Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY

Private foundation · Grantmaker Rome, NY EIN: 13-7039118

The Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY is a private foundation based in Rome, New York. In 2025, it reported 17 grants totaling $113,831, all to recipients in New York State.

Key facts about Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY

In short: Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY gave $114K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in New York. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
13-7039118
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$113,831
Grants made (2025)
17
Average grant
$6,696
Median grant
$6,800
New grantees (estimate)
0% first-time grantees (0 of 16, 2025; small sample)
Total assets
$1,699,977
Primary geography
New York (100% 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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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

$1.7M

-1.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$114K

+2.5% YoY

Grant Count

17

-10.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

+14.5% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY reported a distributable amount of $110K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY open to new grantees?

0%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 0 of 16 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. How we count

  • 94% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including health care, education, social services, arts and culture, community events, and cemetery services. For example, Rome College Foundation describes its mission as improving educational opportunities in Rome, New York, and Rome Cemetery Association says it provides burial lots and services to the greater Rome community. Abraham House describes its mission as preventing criminal relapse and breaking intergenerational cycles of crime by supporting people and families affected by incarceration and other societal ills.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $113,831. Grants ranged from $500 to $13,650, with a median grant of $6,800.

Among its 2025 grants were $13,650 to Abraham House for organizational needs, including branding and donor-management and fundraising software; $12,043 to Hospice Care Foundation to offset unreimbursed medication and equipment costs and provide additional visits for complex patients; $10,000 to the American Red Cross - Mohawk Valley Chapter for its blood services program; and $10,000 to Rome Health Foundation toward an MRI machine. Other grants included $10,000 to Jervis Public Library, $7,700 to Rome College Foundation for education-related programs and scholarships, and $6,800 to Capitol Theatre Center for the Performing Arts for organ restoration. KEYS Corp, which describes its work as delivering music and support to children battling cancer and others in need of healing, received $2,500.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in New York State.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.

States

Cities

RomeUticaAlbanyAvaNew HartfordSherrillLee Center

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K22 grants2019 21 grants2020 19 grants2021 18 grants2022 18 grants2023 19 grants2024 17 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $81K (2023) to $122K (2019). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $114K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Abraham House: $14KAbraham House$14KHospice Care Foundation: $12KHospice Care Foundation$12KAmerican Red Cross - Mohawk Valley Chapter: $10KAmerican Red Cross - MohawkValley Chapter$10KRome Health Foundation: $10KRome Health Foundation$10KJervis Public Library: $10KJervis Public Library$10KCopper City Community Foundationsenior Citizens Council of Rome NY Inc: $9KCopper City CommunityFoundationsenior Citizens…$9KRome College Foundation: $8KRome College Foundation$8KCapitol Theatre Center for the Performing Arts: $7KCapitol Theatre Center for thePerforming Arts$7KRescue Mission of Rome: $7KRescue Mission of Rome$7KRotary Club of Rome NY: $6KRotary Club of Rome NY$6K

The largest 2025 recipient was Abraham House ($14K). Together the top 10 received $92K.

Grant Size Distribution

91 grants across all recorded years

91<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 91 grants of 91 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Abraham House Utica, NYOrganizational needs including branding, commerical creation, and donor management and fundraising software$13,650
Hospice Care Foundation New Hartford, NYOffset cost of unreimbursable meds, equip, add visits for complex patients$12,043
American Red Cross - Mohawk Valley Chapter Albany, NYBlood Services Program$10,000
Rome Health Foundation Rome, NYFunding Toward MRI Machine$10,000
Jervis Public Library Rome, NYCharitable Purpose$10,000
Copper City Community Foundationsenior Citizens Council of Rome NY Inc Rome, NYAda Compliant Door$9,000
Rome College Foundation Rome, NYStar Program/Mid Career Program/Skilled Trade Scholarships/Promotional Expenses/Educational Speaker$7,700
Capitol Theatre Center for the Performing Arts Rome, NYRestoration of Organ$6,800
Rescue Mission of Rome Rome, NYCharitable Purpose$6,800
Rotary Club of Rome NY Rome, NY5K Christmas Party and 1K for Canalfest$6,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $1,699,977 $100,886 $128,812 $113,831
2024 $1,728,964 $83,785 $128,104 $111,086
2023 $1,773,688 $40,671 $93,799 $81,246
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K$800K2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,699,977$1,728,964$1,773,688
Revenue$100,886$83,785$40,671
Expenses$128,812$128,104$93,799
Qualifying Distributions$114,531$113,686$81,246
Net Investment Income$86,605$69,367$39,372
Distributable Amount$110,198$104,201$93,877

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 23, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Jonathan Sears and Dennis Violante as trustees.

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Dennis Violante

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Jonathan Sears

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Howard P. Sears Jr. (2019) — Trustee

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: 1914 Black River Blvd, Rome, NY 13440
Phone: (315) 337-1232

Frequently asked questions about Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY

How much does Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY give each year?

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY gave $114K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $111K across 19 grants.

What is Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's typical grant size?

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's median grant in 2025 was $6,800, and its average grant was $6,696, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY give grants?

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY gives mostly in New York: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rome, NY (12 grants).

Does Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's largest grantees?

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's largest 2025 grantees include Abraham House ($13,650), Hospice Care Foundation ($12,043) and American Red Cross - Mohawk Valley Chapter ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY?

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $115K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $110K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including health care, education, social services, arts and culture, community events, and cemetery services. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY?

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 Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's EIN?

Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7039118. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Sears Family Foundation of Rome NY 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.

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