Stearns Charitable Trust
Stearns Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including marine conservation, river protection, arts, education, family services, and health.
Stearns Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: Stearns Charitable Trust gave $450K across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), top state Massachusetts. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $450,000
- +13.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- +2.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,714
- +10.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,519,406
- +12.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (7 of 42, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Stearns Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1650 Market Street Floor 47, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 640-3432
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stearns Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ($55K). Together the top 10 received $243K.
Grant Size Distribution
210 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 209 grants of 210 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Massachusetts received 34% of grant dollars, California 27%, Virginia 13%, Pennsylvania 11%, and New York 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stearns Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 42 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 37% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% 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 $329K (2022) to $450K (2025). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $450K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Alexandria, VA | Program Support | $55,000 |
| Massachusetts Rivers Alliance Cambridge, MA | Program Support | $40,000 |
| Woodmere Art Museum Philadelphia, PA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CA | Program Support | $20,000 |
| University of California San Francisco Foundation (Uscf Foundation) San Francisco, CA | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Wheaton College Norton, MA | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Compass Family Services San Francisco, CA | Program Support | $17,500 |
| Bric Arts Media BKLYN Inc (DBA Bric) Brooklyn, NY | Program Support | $15,000 |
| Saint Ignatius School San Francisco, CA | Program Support | $15,000 |
| Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation Birmingham, MI | Program Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Stearns Charitable Trust?
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 | $9,519,406 | $1,371,974 | $536,385 | $450,000 | 42 | $452,265 | $1,316,435 | $432,035 |
| 2024 | $8,480,788 | $1,085,763 | $454,895 | $396,657 | 41 | $400,215 | $1,030,950 | $404,468 |
| 2023 | $7,836,579 | $239,343 | $481,942 | $409,331 | 43 | $412,781 | $170,182 | $370,747 |
| 2022 | $7,139,728 | $229,359 | $417,717 | $329,000 | 39 | $332,540 | $156,005 | $393,668 |
| 2021 | $9,422,718 | $818,298 | $488,682 | $396,000 | 45 | $399,320 | $738,184 | $453,658 |
| 2020 | $8,805,611 | $620,404 | $447,661 | $360,000 | 51 | — | $548,771 | $374,900 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stearns Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $432K 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 Trust is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society describes its mission as protecting marine wildlife and ocean ecosystems, while Massachusetts Rivers Alliance says it works to protect and restore Massachusetts rivers and streams. Woodmere Art Museum describes its mission as inspiring creativity and learning through Philadelphia-area art and artists; Compass Family Services says it helps homeless families and families at imminent risk achieve housing stability and well-being.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Trust awarded 42 grants totaling $450,000. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $55,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest awards included $55,000 to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, $40,000 to Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, and $30,000 to Woodmere Art Museum. Other notable grants included $20,000 each to Stanford University, the University of California San Francisco Foundation, and Wheaton College, and $17,500 to Compass Family Services. The listed 2025 grants were designated for program support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James A Gassel, Kimberly B Soule, and Sarah J Lodge as trustees.
Stearns Charitable Trust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James A. Gassel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly B. Soule
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah J. Lodge
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.
Frequently asked questions about Stearns Charitable Trust
How much does Stearns Charitable Trust give each year?
Stearns Charitable Trust gave $450K across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $397K across 41 grants.
What is Stearns Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
Stearns Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,714, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stearns Charitable Trust that year got $6K on average.
Where does Stearns Charitable Trust give grants?
Stearns Charitable Trust's top state is Massachusetts, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (27%) and Virginia (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (4 grants), San Francisco, CA (3 grants), Seekonk, MA (3 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does Stearns Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on Stearns Charitable Trust's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (42 grants).
Who are Stearns Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
Stearns Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ($55,000), Massachusetts Rivers Alliance ($40,000) and Woodmere Art Museum ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Stearns Charitable Trust?
Stearns Charitable Trust reported $9.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $452K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $432K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Stearns Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the Trust is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stearns Charitable Trust?
The foundation states that it 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 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 2020–2025.
Does Stearns Charitable Trust 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.
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 March 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Stearns Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Pennsylvania
Boston Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
The Boston Foundation funds nonprofits and community initiatives focused on equity and opportunity, including child well-being, economic opportunity, community wealth, and community leadership, primarily in Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, while specific programs offer amounts such as $50,000; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$2.1B
Grants
2,375
Total Given
$228.4M
The Rhode Island Community Foundation
Providence, RI
The Rhode Island Community Foundation funds nonprofits and community efforts in areas including education, arts and culture, housing, health, climate action, and economic mobility. Its 2024 grants had a median of about $23,940, with giving concentrated in Rhode Island; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
977
Total Given
$72.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds work in affordable housing and homelessness, community resilience and power, as well as social services, education, arts and conservation, with a focus on marginalized Marin County residents and some broader U.S. and international grantmaking. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Pittsburgh, PA
The Pittsburgh Foundation funds nonprofits working in basic needs, equity and social justice, environmental action, arts and culture, and economic mobility, with most opportunities for organizations in Allegheny County or primarily serving its residents. Its 2024 grants had a median amount of about $18,600, though awards varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
1,132
Total Given
$64.0M
The William Penn Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
The William Penn Foundation funds arts and culture, children and families, civic participation, the environment and public spaces, and workforce training, primarily in the Philadelphia region. Its 2024 median grant was $50,000, though awards varied widely. It accepts unsolicited requests through limited open applications and invites letters of inquiry from public charities.
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
1,027
Total Given
$148.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Pennsylvania
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stearns Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stearns-charitable-trust-morg_04f818119a86475eab1bc26ff7a928fa
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046036697_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stearns Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stearns-charitable-trust-morg_04f818119a86475eab1bc26ff7a928fa},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Stearns Charitable Trust'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.
Stearns Charitable Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?