Sethness Arnold Foundation
Sethness Arnold Foundation is a private foundation based in Northbrook, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 20 grants totaling $145,110 to charitable organizations, including schools, universities, and organizations working in areas such as food access and school support.
Sethness Arnold Foundation at a glance
In short: Sethness Arnold Foundation gave $145K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Virginia. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $145,110
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,256
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,190,219
- +1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (4 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (32% 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 Sethness Arnold Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 707 Skokie Blvd Suite 600, Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: (847) 400-0099
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sethness Arnold Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Blue Ridge School ($45K). Together the top 10 received $135K.
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 97 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in several states. Virginia accounted for 32%, New York 28%, Illinois 12%, Maryland 10%, and Massachusetts 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sethness Arnold Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 20 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. 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 $115K (2022) to $145K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $145K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge School Saint George, VA | Unrestricted | $45,000 |
| AOG West Point West Point, NY | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Chicago City Day School Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Catch a Lift Lutherville, MD | Unrestricted | $9,600 |
| Miss Halls School Pittsfield, MA | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| 626 Landmark Foundation Chicago, IL | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Miami University Oxford, OH | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Holly Cross School Garrett Park, MD | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| Indiana University Bloomington, IN | Unrestricted | $5,000 |
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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 | $2,190,219 | $192,931 | $164,920 | $145,110 | 20 | $145,110 | $169,487 | $129,724 |
| 2024 | $2,162,208 | $158,748 | $159,262 | $138,000 | 20 | $138,000 | $120,934 | $127,988 |
| 2023 | $2,162,722 | $97,647 | $153,998 | $131,535 | 19 | $131,535 | $79,730 | $118,065 |
| 2022 | $2,219,073 | $595,332 | $128,692 | $114,500 | 20 | $114,500 | $92,226 | $102,528 |
| 2021 | $1,896,875 | $148,929 | $163,367 | $133,500 | 18 | $133,500 | $130,911 | $116,905 |
| 2020 | $1,911,313 | $110,380 | $145,008 | $127,000 | 15 | — | $94,452 | $104,789 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sethness Arnold Foundation reported a distributable amount of $130K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included educational institutions and other charitable organizations. Chicago City Day School describes its mission as preparing students intellectually, socially, physically, emotionally, and aesthetically to participate in a changing and increasingly complex society. Miss Hall’s School says it encourages girls to pursue high standards of learning and character and contribute to the common good. Feeding America describes its mission as ensuring equitable access to nutritious food, while Big Shoulders Fund says it supports underserved schools providing quality, values-based education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $145,110. Grants ranged from $500 to $45,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $45,000 to Blue Ridge School, $40,000 to AOG West Point, $10,000 to Chicago City Day School, and $9,600 to Catch a Lift. Other reported grants included $5,000 each to Miss Hall’s School, 626 Landmark Foundation, Miami University, University of Miami, Holly Cross School, Indiana University, and Wake Forest University; Lake Forest Academy received $1,000. Feeding America and Big Shoulders Fund each received $500.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary S. Arnold as vice president, treasurer, and director; Joseph C. Arnold as president and director; and Randall Romei as secretary and director.
Sethness Arnold Foundation is led by Joseph C. Arnold, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joseph C. Arnold
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary S. Arnold
Vice President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Randall Romei
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
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 Sethness Arnold Foundation
How much does Sethness Arnold Foundation give each year?
Sethness Arnold Foundation gave $145K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $138K across 20 grants.
What is Sethness Arnold Foundation's typical grant size?
Sethness Arnold Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,256, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sethness Arnold Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Sethness Arnold Foundation give grants?
Sethness Arnold Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (28%) and Illinois (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (5 grants).
Does Sethness Arnold Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Sethness Arnold Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sethness Arnold Foundation's largest grantees?
Sethness Arnold Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Blue Ridge School ($45,000), AOG West Point ($40,000) and Chicago City Day School ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sethness Arnold Foundation?
Sethness Arnold Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $145K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $130K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sethness Arnold Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants included educational institutions and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sethness Arnold Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sethness Arnold Foundation's EIN?
Sethness Arnold Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-2099072. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sethness Arnold Foundation 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.
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 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sethness Arnold Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sethness-arnold-foundation-morg_18637e4fc5ce41bf98be6d336576b969
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_832099072_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sethness Arnold Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sethness-arnold-foundation-morg_18637e4fc5ce41bf98be6d336576b969},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Sethness Arnold Foundation'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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