The Freeman Foundation
The Freeman Foundation is a private foundation established in 1993 to fulfill the philanthropic vision of Mansfield Freeman. Based in New York, NY, with additional offices in Honolulu, Hawaii and Stowe, Vermont, the foundation has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars globally. The foundation operates with a notably lean organizational structure, with family members personally reviewing applications and conducting site visits rather than employing traditional program officers.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$371.5M
+3.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$20.4M
+7.0% YoY
Grant Count
95
+37.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$215K
-22.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Freeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $23.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Freeman Foundation pursues a dual mission:
Strengthening U.S.-East Asia Relations: Supporting educational and cultural exchange programs that build bonds between the United States and East Asia through Asian studies and educational initiatives
Environmental Conservation: Preserving Vermont's natural resources, including forests, farmlands, and waterways
Grantmaking
No public application process. The foundation operates on a partnership-based model, with family members personally reviewing applications and conducting site visits.
Grant Range
$3,000 - $7,400,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Vermont: Environmental grants focused on natural resource preservation
- National: Asian studies grants distributed across the United States
- International: Programs supporting U.S.-East Asia educational and cultural exchange
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $371,529,701
- Total revenue: $38,663,294
- Total expenses: $26,302,463
- Net income: $12,360,831
- Total liabilities: $7,120
Tax Status:
- EIN: 13-2965090
- 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since January 1979
- Files Form 990-PF annually
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $371,529,701 | $358,789,461 | $343,347,503 |
| Revenue | $38,663,294 | $40,170,636 | $10,569,405 |
| Expenses | $26,302,463 | $24,212,294 | $23,594,195 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $22,677,570 | $21,056,242 | $21,511,110 |
| Net Investment Income | $35,328,667 | $37,131,797 | $8,738,701 |
| Distributable Amount | $23,702,407 | $20,486,973 | $20,538,897 |
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
103 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include First Nations Development Institute ($1,650,000), Institute of International Education ($1,330,000), Mag America Inc ($1,200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALASKA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ANCHORAGE, AK | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| ARKANSAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LITTLE ROCK, AR | GENERAL SUPPORT | $52,500 |
| ARTS ASIA DENVER, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| ASIA INSTITUTE LOUISVILLE, KY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $43,200 |
| ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS HOUSTON, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| BLAKEMORE FOUNDATION - EXPENDITURE RESPONSIBILITY GRANT BELLEVUE, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $300,000 |
| BRILLIANT PATHWAYS ESSEX, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $267,000 |
| BUFFALO NATIONS GRASSLANDS ALLIANCE LOWER BRULE, SD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,000 |
| BUTLER UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS, IN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $130,000 |
| CENTER FOR AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY HARDWICK, VT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $337,400 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Graeme Freeman: Trustee, Executive Director, and President ($425,000 compensation, 2023)
- Juefei Wang: Program Director ($171,055 compensation, 2024)
- Robin Sato: Director/Office Manager ($104,351 compensation, 2024)
- Shereen Goto: Director of Operations and Programs (2024)
The foundation employs 7 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRAEME FREEMAN | TRUSTEE,PRESIDENT | 40 | $425,000 |
| DAVID R STACK | TRUSTEE | 5 | $306,299 |
| GEORGE S TSANDIKOS | TRUSTEE | 5 | $306,299 |
| SHEREEN GOTO | DIRECTOR | 40 | $188,576 |
| JUEFEI WANG | DIRECTOR | 40 | $171,055 |
| ALEC FREEMAN | DIRECTOR | 40 | $117,394 |
| ROBIN SATO | DIRECTOR | 40 | $104,351 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Freeman Foundation fund?
The Freeman Foundation pursues a dual mission: 1. **Strengthening U.S.-East Asia Relations**: Supporting educational and cultural exchange programs that build bonds between the United States and East Asia through Asian studies and educational initiatives 2. **Environmental Conservation**: Preserving Vermont's natural resources, including forests, farmlands, and waterways
How do I apply for a grant from The Freeman Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $20,420,140 (2024) • Annual giving: $19,080,000 (2023) • Number of grants: 69 awards (2023) • Grant range: $3,000 - $7,400,000 • Typical awards: $11,000 - $2,800,000 **Recent Grants (2024):** • First Nations Development Institute: $1,650,000 (General Support) • Institute of International Education: $1,330,000 (General Support) **Application Process:** No public application process. The foundation operates on a partnership-based model, with family members pers…
Where does The Freeman Foundation make grants?
• **Vermont**: Environmental grants focused on natural resource preservation • **National**: Asian studies grants distributed across the United States • **International**: Programs supporting U.S.-East Asia educational and cultural exchange
What size grants does The Freeman Foundation award?
In 2024, The Freeman Foundation awarded 95 grants totaling $20.4M — an average of about $215K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Freeman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Freeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $23.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Freeman Foundation's EIN?
The Freeman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2965090. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Freeman Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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