Simkiss Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Newtown Square, PA EIN: 25-6837939

The Simkiss Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It makes grants or contributions to other 501(c)(3) organizations, principally public charities.

Key facts about Simkiss Family Foundation

In short: Simkiss Family Foundation gave $33K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
25-6837939
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$32,500
Grants made (2025)
31
Average grant
$1,048
Median grant
$500
New grantees (estimate)
6% first-time grantees (2 of 31, 2025)
Total assets
$384,475
Primary geography
Pennsylvania (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$384K

-8.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$33K

+3.2% YoY

Grant Count

31

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$1K

+3.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Simkiss Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Simkiss Family Foundation open to new grantees?

6%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 31 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $625; repeat grants $1K. How we count

Medians: $625 first-time, $500 repeat.

  • 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+12%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 158% 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation does not state a mission in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including health care, conservation, the arts, education, and public policy. For example, Willistown Conservation Trust describes its mission as preserving and managing open land and natural resources in the Willistown area and nearby communities. Judicial Watch says it works to promote government integrity, transparency, and accountability through advocacy, litigation, monitoring, and investigation. Commonwealth Foundation describes its work as research and education about public policy issues.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 31 grants totaling $32,500. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $15,000, with a median of $500. Its largest 2025 grants included $15,000 to Paoli Hospital Foundation, $3,000 to Willistown Conservation Trust, and $1,500 to Judicial Watch. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Academy of Vocal Arts, Commonwealth Foundation, Tunnel to Towers, and Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation.

How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, Pennsylvania organizations received 80% of grant dollars. Other recipient-state shares included DC (6%), NY (3%), VA (3%), and DE (2%).

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.

Cities

MalvernWashingtonPhiladelphiaMediaRestonAuburnClaremontDrexel HillIndianapolisMemphisNewtown SquarePaoliValley ForgeArlingtonNew YorkBerwynChadds FordMidlandStaten IslandAtlanta

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K$40K23 grants2020 22 grants2021 30 grants2022 38 grants2023 31 grants2024 31 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $22K (2020) to $33K (2023). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $33K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Paoli Hospital Foundation: $15KPaoli Hospital Foundation$15KWillistown Conservation Trust: $3KWillistown Conservation Trust$3KJudicial Watch: $2KJudicial Watch$2KAcademy of Vocal Arts: $1KAcademy of Vocal Arts$1KCommonwealth Foundation: $1KCommonwealth Foundation$1KTunnel to Towers: $1KTunnel to Towers$1KBryn Mawr Hospital Foundation: $1KBryn Mawr Hospital Foundation$1KAmigo De Jesus Orphanage: $500Amigo De Jesus Orphanage$500Bonner & Prendergast Catholic School: $500Bonner & Prendergast CatholicSchool$500Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art: $500Brandywine Conservancy andMuseum of Art$500

The largest 2025 recipient was Paoli Hospital Foundation ($15K). Together the top 10 received $25K.

Grant Size Distribution

152 grants across all recorded years

152<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 152 grants of 152 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Paoli Hospital Foundation Paoli, PAGeneral$15,000
Willistown Conservation Trust Newtown Square, PAGeneral$3,000
Judicial Watch Washington, DCGeneral$1,500
Academy of Vocal Arts Philadelphia, PAGeneral$1,000
Commonwealth Foundation Harrisburg, PAGeneral$1,000
Tunnel to Towers Staten Island, NYGeneral$1,000
Bryn Mawr Hospital Foundation Bryn Mawr, PAGeneral$1,000
Amigo De Jesus Orphanage Malvern, PAGeneral$500
Bonner & Prendergast Catholic School Drexel Hill, PAGeneral$500
Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art Chadds Ford, PAGeneral$500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants Grant total
2025 31 $32,500
2024 31 $31,500
2023 38 $32,950
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
$0$25K$50K$75K$100K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$384,475$419,075$452,597
Expenses$34,600$33,522$32,965
Qualifying Distributions$32,500$31,500$32,950
Distributable Amount$20,508$22,184$23,890

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 28, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists John A Simkiss and Sharon Merhige as trustees.

Simkiss Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John A. Simkiss

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sharon Merhige

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/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.

Contact

Mailing address: 656 Golf Club Rd, Newtown Square, PA 19073
Phone: (215) 569-5721

Frequently asked questions about Simkiss Family Foundation

How much does Simkiss Family Foundation give each year?

Simkiss Family Foundation gave $33K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $32K across 31 grants.

What is Simkiss Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Simkiss Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,048, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Simkiss Family Foundation that year got $625 on average.

Where does Simkiss Family Foundation give grants?

Simkiss Family Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (4 grants), Malvern, PA (4 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Media, PA (2 grants).

Does Simkiss Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Simkiss Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (31 of 31) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Simkiss Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Simkiss Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Paoli Hospital Foundation ($15,000), Willistown Conservation Trust ($3,000) and Judicial Watch ($1,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Simkiss Family Foundation?

Simkiss Family Foundation reported $384K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $33K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Simkiss Family Foundation fund?

The foundation does not state a mission in the available information. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in areas including health care, conservation, the arts, education, and public policy. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Simkiss Family Foundation?

The foundation 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 Simkiss Family Foundation's EIN?

Simkiss Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6837939. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Simkiss Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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