Helen Sperry Lea Foundation
Helen Sperry Lea Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Arts and culture, based in Venice, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. In 2025, it awarded 11 grants totaling $134K.
Key facts about Helen Sperry Lea Foundation
- EIN
- 13-6161749
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $133,509
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- Average grant
- $12,137
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 11, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (50% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Helen Sperry Lea Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Helen Sperry Lea Foundation's 11 itemized 2025 grants were Minnesota (50%), California (34%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Saint Paul, MN (4 grants) and Minneapolis, MN (3 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Helen Sperry Lea Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 11 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−7%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2025). 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 Helen Sperry Lea Foundation
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$134K
+18.1% YoY
Grant Count
11
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+18.1% YoY
About Helen Sperry Lea Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Helen Sperry Lea Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Arts and culture, based in Venice, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. In 2025, it awarded 11 grants totaling $134K.
Focus Areas
Ready to take the next step with Helen Sperry Lea Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 11 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 2019–2025
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
61 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include The Wooden Floor ($30,000), Second Harvest Heartland ($20,000), Project for Pride in Living ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE WOODEN FLOOR Santa Ana, CA | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| PROJECT FOR PRIDE IN LIVING Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE WEST Santa Barbara, CA | GENERAL | $15,000 |
| BRAVER ANGELS-INST FOR AM VALUES New York, NY | GENERAL | $11,755 |
| MASS AUDUBON Lincoln, MA | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| INTERACT CTR FOR VIS PERM ARTS Saint Paul, MN | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| HALLIE Q BROWN COMM CENTER Saint Paul, MN | GENERAL | $9,754 |
| URBAN BOAT BUILDERS Saint Paul, MN | GENERAL | $4,000 |
| FRIEND OF THE MS RIVER Saint Paul, MN | GENERAL | $2,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| R Brooke Lea II | President | 1 | — |
| Emily Fields | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Helena Lea-Bastille | Vice President | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Helen Sperry Lea Foundation?
Helen Sperry Lea Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Arts and culture, based in Venice, CA. It holds — in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Helen Sperry Lea Foundation operate?
Helen Sperry Lea Foundation has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York.
What size grants does Helen Sperry Lea Foundation award?
In 2025, Helen Sperry Lea Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $134K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Helen Sperry Lea Foundation's EIN?
Helen Sperry Lea Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6161749. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.