Sutherland Foundation
The Sutherland Foundation is a private foundation based in San Diego, California. Its 2021 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, while its 2020 filing is marked as the organization’s final return; the foundation therefore appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Sutherland Foundation at a glance
In short: Sutherland Foundation gave $723K across 11 grants in 2021 (avg $66K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2021)
- $722,950
- +1524.6% vs 2020
- Grants made (2021)
- 11
- -15.4% vs 2020
- Average grant
- $65,723
- +1820.0% vs 2020
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (67% of itemized 2021 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2021 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2021; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Sutherland Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 850 Albion Street, San Diego, CA 92106
Phone: (619) 994-1601
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sutherland Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2021
The largest 2021 recipient was Christian Community Foundation ($484K). Together the top 10 received $723K.
Grant Size Distribution
24 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 24 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2021, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee (67%) and Pennsylvania (30%). The filing also reports grants to organizations in California, Washington, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2021 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
How Sutherland Foundation gives
- 64% of 2021 grantees were also funded in 2020. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021). 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 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $45K (2020) to $723K (2021). In 2021 it made 11 grants totaling $723K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Community Foundation Memphis, TN | General Support | $483,976 |
| The National Philanthropic Trust Jenkintown, PA | General Support | $214,614 |
| Marian E Smith Foundation Spokane, WA | Pass Through to Eastern Wa Univ | $6,000 |
| La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla, CA | General Support | $4,000 |
| KPBS Public Television San Diego, CA | General Support | $4,000 |
| YMCA of San Diego San Diego, CA | General Support | $3,000 |
| San Diego Rep Theater San Diego, CA | General Support | $3,000 |
| San Diego Food Bank San Diego, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| New Village Arts Theater Carlsbad, CA | General Support | $1,300 |
| Carlsbad Music Festival Carlsbad, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | $24,531 | $763,010 | $722,950 | 11 | $17,915 | $25,144 |
| 2020 | $630,303 | $-9,628 | $54,607 | $44,500 | 13 | $22,419 | $36,687 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sutherland Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K for 2021 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Grantmaking
The 2021 filing reports 11 grants totaling $722,950. The median grant was $3,000, though awards ranged from $60 to $483,976. The largest grants were $483,976 to Christian Community Foundation and $214,614 to The National Philanthropic Trust, both for general support. Other grants included $6,000 to Marian E Smith Foundation, $4,000 each to La Jolla Playhouse and KPBS Public Television, and $3,000 each to YMCA of San Diego and San Diego Rep Theater.
The 2020 filing states that the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2021 filing lists Ann Sutherland, Stephen Sutherland, and Daniel Smith as directors.
Sutherland Foundation's 2021 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2021 are compensated.
Officers on the 2021 filing
Ann Sutherland
Director
President, CFO, Secretary & Director → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
$500 (2020) → $500 (2021)
Daniel Smith
Director
On filings since 2020
$500 (2020) → $500 (2021)
Stephen Sutherland
Director
On filings since 2020
$500 (2020) → $500 (2021)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $500, to Ann Sutherland (Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sutherland Foundation
How much does Sutherland Foundation give each year?
Sutherland Foundation gave $723K across 11 grants in 2021, according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2020 it gave $45K across 13 grants.
What is Sutherland Foundation's typical grant size?
Sutherland Foundation's median grant in 2021 was $3,000, and its average grant was $65,723, across 11 grants on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Sutherland Foundation give grants?
Sutherland Foundation gives mostly in Tennessee: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Pennsylvania (30%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (4 grants) and Carlsbad, CA (2 grants).
Does Sutherland Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 91% of Sutherland Foundation's 2021 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sutherland Foundation's largest grantees?
Sutherland Foundation's largest 2021 grantees include Christian Community Foundation ($483,976), The National Philanthropic Trust ($214,614) and Marian E Smith Foundation ($6,000), according to its 2021 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2021 grant dollars.
How do I apply for a grant from Sutherland Foundation?
Sutherland Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines.
How much is Sutherland Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2021, Sutherland Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sutherland Foundation's EIN?
Sutherland Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6096597. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2021.
Does Sutherland 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 2020–2021
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Sutherland Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?