Sidney Frohman Foundation
The Sidney Frohman Foundation is a private foundation based in Sandusky, Ohio. Its 2025 filing says it focuses on humanitarian need, education, scholarships, and projects benefiting the public, primarily in Erie County.
Sidney Frohman Foundation at a glance
In short: Sidney Frohman Foundation gave $409K across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Ohio. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $409,000
- -5.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,054
- -5.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $10,638,185
- +5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (98% 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 Sidney Frohman Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: Daniel Frohman
Mailing address: 4940 Exeter Drive, Suffolk, VA 23434
Phone: (757) 620-0721
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sidney Frohman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sandusky Board of Education ($40K). Together the top 10 received $230K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($3,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
189 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 182 grants of 189 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s filing says its projects primarily benefit Erie County. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to Ohio recipients and 2% to Indiana recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sidney Frohman Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 36 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−15%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 84% 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 $358K (2020) to $481K (2022). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $409K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sandusky Board of Education Sandusky, OH | Cultural Center & Scholarships | $40,000 |
| Back to the Wild Inc Castalia, OH | Program Funding | $35,000 |
| Care and Share of Erie County Sandusky, OH | Program Funding | $25,000 |
| Sandusky State Theatre Sandusky, OH | Operating Expenses | $25,000 |
| Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Sandusky, OH | Program Funding | $20,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Lorain, OH | Food Programs | $20,000 |
| Sandusky Education Foundation Sandusky, OH | Program Funding | $20,000 |
| Boys Girls Club of Erie CO Sandusky, OH | Program Funding | $15,000 |
| Firelands Symphony Orchestra Huron, OH | Program Funding | $15,000 |
| Ohgo Sandusky, OH | Program Funding | $15,000 |
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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 | $10,638,185 | $1,060,507 | $533,706 | $409,000 | 37 | $429,971 | $978,092 | $512,929 |
| 2024 | $10,111,384 | $1,022,378 | $537,944 | $432,500 | 37 | $455,995 | $942,246 | $442,823 |
| 2023 | $9,626,950 | $437,576 | $556,517 | $456,500 | 41 | $481,062 | $350,813 | $443,148 |
| 2022 | $9,745,891 | $545,795 | $581,026 | $480,887 | 39 | $501,767 | $463,364 | $459,165 |
| 2021 | $9,812,700 | $1,486,867 | $514,569 | $411,100 | 35 | $433,401 | $1,405,639 | $511,734 |
| 2020 | $8,840,402 | $580,580 | $447,656 | $357,652 | 37 | — | $293,444 | $461,625 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sidney Frohman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $513K 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
The foundation’s filing identifies humanitarian need, education, scholarships, and public-benefit projects as its funding areas. Its 2025 grants included support for education, food programs, domestic violence services, arts, and community programs.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Back to the Wild says it rehabilitates and releases injured and orphaned wildlife and presents educational programs. The Sandusky Education Foundation says it supports Sandusky City Schools in providing enriching educational experiences. The Sandusky State Theatre describes its work in the performing arts, while OH-GO says it facilitates community acts of kindness and delivers goods to disadvantaged children.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 37 grants totaling $409,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $40,000, with a median of $9,000. Among its largest grants were $40,000 to Sandusky Board of Education for a cultural center and scholarships; $35,000 to Back to the Wild for program funding; and $25,000 each to Care and Share of Erie County for program funding and Sandusky State Theatre for operating expenses. Other notable grants included $20,000 to Safe Harbor Domestic Violence, Second Harvest Food Bank, and Sandusky Education Foundation.
The foundation’s filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests may be submitted by letter, email, or fax. Applicants must be recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization and include a copy of that recognition with the application. The filing lists April 30 and September 30 deadlines.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Daniel C. Frohman as chairman; Dawson E. Foster and Andy Davis as trustees; and Donald G. Koch as former trustee.
Sidney Frohman Foundation is led by Daniel C. Frohman, Chairman on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Daniel C. Frohman
Chairman
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $15K (2025)
Dawson E. Foster
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2025)
Andy Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (2025)
Donald G. Koch
Former Trustee
Trustee → Former Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $2K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Donald J. Mazza (2020–2024) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $15K, to Daniel C Frohman (Chairman). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sidney Frohman Foundation
How much does Sidney Frohman Foundation give each year?
Sidney Frohman Foundation gave $409K across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $433K across 37 grants.
What is Sidney Frohman Foundation's typical grant size?
Sidney Frohman Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $9,000, and its average grant was $11,054, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sidney Frohman Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Sidney Frohman Foundation give grants?
Sidney Frohman Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sandusky, OH (22 grants), Huron, OH (5 grants), Toledo, OH (2 grants) and Columbus, OH (2 grants).
Does Sidney Frohman Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Sidney Frohman Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Funding" (32 grants).
Who are Sidney Frohman Foundation's largest grantees?
Sidney Frohman Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sandusky Board of Education ($40,000), Back to the Wild Inc ($35,000) and Care and Share of Erie County ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($3,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sidney Frohman Foundation?
Sidney Frohman Foundation reported $10.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $430K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $513K (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 Sidney Frohman Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing identifies humanitarian need, education, scholarships, and public-benefit projects as its funding areas. Its 2025 grants included support for education, food programs, domestic violence services, arts, and community programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sidney Frohman Foundation?
Sidney Frohman Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Sidney Frohman Foundation's EIN?
Sidney Frohman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6517809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sidney Frohman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sidney-frohman-foundation-morg_77b1d9c76bf6463ab1704b37d0c7440d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346517809_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sidney Frohman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sidney-frohman-foundation-morg_77b1d9c76bf6463ab1704b37d0c7440d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Sidney Frohman 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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