Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr logo

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr

Foundation · Grantmaker Safety Harbor, FL EIN: 85-6488444 Website

SAWYER FOUNDATION CHARITABLE TR is a private foundation based in Safety Harbor, Florida. It supports charitable organizations working to expand access to clean drinking water through Sawyer point-of-use water filters, as well as university-level global health education and research, community development, and disaster relief.

Key facts about Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr

In short: Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr gave $769K across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), top state Florida. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
85-6488444
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$768,948
Grants made (2024)
30
Average grant
$25,632
Median grant
$1,150
Total assets
$34,060
Primary geography
Florida (49% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$34K

+213.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$769K

-36.9% YoY

Grant Count

30

+76.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$26K

-64.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr reported a distributable amount of $592 for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr gives

  • 30% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving fell 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated purpose is to partner with charities to change lives around the world through Sawyer’s point-of-use water filters. Its three stated pillars are university-level global health education and research, transformational community development, and disaster relief. The foundation says its community-development support includes seed grants and ongoing support for organizations using Sawyer technology to provide clean water.

Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Hope College describes its mission as educating students for leadership and service in a global society; Disciple Support Ministries says it teaches and trains individuals in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Operation Resolute says it serves men and families in the U.S. Armed Forces through military chaplains, outdoor events, marriage seminars, and family retreats. Water By Women says it provides water filters to mothers and trains them to provide clean water in their communities. The Bucket Ministry describes its mission as sharing the love of God through clean water.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $768,948. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $300,000, with a median of $1,150. Its largest reported grants were $300,000 to Hope College for global education, $272,650 to Loud Monk Media for educational video production, and $100,000 to Disciple Support Ministries for missionary support. Other reported grants included $25,000 to Operation Resolute for veteran support and $16,667 to Amor Europe to provide clean drinking water.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s website describes work with nonprofit partners in more than 100 countries. In filing year 2024, 49% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida and 39% to recipients in Michigan; the filing also reports shares for North Carolina (3%) and Texas (1%), along with an unlisted state share of 4%.

Grant Distribution by State

15states

Share of all 30 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

HollandPinellas ParkClearwaterCovingtonLos AngelesSpringfieldBrooklineClermontFateGrand RapidsLanhamLouisvilleMechanicburgNaplesSan DiegoTruckeeBellhavenBooneCosta MesaHendersonville

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M7 grants20217 grants202217 grants202330 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Hope College: $300KHope College$300KLoud Monk Media: $273KLoud Monk Media$273KDisciple Support Ministries: $100KDisciple Support Ministries$100KOperation Resolute: $25KOperation Resolute$25KAmor Europe: $17KAmor Europe$17KAlebachew Mammo Alemayehu: $10KAlebachew Mammo Alemayehu$10KPoetice: $10KPoetice$10KMatt Arnett: $8KMatt Arnett$8KHarvest Aviation: $5KHarvest Aviation$5KWater by Women: $4KWater by Women$4K

Grant Size Distribution

61 grants across all recorded years

41<$50K5$50–100K10$100–250K2$250–500K3$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
HOPE COLLEGE Holland, MIGLOBAL EDUCATION$300,000
LOUD MONK MEDIA Clearwater, FLEDUCATIONAL VIDEO PRODUCTION$272,650
DISCIPLE SUPPORT MINISTRIES Pinellas Park, FLMISSIONARY SUPPORT$100,000
OPERATION RESOLUTE Bellhaven, NCVETERAN SUPPORT$25,000
AMOR EUROPE PROVIDE CLEAN DRINKING WATER$16,667
ALEBACHEW MAMMO ALEMAYEHU MISSIONARY SUPPORT$10,000
POETICE Covington, LAMISSIONARY SUPPORT$10,000
MATT ARNETT Rockwall, TXGLOBAL HEALTH EDUCATION$7,500
HARVEST AVIATION Pinellas Park, FLDISASTER RELIEF$4,903
WATER BY WOMEN Louisville, KYPROVIDE CLEAN DRINKING WATER$3,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2024 $34,060 $931,352 $908,169 $768,948 30
2023 $10,877 $854,427 $1,350,217 $1,218,344 17
2022 $506,667 $1,376,575 $1,077,420 $946,500 7
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M2021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$34,060$10,877$506,667
Revenue$931,352$854,427$1,376,575
Expenses$908,169$1,350,217$1,077,420
Qualifying Distributions$768,948$1,218,344$946,500
Net Investment Income———
Distributable Amount$592$4,173$3,556

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Kurt Avery, Barbara Avery, and Gwendolyn Loftin as co-trustees.

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Gwendolyn Loftin

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    30 hrs/week

    $80K (2021) → $120K (2024)

  • Barbara Avery

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kurt Avery

    Co-Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Gwendolyn Loftin — Co-Trustee: $120KGwendolyn LoftinCo-Trustee$120K

Contact

Mailing address: 4046 Bridgeport Dr, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
Phone: (727) 741-4798
Website: https://sawyerfoundation.org

Frequently asked questions about Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr

How much does Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr give each year?

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr gave $769K across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 17 grants.

What is Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's typical grant size?

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's median grant in 2024 was $1,150, and its average grant was $25,632, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr give grants?

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's top state is Florida, with 49% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Michigan (39%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pinellas Park, FL (2 grants), Springfield, MO (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).

Does Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Provide Clean Drinking Water" (16 grants), "Disaster Relief" (6 grants) and "Missionary Support" (3 grants).

Who are Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's largest grantees?

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's largest 2024 grantees include Hope College ($300,000), Loud Monk Media ($272,650) and Disciple Support Ministries ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr?

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr reported $34K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $769K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $592 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr fund?

The foundation’s stated purpose is to partner with charities to change lives around the world through Sawyer’s point-of-use water filters. Its three stated pillars are university-level global health education and research, transformational community development, and disaster relief. The foundation says its community-development support includes seed grants and ongoing support for organizations using Sawyer technology to provide clean water. Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of org…

How do I apply for a grant from Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr?

In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $768,948. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $300,000, with a median of $1,150. Its largest reported grants were $300,000 to Hope College for global education, $272,650 to Loud Monk Media for educational video production, and $100,000 to Disciple Support Ministries for missionary support. Other reported grants included $25,000 to Operation Resolute for veteran support and $16,667 to Amor Europe to provide clean drinking water. The fo…

What is Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's EIN?

Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-6488444. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.

Does Sawyer Foundation Charitable Tr accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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