The Common Sense Fund Inc
The Common Sense Fund Inc is a private foundation based in Greenwich, Connecticut, established in 1983. Operating as a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation promotes action in the environment and the arts that is practical, creative, and addresses social needs. The organization operates with a volunteer leadership team and limited paid staffing.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$22.8M
-3.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.8M
+27.4% YoY
Grant Count
39
-2.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$97K
+30.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Common Sense Fund was incorporated in 1983 through the philanthropic vision of Seymour Schwartz (Sy). The foundation's environmental mission reflects Sy's career as a real estate developer who understood each project within its environmental context and applied creative and practical techniques to preserve land and resources. The foundation supports environmental change through education, policy initiatives, promotion of carbon-free energy sources, and stewardship of natural resources. The theory of action includes the belief that lessening dependence on fossil fuels will contribute to peace in the world.
The arts mission honors Sybil Schwartz, whose love of the arts and commitment to optimizing every child's potential is expressed in the foundation's funding of arts programs for the underserved.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Environment and climate change
- Natural resources, water resources, and energy resources
- Education (including elementary and secondary education)
- Philanthropy and nonprofits
- Religion and Judaism
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation made 41 grants in 2024 with total giving of $3,790,000. Grant sizes range from $25,000 to $1,018,000, with a median grant of $75,000.
Grant Range
s range from $25,000 to $1,018,000, with a median grant of $75,000.
How to Apply
es.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects across multiple U.S. states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington. International funding extends to Tel Aviv.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $22,819,304
- Total Revenues: $3,371,191
- Total Expenses: $4,151,351
- Total Giving: $3,790,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $23.6 million
- Total Revenues: $2.12 million
- Total Expenses: $3.42 million
The foundation has no reported liabilities and operates with zero paid employees.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,819,304 | $23,599,464 | $24,896,502 |
| Revenue | $3,371,191 | $2,122,032 | $1,175,366 |
| Expenses | $4,151,351 | $3,419,070 | $3,230,399 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,999,058 | $3,200,469 | $2,917,419 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,651,056 | $1,436,541 | $611,276 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,376,271 | $1,377,407 | $1,400,228 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
199 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation operates with a volunteer board and leadership team, all serving without compensation:
- Adlyn S. Loewenthal – President
- Eric Schwartz – VP/Treasurer
- Ted Loewenthal – Secretary
- David Schwartz – Trustee
- Carolyn Schwartz – Trustee
- Debra Fram – Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TED LOEWENTHAL | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ADLYN S LOEWENTHAL | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ERIC SCHWARTZ | VP/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DAVID SCHWARTZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CAROLYN SCHWARTZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DEBRA FRAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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