Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 19 grants totaling $16,474 to organizations.
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation at a glance
In short: Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation gave $16K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $867.053), top state New York. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,474
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +5.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $867
- +1.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $295,125
- -2.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (4 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (31% 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 Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2023 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. as the application contact and identifies an online grants form and materials. Awards are limited to organizations described as public charities under IRC Section 501(c)(3); no grants are made to individuals.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Jp Morgan Chase Bank N A
Mailing address: 10 S Dearborn Il1-0111, Chicago, IL 60603
Phone: (800) 496-2583
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Operation Unite New York Inc ($2K). Together the top 10 received $12K.
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 95 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (31%), the District of Columbia (16%), Iowa (13%), New Hampshire (13%), and Idaho (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 19 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $873; repeat grants $866. How we count
Medians: $949 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $15K (2020) to $18K (2022). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $16K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Operation Unite New York Inc Hudson, NY | General | $1,795 |
| Olana Partnership Hudson, NY | General | $1,500 |
| The Naraya Cultural Preservation Council Inc Pocatello, ID | General | $1,295 |
| Fairfield Cares Inc Fairfield, IA | General | $1,098 |
| Patient Access Network Foundation Washington, DC | General | $1,098 |
| Sustainable Iowa Land Trust West Branch, IA | General | $1,098 |
| Lakes Region Food Pantry Moultonborough, NH | General | $1,095 |
| Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | General | $1,000 |
| Alaska Wildness League Washington, DC | General | $1,000 |
| Fisher House Foundation Inc Rockville, MD | General | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation?
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 | $295,125 | $16,873 | $25,011 | $16,474 | 19 | $19,563 | $11,520 | $20,417 |
| 2024 | $303,265 | $12,615 | $23,704 | $15,435 | 18 | $18,356 | $7,411 | $19,698 |
| 2023 | $314,054 | $12,798 | $24,263 | $16,675 | 19 | $19,388 | $7,895 | $18,348 |
| 2022 | $325,019 | $7,106 | $25,945 | $17,585 | 19 | $20,489 | $4,666 | $19,076 |
| 2021 | $343,901 | $17,439 | $25,932 | $17,184 | 20 | — | $10,996 | $22,191 |
| 2020 | $351,005 | $12,286 | $24,830 | $15,375 | 20 | — | $7,244 | $19,441 |
| 2019 | $362,675 | $57,744 | $24,234 | $15,926 | 19 | — | $52,826 | $17,543 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20K 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 went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Operation Unite New York says it serves youth through arts and education programs, while Sustainable Iowa Land Trust says it works to permanently protect Iowa land to grow healthy food. Patient Access Network Foundation describes its work as helping people access treatment and supporting patients on their healthcare journeys.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $16,474. Grants ranged from $300 to $1,795, with a median grant of $1,000. Among the largest were $1,795 to Operation Unite New York, $1,500 to Olana Partnership, $1,295 to The Naraya Cultural Preservation, and $1,098 each to Fairfield Cares, Patient Access Network Foundation, and Sustainable Iowa Land Trust. Other 2025 grants included $1,000 to Fisher House Foundation, $495 to World Central Kitchen, and $300 to Loon Preservation Committee.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Blythe Sterling, Katharine Parks Sterling, R Dutcher Sterling II, Sarah Hoe Sterling, and Cynthia Sterling as co-trustees.
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
JP Morgan Chase Bank NA
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $8K (2025)
Blythe Sterling
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Sterling
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katharine Parks Sterling
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. Dutcher Sterling II
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Hoe Sterling
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: JP Morgan Chase Bank N A (2021–2022) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $8K, to JP Morgan Chase Bank NA (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation
How much does Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation give each year?
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation gave $16K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15K across 18 grants.
What is Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's typical grant size?
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $867, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation that year got $873 on average.
Where does Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation give grants?
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's top state is New York, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (16%) and Iowa (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants), Hudson, NY (2 grants) and Moultonborough, NH (2 grants).
Does Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's largest grantees?
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Operation Unite New York Inc ($1,795), Olana Partnership ($1,500) and The Naraya Cultural Preservation Council Inc ($1,295), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation?
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation reported $295K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $20K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation?
The foundation’s 2023 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's EIN?
Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6057010. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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 2024 (received by the IRS April 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 2, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 5, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sterling-fund-and-fellowship-foundation-morg_17ea01ffa1764fbab3726fbf3c3fe615
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_066057010_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sterling Fund and Fellowship Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sterling-fund-and-fellowship-foundation-morg_17ea01ffa1764fbab3726fbf3c3fe615},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Sterling Fund and Fellowship 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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