The Bascom Little Fund

Private foundation · Grantmaker Cleveland Heights, OH EIN: 34-6572279
Arts and cultureEducation

The Bascom Little Fund is a private foundation focused on Arts and culture, based in Cleveland Heights, OH. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $917K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $57K. Net investment income was $100K.

The Bascom Little Fund at a glance

In short: The Bascom Little Fund gave $57K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$56,500
+12.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
7
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$8,071
+12.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$917,370
+5.0% vs 2024
Primary geography
Ohio (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

How to apply to The Bascom Little Fund

Who The Bascom Little Fund funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 7 recipients in 2025

Idea Stream: $16KIdea Stream$16KCleveland Composers Guild: $15KCleveland Composers Guild$15KCleveland Chamber Symphony: $10KCleveland Chamber Symphony$10KAkron Symphonic Winds: $5KAkron Symphonic Winds$5KLithuanian American Community Inc: $5KLithuanian American CommunityInc$5KThe Music Settlement: $4KThe Music Settlement$4KCleveland Chamber Collective: $2KCleveland Chamber Collective$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Idea Stream ($16K). Together the top 7 received $57K.

Grant Size Distribution

37 grants across all recorded years

37<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 37 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.

States

Cities

ClevelandLakewoodCleveland HeightsStrongsvilleCleveland HtsShaker HeightsSouth EuclidBereaGates MillsKentLemontRichmond Heights

How The Bascom Little Fund gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K8 grants2021 8 grants2022 7 grants2023 7 grants2024 7 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2024) to $67K (2023). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $57K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Idea Stream Cleveland, OHGeneral$15,600
Cleveland Composers Guild Shaker Heights, OHGeneral$15,100
Cleveland Chamber Symphony Lakewood, OHGeneral$10,000
Akron Symphonic Winds Cleveland, OHGeneral$5,000
Lithuanian American Community Inc Lemont, ILGeneral$5,000
The Music Settlement Cleveland, OHGeneral$4,300
Cleveland Chamber Collective South Euclid, OHGeneral$1,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$917,370$122,969$79,466$56,5007$56,500$100,003$53,474
2024$873,867$95,662$70,018$50,1007$50,100$75,744$50,851
2023$848,223$38,559$93,870$67,0007$67,000$11,689$50,754
2022$903,534$308,208$78,587$53,6008$53,600$283,221$56,852
2021$673,913$99,539$70,319$50,5888—$79,808$56,844

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bascom Little Fund reported a distributable amount of $53K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

The Bascom Little Fund's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Andrew L. Fabens III

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David A. Vincent

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dixon Morgan Jr.

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gerald Paul Cox

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Richard H. Bole

    Trustee

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Wynne Morgan

    Trustee

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Stanley W. Morgenstern (2021–2023) — Trustee

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 The Bascom Little Fund

How much does The Bascom Little Fund give each year?

The Bascom Little Fund gave $57K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $50K across 7 grants.

What is The Bascom Little Fund's typical grant size?

The Bascom Little Fund's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,071, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Bascom Little Fund give grants?

The Bascom Little Fund gives mostly in Ohio: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (3 grants).

Does The Bascom Little Fund give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Bascom Little Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 7) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Bascom Little Fund's largest grantees?

The Bascom Little Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Idea Stream ($15,600), Cleveland Composers Guild ($15,100) and Cleveland Chamber Symphony ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Bascom Little Fund?

The Bascom Little Fund reported $917K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $57K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $53K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is The Bascom Little Fund?

The Bascom Little Fund is a private foundation focused on Arts and culture, based in Cleveland Heights, OH. It holds $917K in total assets as of 2025.

What is The Bascom Little Fund's EIN?

The Bascom Little Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6572279. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(1)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The Bascom Little Fund'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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