Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation
The Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation is a private foundation located in New York, NY. It supports preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation at a glance
In short: Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation gave $114K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), top state California. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $113,500
- +9.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -52.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,350
- +129.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $804,045
- +122.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (48% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 920 Fifth Avenue 9A, New York, NY 10021
Phone: (212) 230-9841
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation ($55K). Together the top 10 received $114K.
Grant Size Distribution
94 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 94 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in California (48%), New York (26%), Connecticut (13%), New Jersey (9%), and Colorado (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 525% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $80K (2023) to $191K (2019). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $114K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Pleasanton, CA | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $55,000 |
| Choate Rosemary Hall Wallingford, CT | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $10,000 |
| New York Cares New York, NY | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $10,000 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $10,000 |
| St Basil Greek Orthodox Church Troy, NY | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $10,000 |
| The Metropolitan Opera New York, NY | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $10,000 |
| Indian Mountain School Lakeville, CT | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $5,000 |
| Music in the Mountains Durango, CO | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $1,500 |
| Pagosa Springs Medical Center Foundation Pagosa Springs, CO | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $1,000 |
| Pagosa Springs Rotary Pagosa Springs, CO | General Fund - for Annual Expenses | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Jackson & Evelyn Spears 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $804,045 | $560,807 | $117,466 | $113,500 | 10 | $113,500 | $60,933 | $21,636 |
| 2024 | $360,704 | $100,931 | $108,084 | $103,710 | 21 | $103,710 | $49,657 | $22,374 |
| 2023 | $367,857 | $5,596 | $83,000 | $79,510 | 16 | $79,510 | $4,406 | $21,380 |
| 2022 | $445,261 | $-2,218 | $151,317 | $146,010 | 21 | $146,010 | $5,431 | $26,267 |
| 2021 | $598,796 | $9,285 | $121,886 | $118,500 | 26 | $118,500 | $8,699 | $34,365 |
| 2020 | $711,397 | $-57,264 | $141,448 | $139,250 | 27 | — | $7,816 | $39,965 |
| 2019 | $910,109 | $31,054 | $202,733 | $191,260 | 27 | — | $31,054 | $49,491 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation reported a distributable amount of $22K for 2025 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. New York Cares says it meets pressing community needs by mobilizing New Yorkers in volunteer service. Indian Mountain School says it provides education to pre-K through ninth-grade day and boarding school students. Music in the Mountains says it produces a summer music festival, presents classical music, and provides year-round youth education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 10 grants totaling $113,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $55,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest grants included $55,000 to The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation; $10,000 each to Choate Rosemary Hall, New York Cares, Princeton University, St Basil Greek Orthodox Church, and The Metropolitan Opera; and $5,000 to Indian Mountain School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William G Spears as treasurer; Brian Spears as secretary; Maria Spears, Dorothy Spears, and Sabina Breece as vice-presidents; and Wendy Connors as president.
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation is led by Wendy Connors, President since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wendy Connors
President
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Spears
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Spears
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Spears
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sabina Breece
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William G. Spears
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: William G. Spears Jr. (2019–2023) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation
How much does Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation give each year?
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation gave $114K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $104K across 21 grants.
What is Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's typical grant size?
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,350, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation give grants?
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's top state is California, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (26%) and Connecticut (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants) and Pagosa Springs, CO (2 grants).
Does Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's largest grantees?
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation ($55,000), Choate Rosemary Hall ($10,000) and New York Cares ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation?
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation reported $804K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $114K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $22K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. New York Cares says it meets pressing community needs by mobilizing New Yorkers in volunteer service. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's EIN?
Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6085261. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jackson & Evelyn Spears Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jackson-and-evelyn-spears-foundation-morg_60a00ee355bc4bd3a0d60f88d50c74d6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136085261_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jackson \& Evelyn Spears Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jackson-and-evelyn-spears-foundation-morg_60a00ee355bc4bd3a0d60f88d50c74d6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Jackson & Evelyn Spears 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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