Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster

HAMPTON, CT EIN: 81-0630150

The Lester E Foster and Phyllis M Foster Foundation is a private foundation based in Hampton, Connecticut. The foundation makes grants to organizations across Connecticut, with a focus on education, human services, and philanthropic support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$232K

-20.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$83K

-51.9% YoY

Grant Count

+27.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

-62.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster reported a distributable amount of $11K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation awarded a grant of $59,650 to the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz in 2023 for general financial assistance.

Grant Range

$250–$332,250

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Connecticut.

Grant Distribution by State

Connecticut $2.7M (94%)

Illinois $58K (2%)

VI $52K (2%)

Kansas $50K (2%)

States

Connecticut Illinois Kansas Vi

Cities

CoventryDekalbFairfieldHamptonHartfordKingshillManchesterMansfieldMansfield CenterMysticNorth WindhamOld LymeOld SaybrookProspectSalinaScotlandSimsburySouth WindhamStorrsUncasville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2023):

Total Assets: $292,355
Total Giving: $172,650

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$231,787	$292,355	$449,539
Revenue	$20,370	$-6,038	$347,264
Expenses	$83,835	$177,850	$2,082,328
Qualifying Distributions	$83,035	$172,650	$2,074,231
Net Investment Income	$15,741	$12,538	$316,357
Distributable Amount	$11,417	$15,217	$71,169

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 2024

Grant Size Distribution

82 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Covenant Soup Kitchen ($33,735), Waim ($20,000), Big Brothers Big Sisters ($5,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
COVENANT SOUP KITCHEN WILLIMANTIC, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$33,735
WINDHAM HOSPITAL FOUNDATION WILLIMANTIC, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$2,500
HAMPTON FIRE COMPANY HAMPTON, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$500
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL WILLIMANTIC, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$1,000
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS HARTFORD, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$5,000
WINDHAM HOSPITAL GOLF CLASSIC WILLIMANTIC, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$3,000
CT AUDUBON SOCIETY FAIRFIELD, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$3,500
FLETCHER MEMORIAL LIBRARY HAMPTON, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$800
HORIZONS INC SOUTH WINDHAM, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$3,500
SCOTLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT SCOTLAND, CT	GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE	$500

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
DAVID FOSTER	TRUSTEE	1	—
MARK FOSTER	TRUSTEE	—	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster fund?

The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster?

**Financial Capacity:** • Total assets: $292,355 • Total annual giving: $172,650 • Typical grant range: $250–$332,250 **Recent Activity:** The foundation awarded a grant of $59,650 to the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz in 2023 for general financial assistance.

Where does Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Connecticut.

What size grants does Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster award?

In 2024, Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster awarded 14 grants totaling $83K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster reported a distributable amount of $11K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster's EIN?

Lester E Foster & Phyllis M Foster's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0630150. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.