Sage Foundation
Sage Foundation is a private foundation based in Arlington, Washington. Its 2024 filing reports 18 grants totaling $5,169,226. The listed recipients include organizations whose own missions describe work in music, folk arts, and other cultural and artistic activities.
Sage Foundation at a glance
In short: Sage Foundation gave $5.2M across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $287K), top state District of Columbia. 61% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,169,226
- -8.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- -25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $287,179
- +22.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $137,500
- Total assets
- $53,802,619
- +1.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (11 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (29% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sage 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: 14311 Stehr Road, Arlington, WA 98223
Phone: (360) 691-2414
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sage Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Smithsonian Folkways Recordings ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $4.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 37 grants of 100 (37%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 29% of grant dollars went to recipients in DC, 21% to California, 20% to Washington, 19% to Colorado, and 5% to Missouri. The listed recipients also include organizations in Pennsylvania and Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sage Foundation open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 18 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $250K; repeat grants $345K. How we count
Medians: $122K first-time, $250K repeat.
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 173% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2021) to $10.9M (2020). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $5.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Washington, DC | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $1,500,000 |
| E-Town Boulder, CO | Refer to statement 12 (footnote of this tax return | $1,000,000 |
| Centrum Foundation Port Townsend, WA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $600,000 |
| Music Is Extraordinary Inc Oakland, CA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $400,000 |
| Ojai Valley School Equestrian Program Ojai, CA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote of this tax return | $277,226 |
| Celtic Arts Foundation Mount Vernon, WA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $260,000 |
| The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Inc St. Louis, MO | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $250,000 |
| Barmoral School of Piping Pittsburgh, PA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $155,000 |
| Sing for America Foundation San Francisco, CA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $150,000 |
| Los Cenzonties Mexican Arts Center San Pablo, CA | Refer to statement 12 (footnote) of this tax return | $125,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $53,802,619 | $6,207,994 | $5,495,901 | $5,169,226 | 18 | $5,180,810 | $3,532,903 | $2,989,646 |
| 2023 | $53,090,526 | $2,733,916 | $5,914,355 | $5,650,000 | 24 | $5,659,840 | $1,118,886 | $2,754,510 |
| 2022 | $56,270,965 | $9,846,378 | $6,568,197 | $6,214,237 | 17 | $6,231,310 | $5,719,491 | $2,692,500 |
| 2021 | $52,992,784 | $7,210,850 | $3,895,731 | $3,592,620 | 16 | $3,596,477 | $3,661,596 | $3,066,991 |
| 2020 | $49,677,666 | $10,950,749 | $11,207,400 | $10,875,030 | 25 | — | $7,553,846 | $2,698,231 |
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 October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in arts and culture. For example, Centrum Foundation says its mission is to encourage creative and artistic growth while presenting visual, literary, and performing arts to the public. Celtic Arts Foundation says it promotes Celtic culture through events and educational activities, while Seattle Folklore Society says its mission is the preservation and presentation of folk arts. Arhoolie Foundation describes its work as documenting, preserving, and celebrating regional roots music and its makers.
Other 2024 recipients describe their work as teaching music arts through lessons and concerts (Music Is Extraordinary Inc) and raising funds for arts groups and other charities (Sing for America Foundation).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $5,169,226. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $1,500,000, with a median grant of $137,500. In 2023, it made 24 grants totaling $5,650,000; in 2022, it made 17 grants totaling $6,214,237.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $1,500,000 to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, $1,000,000 to E-Town, $600,000 to Centrum Foundation, $400,000 to Music Is Extraordinary Inc, and $277,226 to Ojai Valley School Equestrian Program. Other listed grants included $260,000 to Celtic Arts Foundation, $250,000 to The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Inc, $155,000 to Balmoral School of Piping, and $150,000 to Sing for America Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists E W Littlefield Jr as President, Treasurer, and Director.
Sage Foundation is led by E. W. Littlefield Jr., President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
E. W. Littlefield Jr.
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Sage Foundation
How much does Sage Foundation give each year?
Sage Foundation gave $5.2M across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.7M across 24 grants.
What is Sage Foundation's typical grant size?
Sage Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $137,500, and its average grant was $287,179, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sage Foundation that year got $250K on average.
Where does Sage Foundation give grants?
Sage Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 29% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (21%) and Washington (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (3 grants) and Lafayette, LA (2 grants).
Does Sage Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Sage Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Refer to Statement 12 (Footnote) of This Tax Return" (18 grants).
Who are Sage Foundation's largest grantees?
Sage Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Smithsonian Folkways Recordings ($1,500,000), E-Town ($1,000,000) and Centrum Foundation ($600,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sage Foundation?
Sage Foundation reported $53.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sage Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in arts and culture. For example, Centrum Foundation says its mission is to encourage creative and artistic growth while presenting visual, literary, and performing arts to the public. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sage 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 Sage Foundation's EIN?
Sage Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0404771. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sage 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sage Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sage-foundation-morg_214149968de24639b5877281172791e2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200404771_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sage Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sage-foundation-morg_214149968de24639b5877281172791e2},
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 Sage 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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