Sills Family Foundation
The Sills Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1993 and based in Richmond, Vermont. The foundation operates as a family-run grantmaking organization with a focus on supporting marginalized families and communities facing systemic barriers to success.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.1M
-1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-19.8% YoY
Grant Count
7
+40.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$202K
-42.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sills Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Sills Family Foundation's mission is to ensure that marginalized families have the tools and support they need to live up to their highest promise. The foundation concentrates its grantmaking across four primary program areas:
Comprehensive Services to Families in Crisis With a special focus on families impacted by incarceration, the foundation supports programs that strengthen parent-child bonds during incarceration through prison visit facilitation, child-sensitive visiting areas in correctional facilities, parenting education for incarcerated parents, and family support during re-entry. The foundation also addresses bail system inequities, prevents juvenile detention, and provides legal services to low-income populations. Additionally, the foundation supports higher education and arts programming within correctional facilities and participates in policy-focused initiatives including the NY Initiative for Children with Incarcerated Parents and the New York Youth Justice Initiative.
Support to Underserved Communities The foundation works to improve access to early education and reduce neighborhood violence in low-income communities and schools that experience disproportionate rates of school suspensions, violence, and criminal justice involvement.
Environmental Justice The foundation concentrates on reducing contaminants that harm babies, fetuses, and developing embryos.
Community-Based Arts and Culture The foundation supports arts education and creative opportunities that advance social justice ideals and serve underserved populations.
Grantmaking
In fiscal year 2024, the foundation reported total giving of approximately $1.415 million. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $2,127,000. Recent documented grants include a $1,753,858 grant to The Boston Foundation, $5,600 to Philanthropy New York, and $3,000 to the New Rochelle Council on the Arts.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including Bennington, Bloomfield, Boston, Bronx, Brooklyn, Larchmont, Montpelier, New Rochelle, New York, Oakland, Washington, and White Plains. Primary geographic focus areas include California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024)
- Total Assets: $11,050,852
- Total Revenue: $1,446,711
- Investment Income and Dividends: $913,670
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $571,695
Expenses & Liabilities (2024)
- Total Expenses: $1,593,753
- Total Liabilities: $0
Staffing The foundation operates with zero employees, relying on family board members for governance and management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,050,852 | $11,197,894 | $11,677,955 |
| Revenue | $1,446,711 | $1,485,365 | $2,373,977 |
| Expenses | $1,593,753 | $1,965,426 | $3,373,284 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,415,000 | $1,764,458 | $3,147,600 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,395,609 | $1,431,800 | $2,322,333 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,453,248 | $1,579,524 | $1,782,776 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
38 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Sills Family Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Boston Foundation ($1,400,000), Doula Project ($10,000), New Rochelle Council on the Arts ($1,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Foundation Boston, MA | Charitable Giving | $1,400,000 |
| New Rochelle Council on the Arts New Rochelle, NY | Charitable Giving | $1,000 |
| Doula Project New York, NY | Charitable Giving | $10,000 |
| New Neighbors Partnership New York, NY | Charitable Giving | $1,000 |
| Westhab Yonkers, NY | Charitable Giving | $1,000 |
| Our Childrens Trust Eugene, OR | Charitable Giving | $1,000 |
| UPRose Brooklyn, NY | Charitable Giving | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by family members with professional expertise in social work, education, law, and environmental research:
- Arthur Sills - President (compensation: $10,000 for 5 hours per week)
- Peter Sills - Vice President (compensation: $10,000 for 5 hours per week)
- Deborah Sills Iarussi - Secretary (compensation: $70,000 for 40 hours per week)
- Larry Sills - Director (no compensation)
The foundation traces its origins to Nathaniel Sills, born at the turn of the 20th century to immigrant parents from Eastern Europe. Nathaniel graduated from Harvard Law School and worked at Standard Motor Products (founded by his father-in-law Elias Fife) until his death at age 93. He instilled strong values of social responsibility in his descendants, who now manage the foundation as a family-run organization.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deborah Sills Iarussi | Secretary | 40 | $70,000 |
| Arthur Sills | President | 5 | $10,000 |
| Peter Sills | Vice President | 5 | $10,000 |
| Larry Sills | Director | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: PO Box 425, Richmond, VT 05477-0425
Phone: 802-264-9629
EIN: 52-1790278
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sills Family Foundation fund?
The Sills Family Foundation's mission is to ensure that marginalized families have the tools and support they need to live up to their highest promise. The foundation concentrates its grantmaking across four primary program areas: **Comprehensive Services to Families in Crisis** With a special focus on families impacted by incarceration, the foundation supports programs that strengthen parent-child bonds during incarceration through prison visit facilitation, child-sensitive visiting areas in c…
How do I apply for a grant from Sills Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts** In fiscal year 2024, the foundation reported total giving of approximately $1.415 million. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $2,127,000. Recent documented grants include a $1,753,858 grant to The Boston Foundation, $5,600 to Philanthropy New York, and $3,000 to the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. **Financial Profile** • 2024 Revenue: $1,446,711 • 2024 Expenses: $1,593,753 • 2024 Total Assets: $11,050,852 • 2024 Net Income: -$147,042
Where does Sills Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including Bennington, Bloomfield, Boston, Bronx, Brooklyn, Larchmont, Montpelier, New Rochelle, New York, Oakland, Washington, and White Plains. Primary geographic focus areas include California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont.
What size grants does Sills Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Sills Family Foundation awarded 7 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $202K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sills Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sills Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sills Family Foundation's EIN?
Sills Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1790278. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sills Family Foundation'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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