Sonsma Family Foundation
Sonsma Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Orange, California. Its 2024 filing reports 12 grants totaling $193,307, all listed as operational support.
Sonsma Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Sonsma Family Foundation gave $193K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in California. 55% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $193,307
- -8.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- -25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,109
- +22.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $11,000
- Total assets
- $483,413
- -20.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (6 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sonsma Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists William Melissa Sonsma as the application contact. It lists application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions as N/A.
- Contact
Application contact: William Melissa Sonsma
Mailing address: 8502 E Chapman Ave 410, Orange, CA 92869
Phone: (714) 908-5105
Email: william@sterkinv.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sonsma Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Salem Utheran High School ($50K). Together the top 10 received $179K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($12,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 84 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 5% to Florida, and 1% to Delaware.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sonsma Family Foundation open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 11 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 61% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 742% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $193K (2024) to $538K (2022). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $193K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Salem Utheran High School Orange, CA | Operational Support | $50,000 |
| Crean Lutheran High School Irvine, CA | Operational Support | $40,500 |
| Chapman University Orange, CA | Operational Support | $25,000 |
| Salem Lutheran Church Orange, CA | Operational Support | $24,000 |
| Charity on Wheels Placentia, CA | Operational Support | $12,155 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $12,000 |
| Lutheran High School Oc Orange CA, CA | Operational Support | $10,000 |
| Helping Hands Ministry Sarasota, FL | Operational Support | $10,000 |
| Christ the Center Ministries Anaheim, CA | Operational Support | $3,180 |
| Families See Free Claymont, DE | Operational Support | $2,472 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $483,413 | $74,754 | $197,485 | $193,307 | 12 | $193,307 | $20,576 | $26,069 |
| 2023 | $606,144 | $201,288 | $216,022 | $210,990 | 16 | $210,990 | — | $33,415 |
| 2022 | $620,878 | $790,600 | $542,918 | $538,345 | 23 | $538,345 | — | $37,858 |
| 2021 | $363,196 | $430,000 | $507,117 | $502,081 | 17 | $502,081 | — | $17,605 |
| 2020 | $440,313 | $284,000 | $414,570 | $410,270 | 16 | — | — | $25,909 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sonsma Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including schools, a university, a church, and charitable organizations; all 12 grants were listed for operational support.
Among its grantees, Chapman University describes its mission as providing “personalized education of distinction” that leads to “inquiring, ethical and productive lives as global citizens.” Charity On Wheels Inc says it works with people experiencing poverty and homelessness, with the goal of helping them toward self-reliance. Olive Crest says it serves children and families in crisis by providing safe homes, counseling, and education.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $193,307 through 12 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $50,000, with a median of $11,000. Notable grants included $50,000 to Salem Utheran High School, $40,500 to Crean Lutheran High School, $25,000 to Chapman University, and $24,000 to Salem Lutheran Church. Each was listed for operational support. Charity On Wheels Inc received $12,155, also listed for operational support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists William Sonsma as CFO.
Sonsma Family Foundation's only listed officer is William Sonsma, CFO on every filing since 2020 (uncompensated).
Officers on the 2024 filing
William Sonsma
CFO
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Sonsma Family Foundation
How much does Sonsma Family Foundation give each year?
Sonsma Family Foundation gave $193K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $211K across 16 grants.
What is Sonsma Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Sonsma Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $11,000, and its average grant was $16,109, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sonsma Family Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does Sonsma Family Foundation give grants?
Sonsma Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Florida (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Orange, CA (3 grants) and Anaheim, CA (2 grants).
Does Sonsma Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sonsma Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sonsma Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Sonsma Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Salem Utheran High School ($50,000), Crean Lutheran High School ($40,500) and Chapman University ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($12,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sonsma Family Foundation?
Sonsma Family Foundation reported $483K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $193K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sonsma Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including schools, a university, a church, and charitable organizations; all 12 grants were listed for operational support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sonsma Family Foundation?
The filing lists William Melissa Sonsma as the application contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sonsma Family Foundation's EIN?
Sonsma Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0908158. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Sonsma Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sonsma Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sonsma-family-foundation-morg_513aad0527bd4c2cbb890530be917843
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810908158_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sonsma Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sonsma-family-foundation-morg_513aad0527bd4c2cbb890530be917843},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Sonsma Family 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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