John & Polly Sparks Foundation
The JOHN & POLLY SPARKS FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Pennington, New Jersey. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including healthcare, education, housing, homelessness services, foster care, and mental health.
Key facts about John & Polly Sparks Foundation
In short: John & Polly Sparks Foundation gave $3.1M across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $49K), mostly in Georgia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 27-2992779
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,138,302
- Grants made (2025)
- 64
- Average grant
- $49,036
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $74,903,069
- Primary geography
- Georgia (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. 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.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$74.9M
+5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
-3.7% YoY
Grant Count
64
-4.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$49K
+0.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John & Polly Sparks Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How John & Polly Sparks Foundation gives
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 mission statement for the foundation is available in the provided information. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta says its mission is “to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow.” Christian City describes its work as providing housing, healthcare, crisis intervention, and community-building for children, youth, families, and seniors. Step Up on Second Street says it supports people experiencing serious mental health issues and chronic homelessness through services including supportive housing and recovery services.
Other 2024 grantees describe work in education and medical research (Emory University), PTSD treatment for veterans and their families (The Headstrong Project), and support for foster families (Families 4 Families). Gateway Center says it works to end homelessness, particularly chronic homelessness, in metro Atlanta.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 67 grants totaling $3,258,029. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $500,000, with a median of $22,000. The grants listed were designated for general operating support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Georgia recipients received 83% of grant dollars. Recipients in New York and Washington, DC, each received 5%; Florida and California each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 64 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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
134 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CHILDRENS' HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA Brookhaven, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $500,000 |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY Atlanta, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $387,302 |
| CHRISTIAN CITY INC Union City, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $300,000 |
| GRADY HEALTH FOUNDATION Atlanta, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $250,000 |
| NARSAD BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FDN New York, NY | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $225,000 |
| THE MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Atlanta, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $200,000 |
| FAMILIES 4 FAMILIES Loganville, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $85,000 |
| AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION Washington, DC | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $75,000 |
| THE COMMUNITY FDN FOR GREATER ATLANTA Atlanta, GA | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $60,000 |
| FIFTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH New York, NY | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $70,869,717 | $8,199,428 | $4,001,252 | $3,258,029 | 67 |
| 2023 | $66,720,746 | $3,578,217 | $4,321,392 | $3,725,325 | 1 |
| 2022 | $67,644,511 | $8,189,018 | $4,256,661 | $3,440,000 | 1 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $74,903,069 | $70,869,717 | $66,720,746 |
| Revenue | $7,936,275 | $8,199,428 | $3,578,217 |
| Expenses | $3,885,052 | $4,001,252 | $4,321,392 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,476,417 | $3,653,662 | $4,087,195 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,525,274 | $7,896,898 | $3,183,026 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,583,573 | $3,837,679 | $3,823,099 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 11, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bank of America N.A. as trustee. Advisory members listed are Richard W. Hallock, Kim Barronton Thornton, Kathy Barronton Hall, Valerie Shuping, and Brock Richard Peyer.
John & Polly Sparks Foundation's 2025 filing lists 9 officers; all 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bank Of America N A
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$404K (2019) → $445K (2025)
Brock Richard Peyer
Advisory Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$7K (2019) → $15K (2025)
Kim Barronton Thornton
Advisory Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$7K (2019) → $15K (2025)
Richard W. Hallock
Advisory Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$7K (2019) → $15K (2025)
Kathy Barronton Hall
Advisory Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$15K (2024) → $15K (2025)
Brian Tyler Thornton
Advisroy
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$10K (2025)
Deanna Peyer
Advisory Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$10K (2025)
Lisa Ann Hallock
Advisory Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$10K (2025)
Palmer Peyer
Advisory Memeber
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$10K (2025)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Valerie Shuping (2024) — Advisory Member
- Former: Kathy Barronton Thornton (2019–2023) — Advisory Member
- Former: S. Andrew Shuping (2019–2023) — Advisory Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1532, Pennington, NJ 08534
Phone: (609) 274-6834
Frequently asked questions about John & Polly Sparks Foundation
How much does John & Polly Sparks Foundation give each year?
John & Polly Sparks Foundation gave $3.1M across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.3M across 67 grants.
What is John & Polly Sparks Foundation's typical grant size?
John & Polly Sparks Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $49,036, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does John & Polly Sparks Foundation give grants?
John & Polly Sparks Foundation gives mostly in Georgia: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (28 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Decatur, GA (3 grants) and Brookhaven, GA (2 grants).
Does John & Polly Sparks Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of John & Polly Sparks Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (64 of 64) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are John & Polly Sparks Foundation's largest grantees?
John & Polly Sparks Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Childrens' Healthcare of Atlanta ($500,000), Emory University ($387,302) and Christian City Inc ($300,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John & Polly Sparks Foundation?
John & Polly Sparks Foundation reported $74.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does John & Polly Sparks Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is available in the provided information. Its grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta says its mission is “to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow.” Christian City describes its work as providing housing, healthcare, crisis intervention, and community-building for children, youth, families, and seniors. Step Up on Second Street says it supports people experiencing serious mental he…
How do I apply for a grant from John & Polly Sparks Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John & Polly Sparks Foundation's EIN?
John & Polly Sparks Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2992779. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does John & Polly Sparks Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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