Philip Stephenson Foundation
The Philip Stephenson Foundation is a private foundation based in Alexandria, Virginia. Founded in 2005, it funds marine exploration, protection, and security, with a primary focus on U.S. and Caribbean coastal regions.
Philip Stephenson Foundation at a glance
In short: Philip Stephenson Foundation gave $605K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $36K), top state District of Columbia. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $604,525
- +9.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +6.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $35,560
- +2.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $7,956,700
- +12.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Philip Stephenson Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 201 North Union Street Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 836-0000
Website: https://philipstephensonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Philip Stephenson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was National Geographic Society ($200K). Together the top 10 received $575K.
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 85 (72%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says its primary geographic focus is U.S. and Caribbean coastal regions. In 2024, its largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (36%), Connecticut (17%), Maryland (15%), New York (12%), and California (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Philip Stephenson Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $17K repeat.
- 65% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 188% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $554K (2023) to $998K (2020). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $605K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Geographic Society Washington, DC | National Geographic Pristine Seas Program | $200,000 |
| Ocean Exploration Trust New London, CT | Ocean Exploration | $100,000 |
| The Leatherback Project Norfolk, MD | General Support | $77,000 |
| The Explorers Club New York, NY | General Support | $75,025 |
| The Oo Project Inc Los Altos, CA | Conservation and Science | $50,000 |
| SSSAS Saints Fund Alexandria, VA | General Support | $25,000 |
| The Langley School McLean, VA | Education | $16,500 |
| The Ocean Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $11,000 |
| Legacy Philanthropy Works Santa Barbara, CA | Catch Together General Operations | $10,000 |
| National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Silver Spring, MD | Preserve, Protect and Promote America's Underwater Treasures | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7,956,700 | $1,317,409 | $784,182 | $604,525 | 17 | $751,164 | $1,205,182 | $400,155 |
| 2023 | $7,103,414 | $1,005,344 | $746,788 | $554,100 | 16 | $713,606 | $572,893 | $359,999 |
| 2022 | $6,844,858 | $309,674 | $846,284 | $672,200 | 19 | $805,850 | $269,240 | $402,206 |
| 2021 | $7,381,468 | $362,899 | $738,571 | $571,386 | 16 | $689,548 | $327,791 | $454,262 |
| 2020 | $7,757,140 | $660,605 | $1,137,882 | $998,457 | 17 | — | $634,201 | $406,209 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Philip Stephenson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $400K for 2024 — 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 describes itself as dedicated to ocean exploration, protection, and security. Its funding criteria focus on marine exploration, protection, and education, and favor projects with measurable results that can be replicated elsewhere or at a larger scale. It prefers institutional partners with 501(c)(3) status, established track records, defined terms, and measurable outcomes.
The Foundation’s grantees include organizations working in exploration, conservation, and education. For example, National Geographic Society describes its mission as using science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the world; The Explorers Club says it champions exploration and scientific understanding; and The Langley School describes its work as inquiry-based and social-emotional learning for children from preschool through grade eight. The Ocean Foundation says its mission is to improve global ocean health, climate resilience, and the blue economy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 17 grants totaling $604,525. Grants ranged from $400 to $200,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Its largest grants included $200,000 to the National Geographic Society for the National Geographic Pristine Seas Program, $100,000 to Ocean Exploration Trust for ocean exploration, $77,000 to The Leatherback Project for general support, and $75,025 to The Explorers Club for general support.
Other 2024 grants included $50,000 to The OO Project for conservation and science, $25,000 to SSSAS Saints Fund for general support, and $16,500 to The Langley School for education. The Foundation’s website also lists past and current grantees such as the Nature Conservancy, Ocean Futures Society, Mission Blue, Ocean Conservancy, and the Outlaw Ocean Project.
The Foundation sponsors The Explorers Club Stephenson Explorers Advancement (SEA) Program, a multi-year project implemented by The Explorers Club. It offers competitive grants to young explorers conducting marine exploration and conservation fieldwork. The program’s annual cycle has a November 15 application deadline, with selections announced in April or May; past and current projects have included coral restoration, eDNA surveys, shark monitoring, turtle protection, and research on radiation in fish.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Philip Stephenson, Charles Stephenson, John P. Dedon, Colin Hart, and Kevin Buehler as trustees. The Foundation’s website identifies Philip Stephenson as Board chair and Eugen Babau as full-time Executive Director; the 2024 filing also lists Babau as Executive Director.
Philip Stephenson Foundation is led by Eugen Babau, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eugen Babau
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$104K (2020) → $115K (2024)
Charles Stephenson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colin Hart
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John P. Dedon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Buehler
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Philip Stephenson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $115K, to Eugen Babau (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Philip Stephenson Foundation
How much does Philip Stephenson Foundation give each year?
Philip Stephenson Foundation gave $605K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $554K across 16 grants.
What is Philip Stephenson Foundation's typical grant size?
Philip Stephenson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $35,560, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Philip Stephenson Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Philip Stephenson Foundation give grants?
Philip Stephenson Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (17%) and Maryland (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants) and Alexandria, VA (3 grants).
Does Philip Stephenson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 71% of Philip Stephenson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Philip Stephenson Foundation's largest grantees?
Philip Stephenson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include National Geographic Society ($200,000), Ocean Exploration Trust ($100,000) and The Leatherback Project ($77,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Philip Stephenson Foundation?
Philip Stephenson Foundation reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $751K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $400K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Philip Stephenson Foundation fund?
The Foundation describes itself as dedicated to ocean exploration, protection, and security. Its funding criteria focus on marine exploration, protection, and education, and favor projects with measurable results that can be replicated elsewhere or at a larger scale. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Philip Stephenson 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 Philip Stephenson Foundation's EIN?
Philip Stephenson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6669190. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Philip Stephenson 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Philip Stephenson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/philip-stephenson-foundation-morg_804844fe24d942d29992526a1fe1b546
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_546669190_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Philip Stephenson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/philip-stephenson-foundation-morg_804844fe24d942d29992526a1fe1b546},
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 Philip Stephenson 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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