Sickler Foundation
The Sickler Foundation is a private foundation based in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports 15 grants totaling $70,600, with awards to organizations in Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., New York, and Florida.
Sickler Foundation at a glance
In short: Sickler Foundation gave $71K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $70,600
- +48.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,707
- -0.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $701,865
- -9.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (6 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (77% 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 Sickler Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1252 Calista Lane, Phoenixville, PA 19460
Phone: (610) 745-0195
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sickler Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Wilkes University ($15K). Together the top 10 received $63K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 52 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 14% to Washington, D.C., 7% to New York, and 1% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sickler Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 15 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 228% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $22K (2022) to $71K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $71K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA | General | $15,000 |
| Franklin Institute Philadelphia, PA | General | $10,000 |
| National Constitution Center Philadelphia, PA | General | $10,000 |
| Monument Academy Public Charter School Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Tunnels to Towers Staten Island, NY | General | $5,000 |
| St Basil Church Phoenixville, PA | General | $3,000 |
| Sunday Love Project Philadelphia, PA | General | $2,500 |
| ESU Foundation East Stroudsburg, PA | General | $2,500 |
| Vetri Community Partnership Philadelphia, PA | General | $2,500 |
| St Monica Parish Philadelphia, PA | General | $2,500 |
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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 | $701,865 | $-939 | $72,994 | $70,600 | 15 | $71,575 | $17,501 | $79,360 |
| 2024 | $775,798 | $11,194 | $49,249 | $47,500 | 10 | $48,010 | $19,121 | $71,664 |
| 2023 | $813,853 | $17,662 | $52,730 | $50,250 | 7 | $52,695 | $19,951 | $57,746 |
| 2022 | $848,921 | $3,488 | $21,823 | $21,500 | 11 | $21,823 | $19,735 | $61,868 |
| 2021 | $891,531 | $22,862 | $56,174 | $55,500 | 9 | $56,174 | $22,862 | $68,532 |
| 2020 | $924,838 | $268,582 | $43,500 | $43,500 | 10 | — | $45,581 | $57,608 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sickler Foundation reported a distributable amount of $79K 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 mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2025 grants went to a range of organizations, including universities, cultural and civic institutions, schools, churches, and community and youth organizations. The National Constitution Center describes its mission as providing nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue. Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education says it creates opportunities for under-resourced youth in the Greater Philadelphia region to prosper in life.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 15 grants totaling $70,600. Awards ranged from $600 to $15,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Its largest reported grants were $15,000 to Wilkes University; $10,000 each to the Franklin Institute, the National Constitution Center, and Monument Academy Public Charter School; and $5,000 to Tunnels to Towers. Other listed grants included $3,000 to St Basil Church and $2,500 each to Sunday Love Project, ESU Foundation, Vetri Community Partnership, St Monica Parish, Make the World Better, and Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John J Sickler Jr as President and Director; Doris E Sickler as Secretary, Treasurer, and Director; and Beth Ann DeBruyn and Donna M Sickler as Directors.
Sickler Foundation is led by John J Sickler Jr., President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John J Sickler Jr.
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Doris E Sickler
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Beth Ann DeBruyn
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Donna M Sickler
Director
On filings since 2024
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 Sickler Foundation
How much does Sickler Foundation give each year?
Sickler Foundation gave $71K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $48K across 10 grants.
What is Sickler Foundation's typical grant size?
Sickler Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,707, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sickler Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Sickler Foundation give grants?
Sickler Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (14%) and New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (8 grants).
Does Sickler Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sickler Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sickler Foundation's largest grantees?
Sickler Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Wilkes University ($15,000), Franklin Institute ($10,000) and National Constitution Center ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sickler Foundation?
Sickler Foundation reported $702K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $72K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $79K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Sickler Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2025 grants went to a range of organizations, including universities, cultural and civic institutions, schools, churches, and community and youth organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sickler Foundation?
The foundation states on its 2024 filing 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 Sickler Foundation's EIN?
Sickler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2926508. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sickler 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sickler Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sickler-foundation-morg_87eb21b75c4446589235a8e1dda1a9aa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232926508_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sickler Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sickler-foundation-morg_87eb21b75c4446589235a8e1dda1a9aa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Sickler 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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