Lydia B Stokes Foundation
The Lydia B Stokes Foundation is a private foundation based in South Burlington, Vermont. Its grantmaking supports work connected to ecological health, community, and a transition toward what the foundation describes as an “Age of Soil” and a “Sufficiency economy.”
Lydia B Stokes Foundation at a glance
In short: Lydia B Stokes Foundation gave $1.4M across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $71K), top state New Mexico. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,415,691
- +20.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- -20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $70,785
- +50.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $2,264,343
- -37.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (32% 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 Lydia B Stokes Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and makes inquiries to organizations it may wish to fund.
- Review Cycle
- Trustees review applications in May and November. The foundation says applicants will be advised in advance of the exact proposal deadline.
- Deadline
- Trustees review applications in May and November.
- Contact
Mailing address: 118 Tilley Drive Suite 202, South Burlington, VT 05403
Phone: (802) 324-9270
Website: https://lydiabstokesfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lydia B Stokes Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Western Landowners Alliance ($370K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 128 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies New Mexico, New England, and Florida as its grantmaking emphasis, while noting that its funding is not limited to those regions. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New Mexico (32%), Virginia (24%), Florida (20%), Massachusetts (15%), and California (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lydia B Stokes Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 20 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $73K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 160% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 913% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $327K (2021) to $1.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Western Landowners Alliance Santa Fe, NM | General Operations and Capacity Building | $370,000 |
| Health Care Without Harm Reston, VA | Northeast Food Project | $333,333 |
| Forage Inc Gainesville, FL | General Support for Working Food | $138,000 |
| Franklin County CDC Greenfield, MA | PV Grows Investment Fund | $114,894 |
| Rebuilding Together North Central Florida Gainesville, FL | Community Weatherization Coalition | $73,780 |
| Fibershed San Geronimo, CA | General Support | $66,000 |
| Cisa South Deerfield, MA | General Support | $41,584 |
| New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association Santa Fe, NM | Statewide Food System | $40,000 |
| Chef Empowerment Gainesville, FL | Pilot Youth Internship Program | $27,000 |
| Grow Food Northampton Florence, MA | General Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Lydia B Stokes 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 | $2,264,343 | $119,098 | $1,464,504 | $1,415,691 | 20 | $1,428,750 | $86,639 | $156,539 |
| 2024 | $3,609,749 | $155,445 | $1,257,336 | $1,177,166 | 25 | $1,211,149 | $112,979 | $208,572 |
| 2023 | $4,711,640 | $211,678 | $691,662 | $597,248 | 26 | $617,386 | $150,123 | $234,262 |
| 2022 | $5,191,624 | $1,224,435 | $632,652 | $545,100 | 28 | $561,081 | $700,979 | $259,485 |
| 2021 | $4,950,831 | $252,090 | $404,712 | $327,377 | 29 | — | $196,388 | $246,732 |
| 2020 | $5,103,453 | $103,543 | $579,038 | $460,900 | 33 | — | $63,307 | $275,052 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lydia B Stokes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $157K 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
The foundation’s website describes a vision of societal change in which soil, economics, health, food, and culture are woven together in community. Its grant guidelines allow support for resources, specific projects, general operating costs, professional and staff development, service expansion, matching or challenge grants, and start-up costs for promising organizations or programs with sound management and goals relevant to its mission.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of work supported. Health Care Without Harm describes its mission as transforming health care worldwide to reduce its environmental footprint and advance environmental health and justice. Forage says it works to sustain a resilient local food community in North Central Florida. Fibershed describes its work as building a bioregional textile culture connected to ecological balance, local economies, and regional organic agriculture. The National Young Farmers Coalition says it works to equitably resource a new generation of working farmers. Grow Food Northampton describes its purpose as building a just and resilient local food system.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $1,415,691. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $370,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable awards included $370,000 to Western Landowners Alliance for general operations and capacity building; $333,333 to Health Care Without Harm for the Northeast Food Project; $138,000 to Forage Inc. for general support for Working Food; and $114,894 to Franklin County CDC for the PV GROWS Investment Fund.
The foundation says it makes inquiries to organizations it may wish to fund. Grants are limited to organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; it does not make grants to individuals. Multiyear grants are considered. Trustees review and act on grant applications twice a year, in May and November, and distribute grants after approval and receipt of a grant agreement signed by an authorized organizational representative.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nancy V Deren, Thomas R Willits, and Thalia Venerable as co-trustees.
Lydia B Stokes Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nancy V. Deren
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
$9K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Thomas R. Willits
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$9K (2020) → $0 (2025)
Thalia Venerable
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $5K, to Nancy V Deren (Co-Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Lydia B Stokes Foundation
How much does Lydia B Stokes Foundation give each year?
Lydia B Stokes Foundation gave $1.4M across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 25 grants.
What is Lydia B Stokes Foundation's typical grant size?
Lydia B Stokes Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $70,785, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lydia B Stokes Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does Lydia B Stokes Foundation give grants?
Lydia B Stokes Foundation's top state is New Mexico, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (24%) and Florida (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Gainesville, FL (5 grants), Santa Fe, NM (4 grants) and Greenfield, MA (2 grants).
Does Lydia B Stokes Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 60% of Lydia B Stokes Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Lydia B Stokes Foundation's largest grantees?
Lydia B Stokes Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Western Landowners Alliance ($370,000), Health Care Without Harm ($333,333) and Forage Inc ($138,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lydia B Stokes Foundation?
Lydia B Stokes Foundation reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $157K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lydia B Stokes Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes a vision of societal change in which soil, economics, health, food, and culture are woven together in community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lydia B Stokes Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lydia B Stokes Foundation's EIN?
Lydia B Stokes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 21-6016107. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Lydia B Stokes 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lydia B Stokes Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lydia-b-stokes-foundation-morg_ee9c99b39d3c4aedaeebe9062fd3708b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_216016107_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lydia B Stokes Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lydia-b-stokes-foundation-morg_ee9c99b39d3c4aedaeebe9062fd3708b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Lydia B Stokes 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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