Sears Family Foundation Inc
Sears Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation, based in Raleigh, NC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $201K. Net investment income was $31K.
Sears Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Sears Family Foundation Inc gave $201K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $201,000
- +77.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,333
- +117.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,498,318
- +8.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Sears Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Church on Morgan ($85K). Together the top 9 received $201K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 51 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How Sears Family Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 183% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $47K (2020) to $201K (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $201K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Church on Morgan Raleigh, NC | General Purposes | $85,000 |
| The Green Chair Project Raleigh, NC | General Purposes | $45,000 |
| CASA Raleigh, NC | General Purposes | $25,000 |
| Stepup Ministry Raleigh, NC | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Gift of Life International Fresh Meadows, NY | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Ship Community Outreach Raleigh, NC | General Purposes | $10,000 |
| Safechild Raleigh, NC | General Purposes | $5,000 |
| Women That Care Inc Raleigh, NC | General Operations | $3,000 |
| Boy Scouts of America Irving, TX | General Purposes | $3,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,498,318 | $326,091 | $204,491 | $201,000 | 9 | $203,615 | $31,147 | $111,094 |
| 2024 | $1,376,718 | $274,751 | $117,125 | $113,000 | 11 | $115,891 | $24,247 | $95,637 |
| 2023 | $1,219,092 | $553,087 | $55,706 | $52,000 | 8 | $54,598 | $52,529 | $62,070 |
| 2022 | $721,711 | $57,950 | $184,889 | $181,000 | 6 | $183,434 | $57,568 | $59,681 |
| 2021 | $848,650 | $627,408 | $164,469 | $161,000 | 17 | $163,438 | $77,038 | $56,380 |
| 2020 | $385,711 | $47,577 | $49,961 | $47,000 | 16 | — | $47,577 | $39,775 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sears Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $111K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Sears Family Foundation Inc is led by Lynn H. Sears, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynn H. Sears
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Casie S. Kerr
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
J. Ryan Sears
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
James R. Sears
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Sears Family Foundation Inc
How much does Sears Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Sears Family Foundation Inc gave $201K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $113K across 11 grants.
What is Sears Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Sears Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,333, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Sears Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Sears Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Raleigh, NC (7 grants).
Does Sears Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sears Family Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sears Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Sears Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Church on Morgan ($85,000), The Green Chair Project ($45,000) and CASA ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sears Family Foundation Inc?
Sears Family Foundation Inc reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $204K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $111K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Sears Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Sears Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1589867. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
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