Sterling Schools Foundation
To promote excellence by finding creative and innovative projects for the staff and students of sterling's schools. Foundation monies allow the sterling school system to initiate, continue, or expand educational projects otherwise left without adequate money to proceed because of budgetary constraints or compelling priorities. The foundation is dedicated to the identification and funding of programs and projects that will raise the level of academic achievement of all sterling public school students. Our goal is to help provide the very best education for students as they prepare for challenges of life.
Sterling Schools Foundation at a glance
In short: Sterling Schools Foundation gave $511K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $511K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $510,502
- -41.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $510,502
- -41.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $510,502
- Total assets
- $7,914,542
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Sterling Schools Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sterling Schools Cusd No 5 ($511K).
Grant Size Distribution
6 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 4 grants of 6 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How Sterling Schools Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $383K (2023) to $914K (2019). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $511K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling Schools Cusd No 5 Sterling, IL | Auditorium Operation | $510,502 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,914,542 | $2,997,750 | $2,048,357 | $510,502 | 1 | $1,497,611 |
| 2024 | $7,690,825 | $1,559,586 | $1,836,322 | $874,514 | 1 | $416,408 |
| 2023 | $7,758,889 | $1,072,222 | $943,398 | $383,014 | 1 | $278,172 |
| 2022 | $7,391,480 | $1,221,484 | $1,089,418 | $510,515 | 1 | $405,858 |
| 2021 | $8,230,186 | $1,070,939 | $940,915 | $794,673 | 2 | $683,936 |
| 2020 | $6,790,270 | $840,660 | $1,050,389 | $855,968 | 2 | $193,303 |
| 2019 | $7,264,510 | $1,282,208 | $1,083,495 | $913,860 | 3 | $711,153 |
About Sterling Schools Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Sterling Schools Foundation is a public charity, based in Sterling, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $7.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $511K. Net investment income was $1.5M.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Sterling Schools Foundation is led by Scott Wolber, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Scott Wolber
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ed Andersen
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tad Everett
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pam Capes
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry McGuire
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Lee
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Ziegler
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim C. Spencer
Executive Di
Executive Director → Executive Di, 2024
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$50K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Alice Reter
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Sotelo
Treasurer
Treasuer → Treasurer, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter W. Dillon
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Greg Zeigler (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Maggie Wike (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Will Lee (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Paul Osborn (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Elroy Wylde (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Kristie Geil (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Marilyn Henry (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Russ Spitzer (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Paul Sandefer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jeff Gee (2019) — Director
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
Frequently asked questions about Sterling Schools Foundation
How much does Sterling Schools Foundation give each year?
Sterling Schools Foundation gave $511K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $875K across 1 grant.
How large is Sterling Schools Foundation?
Sterling Schools Foundation reported $7.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.0M.
Where does Sterling Schools Foundation operate?
Sterling Schools Foundation has awarded grants in Illinois.
What is Sterling Schools Foundation's EIN?
Sterling Schools Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3575698. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
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