The Sunstone Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation focused on strengthening nonprofits working in education, equality, and mental health. The foundation has awarded grants to more than 200 organizations and operates with a mission centered on expanding opportunity and supporting community impact.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$474K
-15.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$946K
+22.0% YoY
Grant Count
102
+3.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+18.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sunstone Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Vision: A world where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. A world where education opens doors, equality creates opportunity, and mental health allows people to flourish.
Mission: The Sunstone Foundation helps nonprofits focused on education, equality, and mental health expand their reach and strengthen their work. By supporting these organizations, the foundation provides people with the tools, opportunities, and support needed to fulfill their potential and flourish.
The foundation's name reflects its philosophy: just as sunstone crystals are believed to shine light on opportunities for happiness and joy, the Sunstone Foundation aims to brighten the day of as many people as possible and remind communities that there is good in the world and opportunities for happiness.
Grantmaking
The Sunstone Foundation offers three types of grants:
How to Apply
** All applications are open year-round and reviewed quarterly by the Sunstone Foundation Board of Directors. Applications are due on the last day of each quarter (March, June, September, December) to be reviewed at the next board meeting.
Ready to take the next step with Sunstone Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across the United States. Recent grantees include organizations located in North Carolina, California, Florida, Colorado, Washington D.C., and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $473,620 | $559,926 | $1,160,690 |
| Revenue | $1,187,854 | $530,373 | $1,264,389 |
| Expenses | $1,237,252 | $1,154,611 | $118,763 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,197,846 | $1,114,591 | $100,785 |
| Net Investment Income | $386,458 | $476,950 | $235,993 |
| Distributable Amount | $20,380 | $26,272 | $8,193 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Book Fairies Inc ($77,185), Governors Early Literacy Foundation ($55,000), Lambert House ($29,612).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A GIFT FOR TEACHING INC ORLANDO, FL | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| AN OPEN BOOK FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANT - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $959 |
| BAND TOGETHER RALEIGH, NC | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| BATON ROUGE BOOK DROP INC BATON ROUGE, LA | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANT - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $3,596 |
| BOOK EM NASHVILLE, TN | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANT - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $328 |
| BOOK FAIRIES INC FREEPORT, NY | General & Unrestricted | $77,185 |
| BOOKS BETWEEN KIDS INC HOUSTON, TX | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANT - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $1,345 |
| BOOKS LIKE ME INC TAMPA, FL | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANT - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $328 |
| BOOKS SAVE LIVES TUCSON, AZ | General & Unrestricted (IN-KIND GRANT - SEE GENERAL EXPLANATION) | $365 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jody Foster | Dir | 1 | — |
| Lynn Franey | Dir | 1 | — |
| Amy Triandiflou | Dir | 1 | — |
| Annagrace Triandiflou | Dir | 1 | $12,500 |
| Daniel Triandiflou | Dir | 1 | — |
| James Triandiflou | Dir, Pres | 1 | — |
Recent Grantees (Sample)
Recent developments and announcements
Ascend Nonprofit Solutions (Charlotte, NC)
Assistance League of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
A Gift for Teaching (Orlando, Florida)
A Precious Child (Denver, Colorado)
An Open Book Foundation (Washington, D.C.)
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sunstone Foundation fund?
**Vision:** A world where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. A world where education opens doors, equality creates opportunity, and mental health allows people to flourish. **Mission:** The Sunstone Foundation helps nonprofits focused on education, equality, and mental health expand their reach and strengthen their work. By supporting these organizations, the foundation provides people with the tools, opportunities, and support needed to fulfill their potential and flouris…
How do I apply for a grant from Sunstone Foundation?
The Sunstone Foundation offers three types of grants: **Operational Support Grant** • For nonprofits seeking help with back-office operations such as finance, HR, IT, or compliance • Designed to strengthen organizational capacity so leaders can focus on mission and impact **General/Program Grant** • Funding for new or ongoing projects that directly advance nonprofit missions in education, equality, or mental health • Generally does not cover salaries or general overhead **Book Request Grant** •…
Where does Sunstone Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across the United States. Recent grantees include organizations located in North Carolina, California, Florida, Colorado, Washington D.C., and other states.
What size grants does Sunstone Foundation award?
In 2024, Sunstone Foundation awarded 102 grants totaling $946K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sunstone Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sunstone Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sunstone Foundation's EIN?
Sunstone Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-1593190. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sunstone Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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