Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family is a private foundation based in Playa Vista, California. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations supporting activities including youth programs, medical research, music access, and community services.
Key facts about Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family
In short: Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family gave $27K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 95-3733046
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $26,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- Average grant
- $2,650
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $528,461
- Primary geography
- California (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$528K
-12.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$27K
+9.5% YoY
Grant Count
10
+42.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-23.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family reported a distributable amount of $32K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family gives
- In 2025 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for youth camps and career exploration, medical research, music programs, services for families and neighbors, and assistance for homebound people.
Among the grantees, City of Hope describes its mission as making hope a reality for people touched by cancer and diabetes. Brothers for Life says it supports Jewish and Israeli heroism through education, mentoring, social services, and financial aid, including support for injured combat veterans.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $26,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, with a median of $1,500. Larger grants included $10,000 to Wilshire Blvd Temple Camps for a youth camp program, $5,000 to BGCOP for youth career-exploration programs, and $2,500 to City of Hope for medical research. Other grants included $2,000 to American Friends Jordan River to help children and families, and $2,000 to an individual recipient to provide students access to music programs.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ready to take the next step with Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 15% to New York, and 4% to Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2019) to $34K (2020). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $27K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wilshire Blvd Temple Camps ($10K). Together the top 9 received $25K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($2,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
27 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 27 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wilshire Blvd Temple Camps Los Angeles, CA | Camp Program for Youth | $10,000 |
| BGCOP Oxnard, CA | Youth Programs for Career Exploratio | $5,000 |
| City of Hope Duarte, CA | Medical Research | $2,500 |
| American Friends Jordan River New York, NY | Helps Children and Families | $2,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $2,000 |
| The American Friends of Scarsdale, NY | Support Families of First Responders | $1,000 |
| Brothers for Life Seattle, WA | Supports Jewish and Israeli Heroism | $1,000 |
| Karsh Social Service Center Los Angeles, CA | Caring for Neighbors | $1,000 |
| Meals on Wheels Los Angeles, CA | Sending Meals to Homebound People | $1,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Staten Island, NY | Mortgage Free Homes to Fallen | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $528,461 | $29,325 | $34,577 | $26,500 |
| 2024 | $606,321 | $40,066 | $33,320 | $24,200 |
| 2023 | $581,765 | $20,392 | $28,182 | $24,100 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $528,461 | $606,321 | $581,765 |
| Revenue | $29,325 | $40,066 | $20,392 |
| Expenses | $34,577 | $33,320 | $28,182 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $26,500 | $24,200 | $24,100 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,248 | $30,946 | $16,934 |
| Distributable Amount | $31,996 | $26,435 | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 9, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert Sills as “President &” and Susan Casamessima as Secretary.
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family is led by Robert Sills, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Sills
President
President → President & CEO, 2023
President & CEO → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Susan Casamessima
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Susan Sills (2019–2024) — Secretary
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 12490 Fielding Circle, Playa Vista, CA 90094
Phone: (310) 729-8689
Frequently asked questions about Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family
How much does Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family give each year?
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family gave $27K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $24K across 7 grants.
What is Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's typical grant size?
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $2,650, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family give grants?
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family gives mostly in California: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (3 grants).
Does Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's largest grantees?
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's largest 2025 grantees include Wilshire Blvd Temple Camps ($10,000), BGCOP ($5,000) and City of Hope ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($2,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family?
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family reported $528K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $32K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for youth camps and career exploration, medical research, music programs, services for families and neighbors, and assistance for homebound people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family?
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 Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's EIN?
Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3733046. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family 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 September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Samuel J & Thelma Sills Family by hand.
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