The Cabin Foundation
The Cabin Foundation is a private foundation based in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Its 2025 grants supported charitable organizations working in areas including health, conservation, community services, education, animal welfare, and youth development, as reflected in the recipient organizations’ stated missions.
The Cabin Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cabin Foundation gave $2.3M across 39 grants in 2025 (avg $60K), top state Maine. 41% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,344,389
- +70.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- +85.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $60,113
- -8.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $115,136
- -75.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (16 of 39, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Maine (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Cabin Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1164 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107-2115
Phone: (214) 396-3015
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cabin Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Parkinson Voice Project ($498K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
136 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 136 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Maine received 33% of grant dollars, Texas 28%, Minnesota 11%, Tennessee 9%, and Iowa 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Cabin Foundation open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 16 of 39 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $75K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 44% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 44% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (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 $1.3M (2020) to $2.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 39 grants totaling $2.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Parkinson Voice Project Richardson, TX | General Fund | $498,040 |
| Charity Water Donation Processing Franklin, TN | General Fund | $204,574 |
| Cape Elizabeth Land Trust Cape Elizabeth, ME | General Fund | $149,511 |
| Baylor Scott & White Dallas Fndn Dallas, TX | General Fund | $149,511 |
| Preble Street Resource Center Portland, ME | General Fund | $100,004 |
| Camp Chippewa Foundation Maple Grove, MN | General Fund | $100,004 |
| Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | General Fund | $100,004 |
| TNC Central Region - Enhancement Arlington, VA | General Fund | $100,004 |
| Animeals Missoula, MT | General Fund | $100,000 |
| Portland Community Squash Portland, ME | General Fund | $99,735 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cabin Foundation?
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 | $115,136 | $463,012 | $2,369,944 | $2,344,389 | 39 | $2,344,389 | $463,012 | $2,567,089 |
| 2024 | $470,707 | $1,838,454 | $1,377,837 | $1,372,000 | 21 | $1,372,000 | $1,838,454 | $2,560,673 |
| 2023 | $10,090 | $1,719,893 | $1,716,328 | $1,711,000 | 24 | $1,711,000 | $419,893 | $1,579,037 |
| 2022 | $6,525 | $1,615,325 | $1,630,319 | $1,626,000 | 26 | $1,626,000 | $383,325 | $1,137,366 |
| 2021 | $21,519 | $1,590,512 | $1,733,701 | $1,716,000 | 26 | $1,716,000 | $310,732 | $1,502,477 |
| 2020 | $164,708 | $1,336,934 | $1,357,526 | $1,341,000 | 24 | — | $282,064 | $1,166,550 |
| 2019 | $185,302 | $1,572,355 | $1,423,917 | $1,415,000 | 25 | — | $265,595 | $1,193,782 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cabin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.6M 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. Parkinson Voice Project says it helps people with Parkinson’s and related disorders regain and retain speech and swallowing; the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust says it permanently conserves and stewards land and easements in Cape Elizabeth. Camp Chippewa Foundation describes its mission as developing character through adventure, inspired by tradition. ANIMEALS says it works to save and care for animals and promote a no-kill community.
Other 2025 recipients include Portland Community Squash, which says it aims to build an accessible community center that supports and unites its members, and the Dorobo Fund for Tanzania, which says it carries out community-level conservation and education projects to promote sustainable growth in Tanzania. Hospice of Southern Maine describes its mission as providing compassion, care, and comfort through end of life; Southern Maine Agency on Aging says it provides resources, services, and information to empower older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 39 grants totaling $2,344,389. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $498,040, with a median of $25,000. Among the largest grants were $498,040 to Parkinson Voice Project, $204,574 to Charity Water Donation Processing, $149,511 each to Cape Elizabeth Land Trust and Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, and $100,004 each to Preble Street Resource Center, Camp Chippewa Foundation, Grinnell College, and TNC Central Region – Enhancement. The listed grant purposes were “general fund.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John W Norris Jr, Jeffrey C Norris, and Julie A Norris as directors; Terry R Norris as secretary; and John W Norris III as president.
The Cabin Foundation is led by John W. Norris III, President-Di since 2023 (on filings since 2019); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John W. Norris III
President-Di
Director → President-Di, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jeffrey C. Norris
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
John W. Norris Jr.
Director
President-Director → President-Di, 2021
President-Di → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Julie A. Norris
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Terry R. Norris
Secretary-Di
Secretary-Director → Secretary-Di, 2021
On filings since 2019
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 The Cabin Foundation
How much does The Cabin Foundation give each year?
The Cabin Foundation gave $2.3M across 39 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 21 grants.
What is The Cabin Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cabin Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $60,113, across 39 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cabin Foundation that year got $39K on average.
Where does The Cabin Foundation give grants?
The Cabin Foundation's top state is Maine, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (28%) and Minnesota (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (12 grants), Dallas, TX (3 grants) and Brunswick, ME (2 grants).
Does The Cabin Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 97% of The Cabin Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 39) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Cabin Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cabin Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Parkinson Voice Project ($498,040), Charity Water Donation Processing ($204,574) and Cape Elizabeth Land Trust ($149,511), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cabin Foundation?
The Cabin Foundation reported $115K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.6M (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 Cabin Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cabin Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cabin Foundation's EIN?
The Cabin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1468027. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Cabin Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Cabin Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cabin Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cabin-foundation-morg_20fce9d1df004f549ea0151519036b9d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261468027_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cabin Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cabin-foundation-morg_20fce9d1df004f549ea0151519036b9d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Cabin 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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