Robert and Adele Stern Foundation
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation is a private foundation, based in Arcadia, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2026. As of 2026, the organization holds $7.9M in total assets. In 2026, it awarded 12 grants totaling $357K. Net investment income was $281K.
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation at a glance
In short: Robert and Adele Stern Foundation gave $357K across 12 grants in 2026 (avg $30K), top state Texas. 50% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $357,400
- +181.6% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 12
- +50.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $29,783
- +87.8% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $26,500
- Total assets
- $7,909,759
- -1.1% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (39% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Robert and Adele Stern Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Rare Village Foundation ($140K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $357K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 47 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Robert and Adele Stern Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $40K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 50% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 129% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $61K (2022) to $357K (2026). In 2026 it made 12 grants totaling $357K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Calculus Project Randolph, MA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Rare Village Foundation McKinney, TX | General Support | $50,000 |
| Rare Village Foundation McKinney, TX | General Support | $50,000 |
| Rare Village Foundation McKinney, TX | General Support | $40,000 |
| Save the Redwoods Leauge San Francisco, CA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Sonoma County Library Foundation Santa Rosa, CA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Christ Church United Methodist Louisville, KY | General Support | $13,000 |
| Congregation Beth David of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Santa Paula, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| People's Self Help Housing Corporation San Luis Obispo, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $7,909,759 | $328,542 | $413,532 | $357,400 | 12 | $361,175 | $281,258 | $407,521 |
| 2025 | $7,994,603 | $314,438 | $175,010 | $126,900 | 8 | $166,045 | $310,584 | $308,763 |
| 2024 | $7,855,175 | $301,691 | $224,148 | $131,900 | 9 | $207,225 | $290,569 | $298,926 |
| 2023 | $7,777,632 | $6,662,501 | $165,624 | $156,400 | 11 | $156,400 | $120,869 | $169,028 |
| 2022 | $1,280,755 | $4,199 | $62,035 | $61,400 | 7 | $61,400 | $4,069 | $59,559 |
| 2021 | $1,338,591 | $25,860 | $85,148 | $84,425 | 6 | — | $25,137 | $62,239 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert and Adele Stern Foundation reported a distributable amount of $408K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation is led by Susan Stern, Director & President since 2024 (on filings since 2021); none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Susan Stern
Director & President
Director → Director & President, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Stern Seaver
Director, Secretary & Treasurer
Secretary Director → Secretary & Director, 2023
Secretary & Director → Director, Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Stern
Director & Vice President
Director → Director & Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Adele Stern (2021–2023) — President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Robert and Adele Stern Foundation
How much does Robert and Adele Stern Foundation give each year?
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation gave $357K across 12 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $127K across 8 grants.
What is Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's typical grant size?
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $26,500, and its average grant was $29,783, across 12 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert and Adele Stern Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does Robert and Adele Stern Foundation give grants?
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's top state is Texas, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (29%) and Massachusetts (28%). The most frequent recipient cities were McKinney, TX (3 grants), San Luis Obispo, CA (3 grants) and Santa Rosa, CA (2 grants).
Does Robert and Adele Stern Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's largest grantees?
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Rare Village Foundation ($140,000 across 3 grants), The Calculus Project ($100,000) and Save the Redwoods Leauge ($40,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Robert and Adele Stern Foundation?
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation reported $7.9M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $361K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $408K (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 Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's EIN?
Robert and Adele Stern Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6109775. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS September 10, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robert and Adele Stern Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-adele-stern-foundation-morg_408e3ac31fce494e863716bb996d6734
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366109775_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert and Adele Stern Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-and-adele-stern-foundation-morg_408e3ac31fce494e863716bb996d6734},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Robert and Adele Stern 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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