Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn is a private foundation, based in Saint Louis, MO. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $105K. Net investment income was $102K.
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn at a glance
In short: Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn gave $105K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $104,500
- +24.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,900
- -0.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,400
- Total assets
- $1,576,918
- +0.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Elizabeth City Foundation Committee ($52K). Together the top 5 received $105K.
Grant Size Distribution
21 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 21 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
Cities
How Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $84K (2024) to $105K (2025). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $105K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth City Foundation Committee Camden, NC | General Operating | $51,700 |
| The Salvation Army a Georgia Corp Alexandria, VA | General Operating | $34,000 |
| Musuem of the Albemarle Elizabeth City, NC | General Operating | $9,400 |
| East Albemarle Regional Library SYS Elizabeth City, NC | General Operating | $4,700 |
| Pasquotank County Elizabeth Cty, NC | General Operating | $4,700 |
Ready to take the next step with Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn?
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 | $1,576,918 | $132,089 | $139,829 | $104,500 | 5 | $108,644 | $102,114 | $112,826 |
| 2024 | $1,573,462 | $118,577 | $116,504 | $84,000 | 4 | $87,828 | $91,468 | $97,651 |
| 2023 | $1,571,616 | $106,169 | $120,999 | $92,000 | 4 | $95,650 | $80,424 | $90,265 |
| 2022 | $1,586,974 | $38,874 | $130,089 | $100,000 | 4 | $103,711 | $32,450 | $95,549 |
| 2021 | $1,677,853 | $106,932 | $116,974 | $85,000 | 4 | $88,902 | $79,864 | $105,925 |
| 2020 | $1,688,002 | $80,246 | $113,216 | $85,000 | 4 | — | $55,874 | $89,758 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn reported a distributable amount of $113K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's only listed officer is Wells Fargo Bank N A, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Wells Fargo Bank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$25K (2020) → $30K (2025)
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 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $30K, to Wells Fargo Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn
How much does Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn give each year?
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn gave $105K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $84K across 4 grants.
What is Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's typical grant size?
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's median grant in 2025 was $9,400, and its average grant was $20,900, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn give grants?
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn gives mostly in North Carolina: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Elizabeth City, NC (2 grants).
Does Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 5) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's largest grantees?
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's largest 2025 grantees include Elizabeth City Foundation Committee ($51,700), The Salvation Army a Georgia Corp ($34,000) and Musuem of the Albemarle ($9,400), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 91% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn?
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $109K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $113K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What is Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's EIN?
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-1816598. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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 May 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Missouri
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
Maud E Wilson Trust U W
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$2.6M
Grants
1
Total Given
$140K
Carl I Wilson Trust U I
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$2.6M
Grants
1
Total Given
$139K
Woods W Alan Charitable Trust
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$1.2M
Grants
4
Total Given
$67K
A D Shackelford Tuw
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$771K
Grants
7
Total Given
$40K
Gannett Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Gannett Foundation’s 2025 grants supported a range of organizations, with listed awards generally between $1,500 and $2,500, though the available figures do not establish a typical grant size or geographic focus. The foundation has wound down: its 2026 filing reports no grants or assets, and no current application process or acceptance of unsolicited requests is stated.
Assets
—
Grants
32
Total Given
$65K
More similar funders
More Funders in Missouri
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn'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.
Phil & Isabella Sawyer Charitable Fdn down — hundreds of funders to go?