The Guide Foundation
The Guide Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. It made 66 grants totaling $96,641 in 2025, supporting organizations that include environmental and climate groups, educational institutions, a museum, and humanitarian and food-system organizations.
The Guide Foundation at a glance
In short: The Guide Foundation gave $97K across 66 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), top state District of Columbia. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $96,641
- -3.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 66
- -5.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,464
- +2.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,258,529
- -1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (24 of 66, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (31% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Guide Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. No specific forms are required, and there are no stated restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- No specific deadline.
- Deadline
- No specific deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: The Guide Foundation
Mailing address: 4700 49Th Street Nw, Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 362-2536
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Guide Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Yale Center - Environmental Law Pol ($11K). Together the top 10 received $52K.
Grant Size Distribution
308 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 308 grants of 308 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (31%), Connecticut (19%), Maryland (16%), Virginia (10%), and New York (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 66 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Guide Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 24 of 66 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $801; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 51% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 118% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $64K (2022) to $102K (2020). In 2025 it made 66 grants totaling $97K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yale Center - Environmental Law Pol New Haven, CT | General Support | $11,000 |
| China Folk House Rockville, MD | General Support | $10,649 |
| LCV Education Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $10,000 |
| Natural Resources Defense Council New York, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | General Support | $4,000 |
| National Gallery of Art Landover, MD | General Support | $3,000 |
| Woodwell Climate Research Center Falmouth, MA | General Support | $2,073 |
| Earth Justice Washington, DC | General Support | $2,065 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | General Support | $2,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Support | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Guide 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 | $1,258,529 | $109,150 | $121,988 | $96,641 | 66 | $96,641 | $88,430 | — |
| 2024 | $1,271,367 | $121,921 | $125,241 | $100,460 | 70 | $100,460 | $101,309 | $85,126 |
| 2023 | $1,274,687 | $63,364 | $119,051 | $99,533 | 54 | $99,533 | $38,718 | — |
| 2022 | $1,330,374 | $23,079 | $87,256 | $63,934 | 48 | $63,934 | $4,970 | — |
| 2021 | $1,394,551 | $81,951 | $129,838 | $97,012 | 70 | $97,012 | $62,512 | $69,840 |
| 2020 | $1,459,656 | $836,313 | $118,971 | $102,368 | 48 | — | $677,791 | — |
| 2019 | $742,314 | $66,191 | $79,029 | $68,565 | 46 | — | $55,727 | $36,318 |
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 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Woodwell Climate Research Center describes its work as conducting science at the intersection of climate, people, and nature; DC Greens says it advances health equity through a just and resilient food system; and World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The National Gallery of Art describes its mission as welcoming people to explore and experience art, creativity, and shared humanity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 66 grants totaling $96,641. Grants ranged from $100 to $11,000, with a median of $1,000. Among the largest were $11,000 to Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, $10,649 to China Folk House, and $10,000 to LCV Education Fund. Each was listed for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Oliver Dewey as Treasurer and Elizabeth Barratt-Brown as President.
The Guide Foundation is led by Elizabeth Barratt-Brown, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Barratt-Brown
President
Trustee → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Oliver Dewey
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: R. Bosworth Dewey (2019–2022) — Trustee
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 Guide Foundation
How much does The Guide Foundation give each year?
The Guide Foundation gave $97K across 66 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $100K across 70 grants.
What is The Guide Foundation's typical grant size?
The Guide Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,464, across 66 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Guide Foundation that year got $801 on average.
Where does The Guide Foundation give grants?
The Guide Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (19%) and Maryland (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (26 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Berryville, VA (4 grants) and San Francisco, CA (3 grants).
Does The Guide Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Guide Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (66 of 66) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Guide Foundation's largest grantees?
The Guide Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Yale Center - Environmental Law Pol ($11,000), China Folk House ($10,649) and LCV Education Fund ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Guide Foundation?
The Guide Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $109K.
What does The Guide Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Guide Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Guide Foundation's EIN?
The Guide Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6113609. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 21, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Guide Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Guide Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-guide-foundation-morg_51d87e6dbddd4c2b808cd30a234d4c59
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136113609_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Guide Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-guide-foundation-morg_51d87e6dbddd4c2b808cd30a234d4c59},
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 Guide 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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