Simson First Foundation
Simson First Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbus, Ohio. In 2025, it reported making contributions to 27 preselected charitable organizations, supporting grantees whose work included religious, cultural, medical, and educational purposes.
Simson First Foundation at a glance
In short: Simson First Foundation gave $25K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $931.222), top state Ohio. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $25,143
- -60.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- -12.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $931
- -55.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $800
- Total assets
- $74,755
- -23.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (11 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (38% 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 Simson First Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1221 Bryden Road, Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: (212) 721-5409
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Simson First Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was She'arim USA Charitable Trust ($5K). Together the top 10 received $17K.
Grant Size Distribution
134 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 134 grants of 134 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to organizations in Ohio (38%), Florida (30%), Pennsylvania (20%), Virginia (10%), and Massachusetts (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Simson First Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 27 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $791. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $745 repeat.
- 37% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 54% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 625% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $12K (2023) to $64K (2024). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $25K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| She'arim USA Charitable Trust Bala Cynwyd, PA | Religious | $5,000 |
| American Horticultural Society Alexandria, VA | Cultural | $2,500 |
| Little Garden Club of Columbus Blacklick, OH | Cultural | $2,500 |
| Pelotonia Columbus, OH | Medical | $1,149 |
| Eckerd College St Petersburg, FL | Educational | $1,000 |
| Florida Botanical Garden Largo, FL | Cultural | $1,000 |
| Florida Holocaust Museum St Petersburg, FL | Educational | $1,000 |
| Greater Cols Arts Council Cols, OH | Cultural | $1,000 |
| Lori Schottenstein Chabad New Albany, OH | Religious | $1,000 |
| Museum American Arts Craft Movement St Petersburg, FL | Cultural | $1,000 |
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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 | $74,755 | $2,631 | $26,279 | $25,143 | 27 | $26,279 | $2,631 | $4,207 |
| 2024 | $97,604 | $7,906 | $66,038 | $64,299 | 31 | $65,410 | $7,906 | $6,129 |
| 2023 | $155,736 | $7,486 | $13,097 | $12,134 | 32 | $13,051 | $7,486 | $7,704 |
| 2022 | $161,347 | $1,216 | $17,174 | $16,275 | 26 | $17,174 | $1,216 | $8,304 |
| 2021 | $176,573 | $1,081 | $16,750 | $15,822 | 18 | $16,750 | $1,031 | $9,152 |
| 2020 | $192,242 | $3,128 | $24,244 | $23,310 | 26 | — | $3,128 | $10,036 |
| 2019 | $213,359 | $6,512 | $19,519 | $18,634 | 19 | — | $4,852 | $10,650 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Simson First Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4K 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for religious organizations, cultural institutions, medical causes, and education. For example, the American Horticultural Society describes its mission as inspiring gardening and horticultural practices that sustain healthy, beautiful communities and a livable planet. Pelotonia says it works to accelerate innovative cancer research. Eckerd College describes its mission as providing undergraduate liberal arts education and lifelong learning programs in Florida.
Other 2025 recipients described their work as nurturing Columbus’s Short North arts district (Short North Alliance), providing “great experiences with great art for everyone” (Columbus Museum of Art), and elevating contemporary glass art through exhibitions, education, and research (Imagine Museum Corporation). Stonewall Columbus describes its work as human-rights advocacy and education for the Central Ohio LGBTQ community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $25,143. Grant amounts ranged from $35 to $5,000, with a median of $800.
Among the largest reported grants were $5,000 to She’arim USA Charitable Trust for religious purposes; $2,500 each to the American Horticultural Society and Little Garden Club of Columbus for cultural purposes; and $1,149 to Pelotonia for medical purposes. Other 2025 recipients included Eckerd College ($1,000), Florida Botanical Garden ($1,000), Florida Holocaust Museum ($1,000), Greater Columbus Arts Council ($1,000), Lori Schottenstein Chabad ($1,000), Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement ($1,000), Naples Botanical Garden ($1,000), and Selby Gardens ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sherran S Blair as president, Dee Kates as secretary/treasurer, Kay Rothman as vice president, and Kory Blair Farkas as trustee.
Simson First Foundation is led by Sherran S. Blair, President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sherran S. Blair
President
President & Trustee → President, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kory Blair Farkas
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dee Kates
Secretary
Secretary, Treasurer & Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2021
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kay Rothman
Vice President
Vice President & Trustee → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kory Blair (2019–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Simson First Foundation
How much does Simson First Foundation give each year?
Simson First Foundation gave $25K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $64K across 31 grants.
What is Simson First Foundation's typical grant size?
Simson First Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $800, and its average grant was $931, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Simson First Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Simson First Foundation give grants?
Simson First Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (30%) and Pennsylvania (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (9 grants) and St Petersburg, FL (4 grants).
Does Simson First Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on Simson First Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Cultural" (20 grants) and "Educational" (4 grants).
Who are Simson First Foundation's largest grantees?
Simson First Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include She'arim USA Charitable Trust ($5,000), American Horticultural Society ($2,500) and Little Garden Club of Columbus ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Simson First Foundation?
Simson First Foundation reported $75K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $26K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Simson First Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for religious organizations, cultural institutions, medical causes, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Simson First 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 Simson First Foundation's EIN?
Simson First Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-0935291. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Simson First 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 18, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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