Sunlight Foundation
Sunlight Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashville, Tennessee. Its website states that it has been inactive since September 2020 and is maintained as a static archive; its 2024 filing nevertheless reports grants made that year.
Sunlight Foundation at a glance
In short: Sunlight Foundation gave $414K across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), top state Texas. 19% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $413,900
- -15.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- -4.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,814
- -11.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,400
- Total assets
- $4,701,659
- -1.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (4 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (36% 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 Sunlight Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 150123, Nashville, TN 37215
Website: https://sunlightfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sunlight Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Baylor University ($150K). Together the top 10 received $352K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 116 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Texas (36%), Nebraska (19%), and Tennessee (12%). New York and Louisiana each received 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sunlight Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 21 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 81% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 84% 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 (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 $308K (2020) to $489K (2023). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $414K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor University Waco, TX | Scholarship fund | $150,000 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund Omaha, NE | Charitable Fund | $80,000 |
| Cotton Tree Foundation Brentwood, TN | General Operations | $31,000 |
| United Methodist World Misssion New York, NY | Staff Support | $20,000 |
| Mexican Indian Training Center Shreveport, LA | Operations | $20,000 |
| Youth Serving Christ Anderson, IN | General Operations | $15,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $10,000 |
| Samaritans Purse Boone, NC | Project Support | $10,000 |
| Al Hayat Chesapeake, VA | Staff Support | $9,600 |
| Missionary Flights International Fort Pierce, FL | Staff Support | $8,400 |
Ready to take the next step with Sunlight 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,701,659 | $452,992 | $500,442 | $413,900 | 22 | $419,816 | $365,025 | $502,457 |
| 2023 | $4,750,760 | $466,571 | $559,338 | $489,200 | 23 | $492,071 | $396,655 | $446,312 |
| 2022 | $4,843,527 | $447,824 | $526,093 | $445,000 | 26 | $456,868 | $94,250 | $442,958 |
| 2021 | $4,921,796 | $623,082 | $430,088 | $359,868 | 23 | $360,023 | $193,234 | $455,125 |
| 2020 | $4,728,804 | $519,258 | $361,761 | $307,893 | 22 | — | $220,764 | $350,416 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sunlight Foundation reported a distributable amount of $502K 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
The organization’s stated mission was to make government and politics more accountable and transparent through civic technologies, open data, policy analysis, and journalism. Its archived OpenGov Grants materials describe support for technology-driven transparency and citizen engagement, including open-source software or data, civic tools, and efforts to make government information more accessible. The website says the organization is no longer active.
The 2024 grants also show support for a range of charitable recipients. Baylor University, which received a scholarship-fund grant, describes its mission as educating students for worldwide leadership and service through academic excellence and Christian commitment. The Mexican Indian Training Center, which received an operations grant, says it educates and prepares young Mexican men and women for ministry. Samaritan’s Purse, which received project support, describes itself as providing spiritual and physical aid to people facing hardship around the world.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $413,900. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $150,000, with a median of $8,400. The largest grants included $150,000 to Baylor University for a scholarship fund, $80,000 to Schwab Charitable Fund, and $31,000 to Cotton Tree Foundation for general operations. Other reported grants included $20,000 to United Methodist World Mission for staff support and $20,000 to the Mexican Indian Training Center for operations.
The archived OpenGov Grants materials describe a historical program offering one-time grants, generally in the $5,000–$10,000 range, with priority for projects developing open-source software or data. The FAQ describes project information applicants were asked to prepare, including a title and full description, objectives, rationale, team, timeline and outputs, total project cost, amount requested, other funding, contact information, and fiscal-sponsor information if applicable. It excluded academic research, media-content development, and conference support or convenings, and set eligibility restrictions related to U.S. residence and certain government or political roles. These are archived program guidelines; the website states that the foundation is no longer active.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Deborah D Sherman as President and Timothy Siktberg as Secretary.
