The Sally Mead Hands Foundation is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin, established in 2009. The foundation operates as an independent grantmaking organization with a focus on education, environmental initiatives, and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$30.8M
+4.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.0M
-2.2% YoY
Grant Count
44
-18.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
+20.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, its grantmaking priorities center on:
- Environmental education
- Science education and grants for science teachers
- Renewable energy
- Community and school gardens
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$1,000–$310,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Illinois, Wisconsin, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $30.8 million
- Total annual giving: $1.955 million
- Number of grants: 44
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $29.5 million
- Total revenues: $1.342 million
- Total expenses: $2.579 million
- Investment income and dividends: $565,215
Historical Trend: Assets and giving have remained relatively stable over the past three years, ranging from $29.5–$30.8 million in assets and $1.9–$2.2 million in annual giving.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $30,832,241 | $29,531,811 | $30,768,905 |
| Revenue | $3,668,469 | $1,342,408 | $5,081,526 |
| Expenses | $2,368,039 | $2,579,502 | $2,827,136 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,955,500 | $1,999,500 | $2,241,720 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,255,927 | $842,406 | $4,588,110 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,939,931 | $1,743,698 | $1,768,842 |
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
242 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by trustees John L. Hands and Louise H. Murphy. The foundation maintains no employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLLIER M HANDS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HELEN M HANDS | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JOHN L HANDS JR | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LOUISE H MURPHY | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 404 S Blount St Unit 101, Madison, WI 53703
Telephone: 313-600-1668
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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