Slingshot Development Fund
Slingshot Development Fund is a private foundation based in Columbia, Missouri. It seeks to improve the living conditions of people from Burma who are living, or have lived, in the Tennaserim Region and their communities.
Slingshot Development Fund at a glance
In short: Slingshot Development Fund gave $500K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), top state Washington. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $499,923
- -4.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- +30.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $14,704
- -26.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,478
- Total assets
- $1,825,626
- -18.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (14 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Washington (2% 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 Slingshot Development Fund
- How to Apply
-
The fund accepts proposals, including from new applicants, and encourages new applicants to have a brief introductory conversation before submitting. Application forms may be obtained by written request, and the fund’s website provides proposal templates in English and Burmese. Proposals are reviewed by the board; submission deadlines are provided in the application materials.
- Review Cycle
- February 8, 2026.
- Deadline
- February 8, 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: Slingshot Development Fund
Mailing address: 6257 1St Ave Nw, Seattle, WA 98107
Phone: (206) 799-3954
Website: https://slingshotdf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Slingshot Development Fund
Who Slingshot Development Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Candlelight ($32K). Together the top 10 received $229K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($65,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 137 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund identifies the Tennaserim Region, Mon State, Thanintharyi Division, and other regions of Burma as areas of focus. Its first priority includes communities affected by the Yadana gas pipeline, generally between Ye and Tavoy; its second priority includes emergency humanitarian relief for people who have fled Burma across the Thai border. The fund also lists Karen State and the Myanmar South East Region among its target areas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Slingshot Development Fund open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 14 of 34 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $14K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 550% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $500K (2025) to $691K (2021). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $500K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $65,000 |
| Candlelight | Community Development | $31,530 |
| Youth Empowerment Program | Education Programs | $29,252 |
| Committee for the Internally | WORK | $28,975 |
| Takaw Brighter Future High School | School Operations | $27,460 |
| Human Rights Foundation of Monland | Humanitarian Relief | $20,000 |
| Spirit in Education Movement | Community Based Tourism | $20,000 |
| True Friends | Community Development | $19,145 |
| Dawei Development Association | Land & Environment Trainings | $19,086 |
| Saya Foundation | WORK | $16,637 |
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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 | $1,825,626 | $166,110 | $581,693 | $499,923 | 34 | $525,514 | $50,265 | $95,518 |
| 2024 | $2,230,700 | $242,945 | $610,207 | $521,337 | 26 | $544,665 | $58,041 | $118,457 |
| 2023 | $2,622,301 | $165,682 | $661,304 | $585,097 | 23 | $638,551 | $67,049 | $137,335 |
| 2022 | $3,006,153 | $110,260 | $592,083 | $531,048 | 25 | $556,776 | $58,494 | $170,227 |
| 2021 | $3,955,106 | $291,372 | $793,090 | $691,460 | 29 | $731,311 | $53,088 | $203,972 |
| 2020 | $4,367,450 | $310,210 | $632,193 | $540,792 | 15 | — | $94,757 | $224,688 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Slingshot Development Fund reported a distributable amount of $96K 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 fund’s stated mission is to improve living conditions for people from Burma who are living, or have lived, in the Tennaserim Region and their communities. Its first priority is community-based organizations, local initiatives, and emergency relief projects benefiting people affected by the Yadana gas pipeline, generally defined as the area between Ye and Tavoy. Its second priority is critical emergency humanitarian relief in other regions of Burma or for people who have fled Burma across the Thai border.
The fund also identifies Thanintharyi Division and Mon State, and urgent needs such as humanitarian relief, education, and food security, as priorities. It does not fund political parties, governments, armed organizations, microfinance initiatives or organizations, or individual applicants.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund awarded 26 grants totaling $521,337. Grant amounts ranged from $4,383 to $75,000, with a median of $17,324. The largest awards included $75,000 to an individual recipient for an emergency grant; $50,043 to Tennaserim River Indigeneous for community development; $31,543 to Dawei Watch Media and $30,387 to Dakhina News for local media and community development; and $30,000 each to Tarkawpaw and True Friends for community development. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 34 grants totaling $499,923.
The fund awarded 23 grants totaling $585,097 in 2023 and 25 grants totaling $531,048 in 2022. Its current call invites proposals for consideration at a March 2026 board meeting. The fund says it usually supports one-year projects and also welcomes six-month proposals for new initiatives starting in March or April 2026. It describes itself as a small, flexible funder with limited capacity for large awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Khin Zarchi Latt as secretary; Ka Hsaw Wa and Zunetta Herbert as directors; Nai Aue Mon as vice president; Marco Simons as president; Larry Dohrs as treasurer; and Tar Yar Maung (also listed as Naw Htee Hser Kh) and Jennie Green as directors.
Slingshot Development Fund is led by Marco Simons, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marco Simons
President
Director → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zunetta Herbert
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennie Green
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ka Hsaw Wa
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tar Yar Maung Aka Naw Htee Hser Kh
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Dohrs
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$24K (2021) → $0 (2025)
Khin Zarchi Latt
Secretary
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
$31K (2023) → $0 (2025)
Nai Aue Mon
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Naing Htoo (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Janelle Choi Hillhouse (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Katherine Redford (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Ko Kyaw Thu (2020) — Director
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 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $31K, to Khin Zarchi Latt (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about Slingshot Development Fund
How much does Slingshot Development Fund give each year?
Slingshot Development Fund gave $500K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $521K across 26 grants.
What is Slingshot Development Fund's typical grant size?
Slingshot Development Fund's median grant in 2025 was $12,478, and its average grant was $14,704, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Slingshot Development Fund that year got $10K on average.
Does Slingshot Development Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on Slingshot Development Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Work" (13 grants), "Community Development" (5 grants) and "School Operations" (3 grants).
Who are Slingshot Development Fund's largest grantees?
Slingshot Development Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Candlelight ($31,530), Youth Empowerment Program ($29,252) and Committee for the Internally ($28,975), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($65,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Slingshot Development Fund?
Slingshot Development Fund reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $526K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $96K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Slingshot Development Fund fund?
The fund’s stated mission is to improve living conditions for people from Burma who are living, or have lived, in the Tennaserim Region and their communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Slingshot Development Fund?
The fund accepts proposals, including from new applicants, and encourages new applicants to have a brief introductory conversation before submitting. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Slingshot Development Fund make grants?
The fund identifies the Tennaserim Region, Mon State, Thanintharyi Division, and other regions of Burma as areas of focus. Its first priority includes communities affected by the Yadana gas pipeline, generally between Ye and Tavoy; its second priority includes emergency humanitarian relief for people who have fled Burma across the Thai border.
What is Slingshot Development Fund's EIN?
Slingshot Development Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-0579461. 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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