SBM Charitable Foundation Inc
SBM Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a private foundation based in Manchester, Connecticut. Established in 2000 by Connecticut Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of the former Savings Bank of Manchester, it supports programs intended to improve the lives of people who live and work predominantly east of the river in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Counties.
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: SBM Charitable Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 87 grants in 2025 (avg $19K), mostly in Connecticut. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,663,411
- +12.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 87
- +4.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,120
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $41,856,792
- +10.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (13 of 81, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to SBM Charitable Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. First-time grant applicants should submit the online pre-application; organizations funded within the past two years should use the formal Request for Grant form. Grant and scholarship awards are limited to the geographic area stated by the foundation.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 formal grant application dates listed by the foundation—January 5, April 6, June 3, and September 1—have passed. The website says requests received after a quarterly date may be carried forward to the next Grants Committee meeting. The foundation’s 2025 filing states that grant applications are accepted year-round and scholarship applications are accepted January through March for the following fall semester.
- Deadline
- The 2026 formal grant application dates listed by the foundation—January 5, April 6, June 3, and September 1—have…
- Contact
Application contact: Kelley Gunther
Mailing address: 935 Main Street Level C Suite B101, Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: (860) 533-1067
Website: https://www.sbmfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who SBM Charitable Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Connecticut ($166K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $762K.
Organizations only. It also paid 4 individual scholarships ($93,600), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
473 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 421 grants of 473 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it primarily serves people living and working east of the river in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Counties. Its 2025 filing states that grant and scholarship awards are limited to its stated geographic area. In 2025, 99% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 87 itemized grants.
Cities
Is SBM Charitable Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 81 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2020) to $1.8M (2022). In 2025 it made 87 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rebuilding Together - Manchester Manchester, CT | Support | $100,000 |
| University of Connecticut Storrs, CT | Scholarship | $98,550 |
| Malta House of Care Foundation Hartford, CT | Support | $85,000 |
| Connecticut Science Center Hartford, CT | Support | $79,530 |
| University of Connecticut Storrs, CT | Support | $67,811 |
| Manchester Area Conference of Churc Manchester, CT | Support | $65,000 |
| 3 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $92,600 |
| Hockanum Valley Community Council Vernon, CT | Support | $55,000 |
| Open Hearth Association Inc Hartford, CT | Support | $55,000 |
| Hartford Stage Company Hartford, CT | Support | $53,195 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,856,792 | $1,912,187 | $2,190,070 | $1,663,411 | 87 | $2,169,622 | $1,911,757 | $1,940,356 |
| 2024 | $38,028,079 | $2,625,268 | $1,925,417 | $1,473,393 | 83 | $1,854,787 | $2,600,913 | $1,774,815 |
| 2023 | $35,513,772 | $1,353,846 | $2,133,993 | $1,615,549 | 98 | $2,019,359 | $1,269,522 | $1,726,112 |
| 2022 | $32,205,752 | $727,208 | $2,182,001 | $1,753,478 | 102 | $2,084,477 | $661,083 | $1,763,153 |
| 2021 | $39,913,291 | $1,793,681 | $1,936,125 | $1,530,173 | 103 | $1,868,098 | $1,703,497 | $1,883,969 |
| 2020 | $36,871,371 | $1,321,989 | $1,691,991 | $1,246,301 | 102 | — | $1,201,451 | $1,462,062 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, SBM Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to better the lives of people who live and work predominantly east of the river in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Counties. Its guidelines describe support for education and scholarships, community health programs, human services, affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, and arts and cultural programming.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate this range. Malta House of Care Foundation describes its mission as providing free primary medical care and pharmaceuticals to uninsured people in an individual recipient Community Council describes itself as a human-service agency serving Tolland County residents and helping individuals and families meet basic needs. Hartford Stage says its mission is to enlighten, entertain, and educate through theatrical programming. The Connecticut Science Center describes its work as inspiring lifelong learning through interactive experiences exploring science.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 87 grants totaling $1,663,411. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $100,000, with a median of $9,000. The largest listed awards included $100,000 to Rebuilding Together – Manchester, $98,550 to the University of Connecticut for scholarships, $85,000 to Malta House of Care Foundation, and $79,530 to the Connecticut Science Center.
The foundation’s website says first-time applicants must begin with a brief 250-word online pre-application. Organizations funded within the past two years may use the formal Request for Grant application. The application materials call for proof of 501(c)(3) status, the organization’s mission statement, a board list with names and addresses, and a complete project budget. Previous recipients must provide acceptable feedback on past funding before further funding is considered. Scholarship applications are submitted separately; the website describes awards of up to $5,000 for eligible students, with applications accepted January through March for the following academic year.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website lists Douglas K. Anderson as Chairman and President, Charles L. Pike as Vice President, Brian A. Orenstein as Treasurer, and Doreen H. Downham and Sheila B. Flanagan as retired executive directors. It lists Molly (Mary) C. Devanney as Executive Director and Kelley R. Gunther as Foundation and Scholarship Director.
The 2025 filing lists Douglas K. Anderson as President, Charles L. Pike as Vice President, Brian A. Orenstein as Treasurer, Doreen Downham as Executive Director/Secretary, and Mary C. Devanney, Sheila B. Flanagan, Harry S. Gaucher, Susan M. Keating, Linda S. Klein, and John D. LaBelle Jr. as trustees.
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc is led by Doreen Downham, Executive Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; 2 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Doreen Downham
Executive Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $188K (2025)
Molly Devanney
Executive Director & Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$49K (2025)
Douglas K. Anderson
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric A. Marziali
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gregory S. Wolff
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harry S. Gaucher
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John D. Labelle Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jon L. Norris
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda S. Klein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary C. Devanney
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheila B. Flanagan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan M. Keating
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Allison Wholey
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Lynch
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Joyner
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian A. Orenstein
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles L. Pike
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Laurence P. Rubinow (2020–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Michael J. Hartl (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Richard P. Meduski (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Richard Suski (2020–2021) — Outgoing Trustee
- Former: Stephen J. O'Neill (2020–2021) — Outgoing Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $188K, to Doreen Downham (Ex DIR/Secre). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about SBM Charitable Foundation Inc
How much does SBM Charitable Foundation Inc give each year?
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc gave $1.7M across 87 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 83 grants.
What is SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $9,000, and its average grant was $19,120, across 87 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from SBM Charitable Foundation Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does SBM Charitable Foundation Inc give grants?
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc gives mostly in Connecticut: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Hartford, CT (27 grants), Manchester, CT (10 grants), Willimantic, CT (5 grants) and West Hartford, CT (4 grants).
Does SBM Charitable Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 87 grants with a stated purpose on SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support" (76 grants) and "Scholarship" (10 grants).
Who are SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of Connecticut ($166,361 across 2 grants), Rebuilding Together - Manchester ($100,000) and Malta House of Care Foundation ($85,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 4 individual scholarships ($93,600), which are not listed by name. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is SBM Charitable Foundation Inc?
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc reported $41.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does SBM Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to better the lives of people who live and work predominantly east of the river in Hartford, Tolland, and Windham Counties. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from SBM Charitable Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1574365. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does SBM Charitable Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in SBM Charitable Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). SBM Charitable Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sbm-charitable-foundation-inc-morg_4bff55b43fd2437e87b7f571f614f9a3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061574365_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{SBM Charitable Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sbm-charitable-foundation-inc-morg_4bff55b43fd2437e87b7f571f614f9a3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 SBM Charitable Foundation Inc'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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