Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main

Private foundation · Grantmaker Saint Louis, MO EIN: 30-0562220

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main is a private foundation based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Its 2025 filing reports grants for scholarships at colleges and other educational institutions, with most grant dollars going to recipients in an individual recipient

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main at a glance

In short: Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main gave $402K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in New Jersey. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$401,500
+19.1% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
29
+20.8% vs 2024
Average grant
$13,845
-1.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$10,000
Total assets
$5,716,559
-1.8% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
17% first-time grantees (4 of 23, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
New Jersey (97% 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 Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main

How to Apply

The filing directs applicants to apply online and identifies Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services as the contact. It does not specify application materials.

Review Cycle
April 1. The 2026 deadline has passed.
Deadline
April 1.
Contact

Application contact: Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services
Mailing address: 100 North Main Street 6Th Floor D40, Winston Salem, NC 27101
Phone: (888) 234-1999
Email: grantadministration@wellsfargo.com

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Fairleigh Dickinson University: $78K across 2 grantsFairleigh Dickinson University$78K · 2 grantsFdn at New Jersey Institute of Technolog: $50KFdn at New Jersey Institute ofTechnolog$50KRider University: $15KRider University$15KPassaic Academy for Science & Engineerin: $15KPassaic Academy for Science &Engineerin$15KPassaic Preparatory Academy: $15KPassaic Preparatory Academy$15KInstitute of Technology: $12KInstitute of Technology$12KBrookdale Community College: $10KBrookdale Community College$10KGeorgian Court University: $10KGeorgian Court University$10KDrew University: $10KDrew University$10KSeton Hall University: $10KSeton Hall University$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Fairleigh Dickinson University ($78K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $225K.

Organizations only. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($59,000), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

128 grants across all recorded years

118<$50K10$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 118 grants of 128 (92%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in an individual recipient and 3% to recipients in New York. The filing’s scholarship restrictions also require recipients to be graduates of an individual recipient high schools.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.

Cities

PassaicTeaneckEwingGallowayJersey CityEdisonGlassboroLakewoodMadisonNewtonCranfordLawrencevilleMahwahPatersonBlackwoodBloomfieldCaldwellHobokenMorristownSouth Orange

Is Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main open to new grantees?

17%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 4 of 23 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $15K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+9%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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

$0$200K$400K$600K22 grants2019 24 grants2020 30 grants2021 27 grants2022 18 grants2023 24 grants2024 29 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $289K (2023) to $402K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $402K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Fairleigh Dickinson University Teaneck, NJScholarship$63,000
Fdn at New Jersey Institute of Technolog Newark, NJScholarship$50,000
Rider University Lawrence TWP, NJScholarship$15,000
5 individual scholarships Recipients not named —$59,000
Fairleigh Dickinson University Teaneck, NJScholarship$15,000
Passaic Academy for Science & Engineerin Passaic, NJScholarship$15,000
Passaic Preparatory Academy Passaic, NJScholarship$15,000
Institute of Technology Brooklyn, NYScholarship$12,000
Brookdale Community College Lincroft, NJScholarship$10,000
Georgian Court University Lakewood, NJScholarship$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$5,716,559$409,377$519,766$401,50029$446,133$339,655$409,321
2024$5,821,997$313,518$451,257$337,00024$380,139$244,711$392,367
2023$5,965,570$265,489$391,415$289,00018$328,444$201,739$357,362
2022$6,091,262$312,213$481,295$367,00027$399,917$237,016$368,568
2021$6,261,265$476,004$514,060$393,00030$440,770$408,335$428,849
2020$6,299,697$277,644$462,358$360,00024—$207,846$371,269
2019$6,478,486$331,324$470,947$360,00022—$259,066$363,772

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main reported a distributable amount of $409K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The available filing information does not state a separate mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants were reported as scholarships and went to educational institutions. Among the grantees described in their own statements, Fairleigh Dickinson University says it prepares students through global education, while Middlesex College Foundation says it helps students through financial aid, scholarships, and educational resources. Georgian Court University describes its work as providing a liberal arts education and promoting scholarship, service, and personal development.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $401,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $63,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest reported grants included $63,000 to Fairleigh Dickinson University, $50,000 to the Foundation at New Jersey Institute of Technology, and $15,000 each to Rider University, an individual recipient State University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Passaic Academy for Science & Engineering, and Passaic Preparatory Academy. The filing lists the grants’ purpose as scholarships.

The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications are submitted online, and a scholarship committee consisting of college faculty, staff, and financial aid staff chooses individual recipients. Applicants must have graduated from a an individual recipient high school and have a GPA of 3.0 or better; priority is given to students from Passaic High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Nina Stack and John B Newman Esq as co-trustees, and Wells Fargo Bank N A as trustee.

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John B. Newman Esq.

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    $12K (2019) → $14K (2025)

  • Nina Stack

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    4 hrs/week

    $12K (2019) → $14K (2025)

  • Wells Fargo Bank N A

    Trustee

    Co-Trustee → Trustee, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    $72K (2019) → $80K (2025)

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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

Wells Fargo Bank N a — Trustee: $80KWells Fargo Bank N aTrustee$80KNina Stack — Co-Trustee: $14KNina StackCo-Trustee$14KJohn B Newman ESQ — Co-Trustee: $14KJohn B Newman ESQCo-Trustee$14K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $80K, to Wells Fargo Bank N a (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main

How much does Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main give each year?

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main gave $402K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $337K across 24 grants.

What is Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's typical grant size?

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,845, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main that year got $21K on average.

Where does Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main give grants?

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main gives mostly in New Jersey: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Teaneck, NJ (2 grants) and Passaic, NJ (2 grants).

Does Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (27 grants).

Who are Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's largest grantees?

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's largest 2025 grantees include Fairleigh Dickinson University ($78,000 across 2 grants), Fdn at New Jersey Institute of Technolog ($50,000) and Rider University ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 individual scholarships ($59,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main?

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $446K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $409K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main fund?

The available filing information does not state a separate mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants were reported as scholarships and went to educational institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main?

The filing directs applicants to apply online and identifies Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's EIN?

Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0562220. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 8, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-sydney-needham-fdn-main-morg_a6765c39389242e9a9506d7594adec7a

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300562220_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Robert Sydney Needham Fdn Main funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-sydney-needham-fdn-main-morg_a6765c39389242e9a9506d7594adec7a},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Sydney Needham Fdn Main'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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