyn-l-stearns-foundation-inc-morg_fdf89a622f1146dfa289c73b5ef6a29d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311737658_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gwendolyn-l-stearns-foundation-inc-morg_fdf89a622f1146dfa289c73b5ef6a29d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Gwendolyn L Stearns Foundation Inc'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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