Sage Foundation

ARLINGTON, WA EIN: 20-0404771 Website

The SAGE Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Arlington, Washington. Established in 2003, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and focuses on supporting arts and culture initiatives across the United States.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$53.8M

+1.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$5.2M

-8.5% YoY

Grant Count

-25.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$287K

+22.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sage Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation gives primarily for the arts, music, health care, and the environment.

Grantmaking

The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.

Grant Range

$853

Average Grant

$853

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across multiple states including California, Colorado, New York, Tennessee, Nevada, and Washington. Specific cities where funding has been directed include Arlington, Berkeley, Boulder, and San Francisco.

Grant Distribution by State

Washington $12.7M (40%)

California $10.3M (33%)

Colorado $2.3M (7%)

District of Columbia $2.0M (6%)

Maryland $1.1M (3%)

Missouri $768K (2%)

Pennsylvania $715K (2%)

Louisiana $625K (2%)

+6 more states

States

California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Missouri New York Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington

Cities

ArlingtonAustinBerkeleyBoulderEasthamptonEl CerritoEuniceHudsonKansas CityLafayetteLake StevensMilfordMount VernonNashvilleOaklandOilvebridgeOjaiOlivebridgePetalumaPittsburgh

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (2024):

Total assets: $53.8 million
Annual revenue: $6.21 million
Annual expenses: $5.5 million

Assets & Revenue (2023):

Total assets: $53.1 million
Annual revenue: $2.73 million
Annual expenses: $5.91 million
Total grants, contributions: $1.56 million
Investment income and dividends: $1.36 million

Asset Growth: Assets increased 2.6% from the previous year.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$53,802,619	$53,090,526	$56,270,965
Revenue	$6,207,994	$2,733,916	$9,846,378
Expenses	$5,495,901	$5,914,355	$6,568,197
Qualifying Distributions	$5,180,810	$5,659,840	$6,231,310
Net Investment Income	$3,532,903	$1,118,886	$5,719,491
Distributable Amount	$2,989,646	$2,754,510	$2,692,500

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

100 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Smithsonian Folkways Recordings ($1,500,000), E-town ($1,000,000), Centrum Foundation ($600,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ANGEL RESOURCE CONNECTION LAKE STEVENS, WA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$122,000
UL LAYFAYETTE FOUNDATION LAFAYETTE, LA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$60,000
SEATTLE FOLKLORE SOCIETY SEATTLE, WA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN.	$56,000
INTERMUSICSF SAN FRANCISCO, CA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$24,000
SING FOR AMERICA FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$150,000
SUNSET FRENCH IMMERSION SUNSET, LA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12(FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$50,000
SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHOIR SAN FRANCISCO, CA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$30,000
MUSIC IS EXTRAORDINARY INC OAKLAND, CA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$400,000
THE STEEL GUITAR HALL OF FAME INC ST LOUIS, MO	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$250,000
LOS CENZONTIES MEXICAN ARTS CENTER SAN PABLO, CA	REFER TO STATEMENT 12 (FOOTNOTE) OF THIS TAX RETURN	$125,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

E W Littlefield Jr. serves as President, Treasurer, and Director of the foundation and works on a voluntary basis without compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
E W LITTLEFIELD JR	PRESIDENT/TREASURER/DIRECT	1	—

Contact Information

Address: 14311 Stehr Rd Arlington, WA 98223-9433

Phone: 360-691-2414

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sage Foundation fund?

The foundation gives primarily for the arts, music, health care, and the environment.

How do I apply for a grant from Sage Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • In 2023, the foundation made 14 grants totaling approximately $5.2 million • In 2024, the foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $5.7 million • Average grant size: $853 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • Centrum Foundation: $650,000 • National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA): $500,000 • Grabhorn Institute: $500,000 **Application Status:** The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.

Where does Sage Foundation make grants?

What size grants does Sage Foundation award?

In 2024, Sage Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $5.2M — an average of about $287K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Sage Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sage Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.