Sunlight Foundation is led by Deborah D Sherman, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Deborah D Sherman
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Timothy J Siktberg
Secretary
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Sunlight Foundation (2020) — Director
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 Sunlight Foundation
How much does Sunlight Foundation give each year?
Sunlight Foundation gave $414K across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $489K across 23 grants.
What is Sunlight Foundation's typical grant size?
Sunlight Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $8,400, and its average grant was $18,814, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sunlight Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Sunlight Foundation give grants?
Sunlight Foundation's top state is Texas, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Nebraska (19%) and Tennessee (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Nashville, TN (2 grants).
Does Sunlight Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 23% of Sunlight Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Staff Support" (8 grants), "Scholarship fund" (4 grants) and "Project Support" (3 grants).
Who are Sunlight Foundation's largest grantees?
Sunlight Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Baylor University ($150,000), Schwab Charitable Fund ($80,000) and Cotton Tree Foundation ($31,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sunlight Foundation?
Sunlight Foundation reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $420K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $502K (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 Sunlight Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated mission was to make government and politics more accountable and transparent through civic technologies, open data, policy analysis, and journalism. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sunlight Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sunlight Foundation's EIN?
Sunlight Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1809916. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sunlight Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sunlight Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Tennessee
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
McKesson Foundation Inc
Dallas, TX
The McKesson Foundation funds cancer support and care, healthcare workforce pathways, and emergency response, with grants mainly supporting organizations in the United States and Canada. Its 2025 grants had a median of $100,000, though amounts ranged from $10,000 to about $2.47 million. Its filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, while its application page describes an online application process with stated submission windows.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
76
Total Given
$16.6M
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc
Nashville, TN
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee supports nonprofits across a range of needs, including housing, disaster relief, education, health, public safety, and the arts. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $8,500, with amounts ranging widely; it primarily serves Middle Tennessee, with 76% of 2024 grant dollars going to Tennessee recipients. Special Interest Grant applications are submitted through its grants portal; no new competitive Community Impact cycle is planned for fiscal year 2026–2027.
Assets
$832.0M
Grants
2,450
Total Given
$107.1M
HCA Healthcare Foundation
Nashville, TN
HCA Healthcare Foundation funds community health and health equity, including primary care, basic needs, education, and the arts; its Middle Tennessee Fund serves nine counties, while other initiatives support communities served by HCA Healthcare. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $9.65 million, with a median of $5,000. It accepts requests through an Applicant Inquiry Form for new applicants and organizations that have not received funding in 18 months; staff provide next steps after review.
Assets
$192.7M
Grants
999
Total Given
$25.4M
Dollar General Employee Assistance
Goodletsville, TN
The foundation provides emergency financial assistance to active Dollar General employees and their families facing qualifying hardships, such as a home loss, a death, or a serious illness or injury. In 2026, grants ranged from $37 to $6,000, with a median of $2,000; all reported recipients were in Tennessee. It accepts applications from eligible employees, who must submit supporting documentation.
Assets
$5.8M
Grants
957
Total Given
$1.7M
The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga Inc
Chattanooga, TN
The foundation supports scholarships and community needs including affordable housing, health and wellness, workforce development, education, culture, and hunger relief, with a focus on Chattanooga and surrounding areas; Fund for Chattanooga grants prioritize organizations serving Hamilton County residents. Its 2024 grants had a median of $10,000, and a separate program offers unrestricted grants of up to $30,000. It does not describe an open unsolicited application process: prospective applicants are asked to discuss a proposal with staff, who may invite them to apply.
Assets
$245.3M
Grants
810
Total Given
$25.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Tennessee
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sunlight Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sunlight-foundation-morg_083fd827f11b4d4cadaf3a10c8bd4de2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_621809916_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sunlight Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sunlight-foundation-morg_083fd827f11b4d4cadaf3a10c8bd4de2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Sunlight 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.
Sunlight Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?