Stearns Charitable Trust
The Stearns Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in 1947 in Massachusetts. The trust is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees. It functions as an independent foundation focused on grantmaking activities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.5M
+8.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$397K
-3.1% YoY
Grant Count
41
-4.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+1.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stearns Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $404K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust emphasizes support for cultural programs, including science museums, as well as libraries, community funds, environmental initiatives, aquariums, and social services.
Grantmaking
The Stearns Charitable Trust made 51 grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients include:
Ready to take the next step with Stearns Charitable Trust?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust has demonstrated funding activity in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, with grants to organizations in these regions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $8,480,788
- Total Revenues: $1,085,763
- Total Expenses: $454,895
- Investment Income and Dividends: $154,042
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $931,721
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,480,788 | $7,836,579 | $7,139,728 |
| Revenue | $1,085,763 | $239,343 | $229,359 |
| Expenses | $454,895 | $481,942 | $417,717 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $400,215 | $412,781 | $332,540 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,030,950 | $170,182 | $156,005 |
| Distributable Amount | $404,468 | $370,747 | $393,668 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
218 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Seekonk Land Conservation Trust ($47,440), Massachusetts Rivers Alliance ($38,000), Woodmere Art Museum ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BERKSHIRE MUSIC SCHOOL INC PITTSFIELD, MA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BRAIN HEALTH BOOTCAMP INC BROOKLYN, NY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BRIC ARTS MEDIA BKLYN INC (DBA BRIC) BROOKLYN, NY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| COMPASS FAMILY SERVICES SAN FRANCISCO, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL ARLINGTON, VA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION BOSTON, MA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CUTANEOUS LYMPHOMA FOUNDATION BIRMINGHAM, MI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE BOSTON, MA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP WASHINGTON, DC | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| GARDEN TIME INC PROVIDENCE, RI | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $2,444 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES A GASSEL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KIMBERLY B SOULE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARAH J LODGE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1650 Market Street, Floor 47, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7308
Telephone: 215-640-3432
EIN: 04-6036697
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Stearns Charitable Trust fund?
The trust emphasizes support for cultural programs, including science museums, as well as libraries, community funds, environmental initiatives, aquariums, and social services.
How do I apply for a grant from Stearns Charitable Trust?
The Stearns Charitable Trust made 51 grants in 2024. Recent grant recipients include: • Seekonk Land Conservation Trust: $47,440 (Program Support) • Massachusetts Rivers Alliance: $38,000 (Program Support) • Woodmere Art Museum: $30,000 (Program Support) • The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania The trust provides program support funding to its grantees.
Where does Stearns Charitable Trust make grants?
The trust has demonstrated funding activity in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, with grants to organizations in these regions.
What size grants does Stearns Charitable Trust award?
In 2024, Stearns Charitable Trust awarded 41 grants totaling $397K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Stearns Charitable Trust required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Stearns Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $404K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Stearns Charitable Trust's EIN?
Stearns Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6036697. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Stearns Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Assets
$9.1B
Grants
19,253
Total Given
$1.2B
Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$12.7B
Grants
7,424
Total Given
$3.0B
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
CHARLESTON SC, SC
Assets
$52.7M
Grants
1,860
Total Given
$41.4M
Boston Foundation Inc
BOSTON, MA
Assets
$1.9B
Grants
2,046
Total Given
$169.9M
The Rhode Island Community Foundation
PROVIDENCE, RI
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
977
Total Given
$72.0M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
Ge Aerospace Foundation
NORWALK, CT
Assets
$22.5M
Grants
2,467
Total Given
$15.3M
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
10,334
Total Given
$202.5M
Marin Community Foundation
NOVATO, CA
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,383
Total Given
$176.2M
The Chicago Community Trust
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$6.0B
Grants
3,976
Total Given
$1.4B
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Stearns Charitable Trust on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities