The Seherr-Thoss Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1994 by Sonia P. Seherr-Thoss and her husband, Hans C. Seherr-Thoss. The Trust operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with its mailing address at P.O. Box 292, Litchfield, Connecticut 06759. It functions as part of the Seherr-Thoss Foundations, which includes its sister organization, The Seherr-Thoss Foundation (established 1991). The foundations were created by founders who became Litchfield residents in 1948 after purchasing 300 acres of farmland, and they maintain a strong commitment to supporting the community where the founders lived and farmed for decades.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.2M
+16.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-3.6% YoY
Grant Count
21
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$53K
-3.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust's purpose is to provide support for cultural, educational, historical, health-related, religious, and civic organizations serving the town of Litchfield. The foundations operate with a commitment to funding Litchfield projects almost exclusively, though they can support organizations outside town limits if they serve Litchfield residents.
The foundations provide permanent funding for both large capital improvement projects and smaller community initiatives.
Grantmaking
The Trust operates on a biannual grant cycle with two annual application deadlines:
Grant Range
$5,000 to $125,000+
Review Cycle
with two annual application deadlines:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust funds nonprofit organizations in the Town of Litchfield, Connecticut, including the surrounding areas of Bantam, East Litchfield, Milton, and Northfield. Organizations outside these town limits may be considered if they serve Litchfield residents.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $19,205,684
- Total revenues: $3,986,933
- Total expenses: $1,242,170
- Investment income and dividends: $554,811
- Total grants awarded: $1,104,531
The Trust's revenue is primarily generated through investment income and dividends rather than contributions.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,205,684 | $16,456,232 | $16,673,495 |
| Revenue | $3,986,933 | $958,012 | $400,431 |
| Expenses | $1,242,170 | $1,176,990 | $1,344,067 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,119,010 | $1,156,922 | $1,310,211 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,953,858 | $943,554 | $383,059 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,232,816 | $1,124,205 | $1,158,688 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
99 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Litchfield Community Center ($496,881), American Legion Morgan-weir Post 27 ($100,000), Litchfield Housing Authority ($90,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN LEGION MORGAN-WEIR POST 27 LITCHFIELD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| BANTAM CINEMA AND ARTS CENTER BANTAM, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| BANTAM CIVIC ASSOCIATION BANTAM, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BANTAM FIRE CO BANTAM, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $39,981 |
| CIVIC FAMILY SERVICES BANTAM, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
| LAKEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL LITCHFIELD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $14,007 |
| LITCHFIELD CEMETERY ASSOCIATION LITCHFIELD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $9,300 |
| LITCHFIELD COMMUNITY CENTER LITCHFIELD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $496,881 |
| LITCHFIELD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION LITCHFIELD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| LITCHFIELD FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE BANTAM, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,600 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Donald Chin serves as Corporate Trustee (as of May 2024).
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELE SAUNDERS | PRESIDENT | 3 | — |
| MATT KARPAS | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| TRACY KEILTY | SECRETARY | 3 | — |
| ANN BORZILLERI | BOARD MEMBER | 3 | — |
| ANDREW RORABACK | BOARD MEMBER | 3 | — |
| DENISE RAAP | BOARD MEMBER | 3 | — |
| HILARY BARHYDT | BOARD MEMBER | 3 | — |
Contact Information
Address: P.O. Box 292, Litchfield, CT 06759
Email: secretary@seherr-thoss.org
Website: https://seherr-thoss.org/
Telephone: 516-508-9623
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust fund?
The Trust's purpose is to provide support for cultural, educational, historical, health-related, religious, and civic organizations serving the town of Litchfield. The foundations operate with a commitment to funding Litchfield projects almost exclusively, though they can support organizations outside town limits if they serve Litchfield residents. The foundations provide permanent funding for both large capital improvement projects and smaller community initiatives.
How do I apply for a grant from Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust?
The Trust operates on a biannual grant cycle with two annual application deadlines: **Grant Cycles:** • Fall Cycle: Application deadline early October; Board meeting early November • Spring Cycle: Application deadline early April; Board meeting late April **Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 to $125,000+ • Decision time: Approximately 3-4 weeks from deadline to board decision • Recent grants have ranged from $10,000 to $496,881 • In 2024, the Trust made 21 grants totaling $1,104,531…
Where does Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust make grants?
The Trust funds nonprofit organizations in the Town of Litchfield, Connecticut, including the surrounding areas of Bantam, East Litchfield, Milton, and Northfield. Organizations outside these town limits may be considered if they serve Litchfield residents.
What size grants does Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust awarded 21 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $53K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust's EIN?
Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6399636. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Seherr-thoss Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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