Philo & Sarah Blaisdell Foundation
The Philo & Sarah Blaisdell Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1950 and based in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The foundation operates as a non-operating private trust focused on philanthropic grantmaking to support youth, child welfare, education, and community services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.4M
+5.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$554K
+17.3% YoY
Grant Count
118
-9.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+30.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation emphasizes support for:
- Youth and child welfare agencies
- Schools and educational institutions
- University scholarship funds
- Support for indigent individuals
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
Grantmaking
The foundation supports a university scholarship fund with specific scholarship opportunities available through the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Scholarships are needs-based with awards ranging from $100 to $300, with approximately 19 awards available annually.
Grant Range
$1,000
Average Grant
award: $5,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in:
- Primary focus: McKean County and Bradford, Pennsylvania
- Secondary focus: Pennsylvania, New York, and Tennessee account for 98% of all grants
- Broader reach: Grantmaking extends across 6 states
- Scholarship eligibility: Limited to residents of McKean County, Pennsylvania
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income:
- Total assets: $9,820,277 (as of 2023)
- Total assets have grown from $3.5 million in 2011 to $9.8 million in 2023
- Annual income: $3.4 million
- Total annual giving: $467,352 to $472,632
Tax Status:
- EIN: 25-6035748
- IRS ruling year: 1952
- Tax-exempt status: February 1952
- Contributions are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,385,496 | $9,820,277 | $9,856,815 |
| Revenue | $1,349,477 | $659,112 | $931,673 |
| Expenses | $793,820 | $697,476 | $789,848 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $653,627 | $577,375 | $657,329 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,216,917 | $525,601 | $802,671 |
| Distributable Amount | $608,497 | $568,405 | $572,447 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Principal Officer: Ronald Orris
- Executive Secretary: Howard Fesenmyer
- Governance: The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD E MCDOWELL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GRANT B DUKE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GEORGE B DUKE | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| HARRIETT B WICK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARK A PAUP | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RONALD L ORRIS | EXECUTIVE DI | 15 | $61,678 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been recognized for its community impact, including receiving recognition from the Bradford Community Performing Arts Center. The foundation has also created vocational scholarship opportunities to expand educational support beyond traditional university scholarships.
Blaisdell Foundation creates vocational scholarship - The Bradford EraThe foundation continues to support organizations across Pennsylvania, with particular emphasis on local Bradford and McKean County institutions serving youth, families, and vulnerable populations.
Blaisdell Foundation creates vocational scholarship - The Bradford EraContact Information
Address: 2 Main Street, Suite 410 Bradford, PA 16701-2038
Phone: (814) 362-6340
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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