Sweetser Foundation Inc
Sweetser Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Annapolis, Maryland. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and scholarship grants for selected qualified graduates of Gray-New Gloucester High School in Gray, Maine.
Sweetser Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Sweetser Foundation Inc gave $334K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state Massachusetts. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $333,500
- +38.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +28.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,352
- +7.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,770,942
- +3.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (8 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (43% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sweetser Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests, although it also includes a separate statement that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations. The filing identifies Ellen S. Allen as the contact for application information; forms and materials and deadlines are available upon request. Its stated restrictions provide for college scholarship grants to selected qualified graduates of Gray-New Gloucester High School in Gray, Maine, and say other grants are made only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Ellen S Allen
Mailing address: 51 Hillside Road, Stony Brook, NY 11790
Phone: (631) 751-6631
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sweetser Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($100K). Together the top 10 received $269K.
Grant Size Distribution
146 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 142 grants of 146 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (43%), Maryland (33%), and Maine (13%), followed by Virginia (5%) and Florida (3%). The filing also lists grants to recipients in other states, including Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sweetser Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 27 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+18%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $177K (2020) to $334K (2025). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $334K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| St Mary's Church Annapolis, MD | General Operating Support | $53,000 |
| University of Maine Orono, ME | Sweetser Scholar | $28,000 |
| Catholic Schools Foundation Boston, MA | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Seeds 4 Success Annapolis, MD | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Arcs Foundation Potomac, MD | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Stair Annapolis, MD | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Thomas Jefferson Foundation Charlottesville, VA | General Operating Support | $6,500 |
| University of New England Financial Services Biddeford, ME | Sweetser Scholar | $6,000 |
| Clark University Worcester, MA | Sweetser Scholar | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sweetser Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,770,942 | $345,672 | $379,662 | $333,500 | 27 | $370,785 | $342,058 | $360,625 |
| 2024 | $1,704,570 | $322,338 | $269,793 | $241,000 | 21 | $257,167 | $321,058 | $333,981 |
| 2023 | $1,613,933 | $278,097 | $255,272 | $237,400 | 27 | $252,520 | $276,316 | $259,342 |
| 2022 | $1,591,108 | $97,750 | $300,891 | $283,000 | 40 | $296,836 | $94,695 | $263,981 |
| 2021 | $1,794,249 | $140,681 | $219,937 | $206,500 | 31 | $218,937 | $70,681 | $282,931 |
| 2020 | $1,873,505 | $105,596 | $190,967 | $176,600 | 25 | — | $103,596 | $221,293 |
| 2019 | $1,958,876 | $84,049 | $228,790 | $210,600 | 32 | — | $81,549 | $210,875 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sweetser Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $361K for 2025 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for colleges and universities, educational organizations, and community-service organizations. For example, Worcester Polytechnic Institute describes its mission as transforming lives, turning knowledge into action to confront global challenges, and advancing STEM through education, projects, and research. Seeds 4 Success says it supports children from low-income communities with skills and support for success in school and life. Interfaith Social Services describes work to address hunger, provide mental-health counseling, prevent homelessness, and bring joy to children.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $333,500. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest grants included $100,000 to Worcester Polytechnic Institute for general operating support; $53,000 to St. Mary’s Church in Annapolis for general operating support; $28,000 to the University of Maine for a Sweetser Scholar; and $20,000 each to Catholic Schools Foundation and Seeds 4 Success for general operating support. Other reported grants included $15,000 each to ARCS Foundation and STAIR for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Willard M. Sweetser Jr. as president and director; Sharon S. Hackett, Susanne M. Blalock, and Stacy L. Sweetser as directors; and Ellen S. Allen as chair of the advisory board.
Sweetser Foundation Inc is led by Willard M. Sweetser Jr., President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Willard M. Sweetser Jr.
President & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen S. Allen
Chair & Advisory Board
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon S. Hackett
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacy L. Sweetser
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susanne M. Blalock
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Sweetser Foundation Inc
How much does Sweetser Foundation Inc give each year?
Sweetser Foundation Inc gave $334K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $241K across 21 grants.
What is Sweetser Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Sweetser Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $12,352, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sweetser Foundation Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does Sweetser Foundation Inc give grants?
Sweetser Foundation Inc's top state is Massachusetts, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maryland (33%) and Maine (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Annapolis, MD (5 grants) and Worcester, MA (3 grants).
Does Sweetser Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 67% of Sweetser Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Sweetser Scholar" (8 grants).
Who are Sweetser Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Sweetser Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($100,000), St Mary's Church ($53,000) and University of Maine ($28,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sweetser Foundation Inc?
Sweetser Foundation Inc reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $371K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $361K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sweetser Foundation Inc fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for colleges and universities, educational organizations, and community-service organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sweetser Foundation Inc?
The filing states that the foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests, although it also includes a separate statement that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sweetser Foundation Inc's EIN?
Sweetser Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-2062016. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Sweetser Foundation Inc 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sweetser Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sweetser-foundation-inc-morg_917b1be1df584d739bff32da5c3b4d81
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_542062016_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sweetser Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sweetser-foundation-inc-morg_917b1be1df584d739bff32da5c3b4d81},
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 Sweetser Foundation Inc'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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