The Chesterman Family Foundation
The Chesterman Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Sioux City, Iowa. Its 2025 filing records grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in arts, recreation, education, community services, and other areas.
Key facts about The Chesterman Family Foundation
In short: The Chesterman Family Foundation gave $564K across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Iowa. 54% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 91-2086157
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $563,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- Average grant
- $10,063
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 54% first-time grantees (30 of 56, 2025)
- Total assets
- $9,296,097
- Primary geography
- Iowa (51% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3M
+22.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$564K
+28.6% YoY
Grant Count
56
+80.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
-28.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chesterman Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $461K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Chesterman Family Foundation open to new grantees?
54%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 30 of 56 grantees (54%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 45% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 118% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 122% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own stated missions span several areas. The Sioux City Parks and Recreation Foundation says it raises funds for City of Sioux City parks projects; the Sioux City Public School Foundation says it develops resources to enhance student education; and Lake Cunningham Development Trust says it raises capital to improve recreational infrastructure at Glenn Cunningham Lake in Omaha. Agape Community Service says it assists people facing difficulty paying rent, utilities, and personal expenses and provides household supplies and referrals to clinical social work.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $563,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Notable grants included $50,000 each to Art Center Association of Sioux City and Siouxland Sports Academy; $40,000 to Sioux City Parks and Recreation Foundation; and $25,000 each to Warming Shelter, Boys and Girls Home of Sioux City Iowa, Planned Parenthood of North Central States, and Agape Community Service.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Iowa (51%) and Nebraska (33%), followed by South Dakota (11%), Minnesota (4%), and South Carolina (1%). The listed grant recipients include organizations in Sioux City and other communities across these states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $199K (2020) to $714K (2023). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $564K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Art Center Association of Sioux City ($50K). Together the top 10 received $288K.
Grant Size Distribution
173 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 167 grants of 173 (97%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Art Center Association of Sioux City Sioux City, IA | To Further Programs of the Organization | $50,000 |
| Siouxland Sports Academy Sioux City, IA | To Further Programs of the Organization | $50,000 |
| Sioux City Parks and Recreation Foundation Sioux City, IA | To Further Programs of the Organization | $40,000 |
| Warming Shelter Sioux City, IA | To Further Programs of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Boys and Girls Home of Sioux City Iowa Sioux City, IA | To Further Programs of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of North Central States St. Paul, MN | To Further Programs of the Organization | $25,000 |
| Agape Community Service Inc Sioux City, IA | To Further Programs of the Organization | $25,000 |
| PGA Reach Nebraska Lincoln, NE | To Further Programs of the Organization | $18,000 |
| Lake Cunningham Development Trust Omaha, NE | To Further the Programs of the Organization | $15,000 |
| Sioux City Public School Foundation Sioux City, IA | To Further the Programs of the Organization | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,296,097 | $2,320,401 | $635,650 | $563,500 | 56 |
| 2024 | $7,611,346 | $2,209,443 | $487,312 | $438,085 | 31 |
| 2023 | $5,889,214 | $745,452 | $753,511 | $714,389 | 26 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,296,097 | $7,611,346 | $5,889,214 |
| Revenue | $2,320,401 | $2,209,443 | $745,452 |
| Expenses | $635,650 | $487,312 | $753,511 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $563,500 | $438,085 | $714,389 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,598,215 | $934,552 | $696,330 |
| Distributable Amount | $460,895 | $367,177 | $310,572 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cy W Chesterman Sr, Nancy C Smith, and Susan C Bergeson as directors, each serving “Time as needed.”
The Chesterman Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cy W Chesterman Sr.
Director - Time As Needed
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Nancy C Smith
Director - Time As Needed
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Susan C Bergeson
Director - Time As Needed
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 4700 South Lewis Boulevard, Sioux City, IA 51102
Phone: (402) 252-2653
Frequently asked questions about The Chesterman Family Foundation
How much does The Chesterman Family Foundation give each year?
The Chesterman Family Foundation gave $564K across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $438K across 31 grants.
What is The Chesterman Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chesterman Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $10,063, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chesterman Family Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Chesterman Family Foundation give grants?
The Chesterman Family Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Nebraska (33%) and South Dakota (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sioux City, IA (18 grants), Lincoln, NE (9 grants), Omaha, NE (9 grants) and Sioux Falls, SD (6 grants).
Does The Chesterman Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 56 grants with a stated purpose on The Chesterman Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Further Programs of the Organization" (47 grants) and "To Further the Programs of the Organization" (8 grants).
Who are The Chesterman Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chesterman Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Art Center Association of Sioux City ($50,000), Siouxland Sports Academy ($50,000) and Sioux City Parks and Recreation Foundation ($40,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chesterman Family Foundation?
The Chesterman Family Foundation reported $9.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $564K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $461K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Chesterman Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own stated missions span several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chesterman Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Chesterman Family Foundation's EIN?
The Chesterman Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2086157. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Chesterman Family 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.
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