Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art is a private foundation based in Boston, Massachusetts. Its 2024 filing reports 13 grants totaling $86,630 to organizations in several states, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Massachusetts.
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art at a glance
In short: Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art gave $87K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in Massachusetts. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $86,630
- -27.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- -23.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,664
- -5.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $932,967
- +8.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (90% 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 Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Shalin Liu as the contact. It says an application should clearly explain how the foundation’s charitable purpose will be furthered. The filing states there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Shalin Liu
Mailing address: C/O Captrust One Liberty Square, 13Th Fl, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (617) 488-2700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Robinson Middle School ($42K). Together the top 10 received $86K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 64 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts, 6% to Indiana, 3% to California, and 1% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 330% 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 $87K (2024) to $147K (2020). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $87K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Robinson Middle School Lowell, MA | Unrestricted | $42,000 |
| Trustees of Tufts College North Grafton, MA | Cummings School of Vet Med | $22,500 |
| City of Bloomington Bloomington, IN | Parks and Recreation | $4,860 |
| Greater Boston Chinese Alliance Church (GBCCA) West Newton, MA | Unrestricted | $3,125 |
| Lucile Packand Foundation for Children's Health Palo Alto, CA | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Rockport Art Assn and Museum Rockport, MA | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Rockport Music Rockport, MA | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| Woodwell Climate Research Center Falmouth, MA | Unrestricted | $3,000 |
| New England Chinese Youth Summer Camp (Necysc) West Newton, MA | Unrestricted | $1,320 |
| Student Conservation Association Arlington, VA | Unrestricted | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art?
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 | $932,967 | $270,505 | $200,981 | $86,630 | 13 | $142,243 | — | $43,146 |
| 2023 | $863,443 | $246,087 | $146,019 | $119,289 | 17 | $132,041 | $107,875 | $40,222 |
| 2022 | $763,375 | $16,090 | $196,754 | $109,720 | 14 | $153,120 | — | $46,087 |
| 2021 | $944,039 | $76,301 | $147,633 | $132,838 | 9 | $139,993 | $36,910 | $56,525 |
| 2020 | $1,015,371 | $207,092 | $189,413 | $147,399 | 11 | — | — | $54,045 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art reported a distributable amount of $43K for 2024 — 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 2024 grant records show support for a range of organizations. For example, Rockport Music says its mission is to inspire a love and understanding of music through live performances and creative learning opportunities. Woodwell Climate Research Center says it conducts science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature. Sudbury Valley Trustees says it works to protect natural areas and farmland for wildlife and people in 36 communities around the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $86,630. Grants ranged from $50 to $42,000, with a median grant of $3,000. Larger grants included $42,000 to Robinson Middle School in Lowell, Massachusetts, for an unrestricted purpose; $22,500 to the Trustees of Tufts College for the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine; and $4,860 to the City of Bloomington for parks and recreation. Other listed grants included $3,000 each to Rockport Art Association and Museum, Rockport Music, and Woodwell Climate Research Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Shalin Liu is listed on the 2024 filing as director and president, serving as needed.
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art is led by Shalin Liu, Director & President - As Needed on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Shalin Liu
Director & President - As Needed
On filings since 2020
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 Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art
How much does Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art give each year?
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art gave $87K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $119K across 17 grants.
What is Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's typical grant size?
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's median grant in 2024 was $3,000, and its average grant was $6,664, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art that year got $3K on average.
Where does Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art give grants?
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art gives mostly in Massachusetts: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Indiana (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Rockport, MA (2 grants), West Newton, MA (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art give general operating support?
Yes: 85% of Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's largest grantees?
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's largest 2024 grantees include Robinson Middle School ($42,000), Trustees of Tufts College ($22,500) and City of Bloomington ($4,860), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art?
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art reported $933K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $142K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $43K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grant records show support for a range of organizations. For example, Rockport Music says its mission is to inspire a love and understanding of music through live performances and creative learning opportunities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art?
The filing lists Shalin Liu as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's EIN?
Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3504566. 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/summer-star-foundation-for-nature-art-morg_9e87dbba57904a10a1023056f426f69e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043504566_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/summer-star-foundation-for-nature-art-morg_9e87dbba57904a10a1023056f426f69e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Summer Star Foundation for Nature Art'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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