The Helen and Sidney Witty
The Helen and Sidney Witty is a private foundation based in East Granby, Connecticut. It made 19 grants totaling $42,016 in 2025 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in the arts, education, health, and crisis response.
The Helen and Sidney Witty at a glance
In short: The Helen and Sidney Witty gave $42K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state New York. 37% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $42,016
- -7.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- -13.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,211
- +7.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $824,881
- -4.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 37% first-time grantees (7 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (35% 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 Helen and Sidney Witty
- 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: 8 Wyncourte, East Granby, CT 06026
Phone: (212) 381-4700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Helen and Sidney Witty funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Westchester Land Tr ($10K). Together the top 10 received $36K.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 150 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (35%), Connecticut (30%), Rhode Island (14%), and Washington, DC (10%). Recipients in North Carolina received 5% of grant dollars. The listed grants also included a $1,451 award to KMA Foundation in Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Helen and Sidney Witty open to new grantees?
37%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 19 grantees (37%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $37K (2023) to $56K (2021). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $42K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Westchester Land Tr Bedford Hills, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $10,000 |
| Brown Univ Gifts Providence, RI | Unrestricted Grant | $6,000 |
| Friends of Michael East Hartford, CT | Unrestricted Grant | $5,000 |
| St Francis Hospital Hartford, CT | Unrestricted Grant | $2,500 |
| Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Bloomfield, CT | Unrestricted Grant | $2,500 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Unrestricted Grant | $2,000 |
| The V Foundation Cary, NC | Unrestricted Grant | $2,000 |
| The Bushnell Center Hartford, CT | Unrestricted Grant | $2,000 |
| Naral Washington, DC | Unrestricted Grant | $2,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of SNE New York, NY | Unrestricted Grant | $2,000 |
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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 | $824,881 | $19,103 | $59,514 | $42,016 | 19 | $45,955 | $27,091 | $47,442 |
| 2024 | $865,292 | $28,282 | $62,425 | $45,470 | 22 | $49,642 | $31,217 | $45,141 |
| 2023 | $919,435 | $28,149 | $53,942 | $36,850 | 22 | $40,529 | $22,279 | $44,356 |
| 2022 | $925,228 | $62,545 | $63,981 | $47,220 | 32 | $50,452 | $47,137 | $47,871 |
| 2021 | $926,664 | $55,922 | $71,065 | $55,550 | 55 | — | $40,795 | $47,575 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Helen and Sidney Witty reported a distributable amount of $47K 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 included organizations with varied missions. For example, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation says it promotes independence for people who are blind by providing guide dogs; World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises; and The V Foundation says it funds cancer research. Publicolor describes its work as supporting students facing significant challenges through educational and youth-development programs. The Frick Collection, which received $140 in 2025, says it operates an art museum and library for public enjoyment and the advancement of fine arts study.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $42,016. Grants ranged from $75 to $10,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest listed awards were $10,000 to Westchester Land Trust, $6,000 to Brown University Gifts, and $5,000 to Friends of Michael. These, like the other listed grants, were designated as unrestricted.
Other notable 2025 grants included $2,500 each to St. Francis Hospital and Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, and $2,000 each to World Central Kitchen, The V Foundation, The Bushnell Center, NARAL, Planned Parenthood of SNE, and Publicolor.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Anthony Freund and Elizabeth French as directors.
The Helen and Sidney Witty's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anthony Freund
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth French
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Helen and Sidney Witty
How much does The Helen and Sidney Witty give each year?
The Helen and Sidney Witty gave $42K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $45K across 22 grants.
What is The Helen and Sidney Witty's typical grant size?
The Helen and Sidney Witty's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,211, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Helen and Sidney Witty that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Helen and Sidney Witty give grants?
The Helen and Sidney Witty's top state is New York, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (30%) and Rhode Island (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), Hartford, CT (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Helen and Sidney Witty give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Helen and Sidney Witty's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Helen and Sidney Witty's largest grantees?
The Helen and Sidney Witty's largest 2025 grantees include Westchester Land Tr ($10,000), Brown Univ Gifts ($6,000) and Friends of Michael ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Helen and Sidney Witty?
The Helen and Sidney Witty reported $825K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $46K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $47K (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 Helen and Sidney Witty fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees included organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Helen and Sidney Witty?
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 Helen and Sidney Witty's EIN?
The Helen and Sidney Witty's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0180760. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Helen and Sidney Witty accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 28, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Helen and Sidney Witty funds
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