Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation
The Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation is a private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including community and cultural services, higher education, arts, and civic initiatives.
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation at a glance
In short: Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation gave $768K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $26K), top state Illinois. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $767,500
- +34.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +20.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,466
- +11.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,000
- Total assets
- $1,317,888
- +4.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (45% 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 Robin and Sandy Stuart 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: 150 Field Drive Suite Ste 100, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Phone: (847) 295-7100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Gorton Community Center ($114K). Together the top 10 received $569K.
Grant Size Distribution
125 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 113 grants of 125 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Illinois organizations received 45% of grant dollars, followed by organizations in Washington, DC (12%), New York (10%), South Carolina (8%), and Pennsylvania (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 27 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $33K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 83% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 566% 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $266K (2019) to $768K (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $768K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gorton Community Center Lake Forest, IL | General Support | $114,000 |
| Heterodox Academy New York, NY | General Support | $75,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina Mount Pleasant, SC | Pledge Payment | $60,000 |
| Council of Independent Colleges Washington, DC | Campus Free Expression | $50,000 |
| Chicago Abortion Foundation Chicago, IL | General Support | $50,000 |
| Ragdale Foundation Lake Forest, IL | Pledge Payment | $50,000 |
| Future Caucus Washington, DC | general support | $45,000 |
| History Society of Lake Forest Lake Bluff Lake Forest, IL | Pledge Payment | $42,000 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $40,000 |
| James Madison Program Princeton, NJ | General Support | $40,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,317,888 | $1,172,675 | $836,103 | $767,500 | 29 | $798,839 | $384,941 | $141,193 |
| 2024 | $1,260,096 | $1,095,985 | $648,319 | $569,000 | 24 | $602,542 | $312,062 | $129,956 |
| 2023 | $1,120,593 | $694,866 | $547,144 | $472,500 | 27 | $510,172 | $363,056 | $127,582 |
| 2022 | $1,183,339 | $552,673 | $544,644 | $420,500 | 22 | $432,571 | $148,473 | $126,128 |
| 2021 | $1,178,400 | $1,091,974 | $407,210 | $295,500 | 23 | $328,555 | $251,499 | $90,000 |
| 2020 | $748,966 | $273,812 | $346,479 | $279,330 | 19 | — | $56,673 | $64,365 |
| 2019 | $794,198 | $437,113 | $331,296 | $265,750 | 20 | — | $89,012 | $90,029 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation reported a distributable amount of $141K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span several fields. Gorton Community Center says it provides a community center for charitable, educational, and cultural purposes and the general welfare of residents of all ages. Heterodox Academy says it works to improve university research and education by increasing open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement. The Council of Independent Colleges says it supports independent-college leadership and institutional excellence. Ragdale Foundation says it provides artists and writers with an environment and time to complete creative work while preserving its historic property.
Other 2025 grantees include Savannah Music Festival, which says it presents musical arts productions and supports arts education; Allies for Community Business, which says it provides entrepreneurs with capital, coaching, and connections; and the American Writers Museum, which says it engages the public in celebrating American writers and exploring their influence.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $767,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $114,000, with a median of $17,000. Larger grants included $114,000 to Gorton Community Center, $75,000 to Heterodox Academy, $60,000 to The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina, and $50,000 each to the Council of Independent Colleges, Chicago Abortion Foundation, and Ragdale Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Alexander D Stuart, Ann Peake Stuart, and Teresa Acuna as directors.
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alexander D Stuart
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ann Peake Stuart
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Teresa Acuna
Director
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation
How much does Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation give each year?
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation gave $768K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $569K across 24 grants.
What is Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's typical grant size?
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,000, and its average grant was $26,466, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation give grants?
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (12%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lake Forest, IL (5 grants), Chicago, IL (5 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 66% of Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Pledge Payment" (4 grants).
Who are Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's largest grantees?
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Gorton Community Center ($114,000), Heterodox Academy ($75,000) and The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina ($62,500 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation?
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $799K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $141K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span several fields. Gorton Community Center says it provides a community center for charitable, educational, and cultural purposes and the general welfare of residents of all ages. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robin and Sandy Stuart 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 Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's EIN?
Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0839186. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Robin and Sandy Stuart 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 19, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robin-and-sandy-stuart-foundation-morg_89fc85927a644b3496f969a3223473f6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810839186_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robin and Sandy Stuart Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robin-and-sandy-stuart-foundation-morg_89fc85927a644b3496f969a3223473f6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Robin and Sandy Stuart 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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