The Brewster Foundation
The Brewster Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Monica, California. It made 16 grants totaling $514,281 in filing year 2024 to charitable organizations, including universities, research and policy organizations, healthcare institutions, and conservation and environmental organizations.
The Brewster Foundation at a glance
In short: The Brewster Foundation gave $514K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), mostly in California. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $514,281
- -1.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,143
- -1.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $8,251,441
- -1.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (53% 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 The Brewster Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 233 Wilshire Blvd 700, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 656-9585
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Brewster Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Southern California ($246K). Together the top 10 received $494K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 72 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 30% to New Jersey, 9% to Massachusetts, 3% to Washington, DC, and 3% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Brewster Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 16 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% 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 $470K (2021) to $523K (2023). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $514K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | General | $246,281 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | General | $152,500 |
| Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation Hyannis, MA | General | $15,000 |
| Cedars - Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA | General | $15,000 |
| Everytown for Gun Safety New York, NY | General | $15,000 |
| Brewster Conservation Trust Brewster, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Brookings Institution Washington, DC | General | $10,000 |
| Dennis Conservation Trust East Dennis, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Harvard Medical School Boston, MA | General | $10,000 |
| Rand Corporation Santa Monica, CA | General | $10,000 |
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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 | $8,251,441 | $480,026 | $569,930 | $514,281 | 16 | $551,908 | $464,925 | $555,946 |
| 2023 | $8,341,345 | $412,779 | $593,070 | $522,750 | 16 | $565,886 | $397,796 | $542,401 |
| 2022 | $8,521,636 | $587,530 | $565,417 | $506,448 | 14 | $533,746 | $561,290 | $565,383 |
| 2021 | $8,499,523 | $563,535 | $524,816 | $470,366 | 12 | $507,064 | $545,783 | $572,639 |
| 2020 | $8,460,804 | $52,916 | $562,292 | $504,497 | 14 | — | $188,353 | $493,157 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Brewster Foundation reported a distributable amount of $556K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. Among the grantees, Princeton University describes its work as research, education, and general university activities; the Miller Center Foundation says it supports a nonpartisan center that conducts research on the American presidency and contemporary public policy. Brookings describes itself as an independent public policy research organization, while the Rand Corporation says it seeks to improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis.
Environmental and conservation grantees describe their work as inspiring appreciation and stewardship of the natural environment, promoting preservation of Cape Cod’s natural resources, and helping acquire, preserve, and manage open space on Cape Cod. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a mission statement from the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $514,281. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $246,281, with a median of $10,000.
The largest awards were $246,281 to the University of Southern California and $152,500 to Princeton University. Other notable grants included $15,000 each to Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Everytown for Gun Safety; and $10,000 each to Brewster Conservation Trust, Brookings Institution, Dennis Conservation Trust, Harvard Medical School, Rand Corporation, and the Miller Center Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Leonard D Schaeffer, Pamela S Schaeffer, David S Schaeffer, Jacqueline S Schaeffer, Amy Schaeffer, Jacob Vaughan, and Roberty Kelly as trustees.
The Brewster Foundation's 2024 filing lists 7 officers; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy Schaeffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $0 (2024)
David S. Schaeffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Jacob Vaughan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Jacqueline S. Schaeffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Roberty Kelly
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$2K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Leonard D. Schaeffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pamela S. Schaeffer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $4K, to David S Schaeffer (Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Brewster Foundation
How much does The Brewster Foundation give each year?
The Brewster Foundation gave $514K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $523K across 16 grants.
What is The Brewster Foundation's typical grant size?
The Brewster Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $32,143, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Brewster Foundation give grants?
The Brewster Foundation gives mostly in California: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (30%) and Massachusetts (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants), Brewster, MA (2 grants) and Barnstable, MA (2 grants).
Does The Brewster Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Brewster Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Brewster Foundation's largest grantees?
The Brewster Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Southern California ($246,281), Princeton University ($152,500) and Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Brewster Foundation?
The Brewster Foundation reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $552K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $556K (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 The Brewster Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Brewster Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Brewster Foundation's EIN?
The Brewster Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-6391021. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Brewster 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Brewster Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Brewster Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-brewster-foundation-morg_205941f26ba64379a54ab88172c9d346
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_206391021_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Brewster Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-brewster-foundation-morg_205941f26ba64379a54ab88172c9d346},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Brewster 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.
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