The Lightweaver Foundation
The Lightweaver Foundation is a private foundation based in American Fork, Utah. Its 2024 filing reports 18 grants totaling $138,807, with most grant dollars going to organizations in Utah.
The Lightweaver Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lightweaver Foundation gave $139K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Utah. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $138,807
- -10.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- -18.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,712
- +9.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,770
- Total assets
- $58,010
- +171.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (9 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Utah (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Lightweaver Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 864 East 120 North, American Fork, UT 84003
Phone: (801) 225-9411
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lightweaver Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Intermountain Foundation ($65K). Together the top 10 received $129K.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 67 grants of 69 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Utah. The remaining reported shares were California (4%), Massachusetts (4%), Georgia (1%), and Minnesota (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Lightweaver Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 18 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 314% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $15K (2020) to $155K (2023). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $139K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Intermountain Foundation Salt Lake City, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $65,249 |
| Operation Literacy Spanish Fork, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $18,704 |
| The League of Utah Writers Bountiful, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $10,000 |
| Courage Reins Highland, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $6,781 |
| Harrington Center American Fork, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $5,665 |
| Locus Magazine Oakland, CA | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $5,050 |
| Reach Out Utah Elk Ridge, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Horizons for Homeless Children Roxbury, MA | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Scenic View Academy Provo, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Dyslexia Center of Utah American Fork, UT | Further Organization's Exempt Purpose | $2,540 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $58,010 | $227,601 | $190,942 | $138,807 | 18 | $190,942 | $1,104 |
| 2023 | $21,351 | $230,063 | $218,866 | $154,862 | 22 | $218,866 | $1,582 |
| 2022 | $10,154 | $162,572 | $163,708 | $61,042 | 14 | $105,651 | $1,859 |
| 2021 | $64,324 | $119,556 | $78,450 | $33,535 | 9 | $78,450 | — |
| 2020 | $23,218 | $78,592 | $71,518 | $14,559 | 6 | — | $74 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lightweaver Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes support for reading and writing programs, children receiving hospital care, and services for children who need behavioral-health support. It also reports an ornament fundraiser that provided books and other items benefiting multiple organizations and families.
The grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of supported work. Courage Reins says it uses equine-assisted therapies, including therapeutic horsemanship and occupational therapy, to improve the lives of people with physical, mental, and emotional challenges. The Dyslexia Center of Utah says it works to help students with learning differences become confident, independent readers. Horizons for Homeless Children says it provides homeless children in Massachusetts with early education, play, and other opportunities to support healthy development. Mayo Clinic describes its mission as providing patient care, education, and research to support health and well-being.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $138,807. Grants ranged from $500 to $65,249, with a median grant of $3,770.
Its largest reported grants included $65,249 to Intermountain Foundation, $18,704 to Operation Literacy, $10,000 to The League of Utah Writers, $6,781 to Courage Reins, and $5,665 to Harrington Center. The foundation’s filing says its 2024 donation to Intermountain Foundation supported a $50,000 endowment for the Gail Miller Campus School Zone at Primary Children’s Hospital and the ARCS behavioral-health assessment, referral, and consultation program. It says its donation to Operation Literacy supported book drops at lower-income schools and the StoryCon convention.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brandon W. Sanderson, Emily Sanderson, and Jane S. Horne as directors.
The Lightweaver Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brandon W. Sanderson
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Sanderson
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jane S. Horne
Director
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Lightweaver Foundation
How much does The Lightweaver Foundation give each year?
The Lightweaver Foundation gave $139K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $155K across 22 grants.
What is The Lightweaver Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lightweaver Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,770, and its average grant was $7,712, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Lightweaver Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Lightweaver Foundation give grants?
The Lightweaver Foundation gives mostly in Utah: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (2 grants) and Provo, UT (2 grants).
Who are The Lightweaver Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lightweaver Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Intermountain Foundation ($65,249), Operation Literacy ($18,704) and The League of Utah Writers ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lightweaver Foundation?
The Lightweaver Foundation reported $58K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $191K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Lightweaver Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing describes support for reading and writing programs, children receiving hospital care, and services for children who need behavioral-health support. It also reports an ornament fundraiser that provided books and other items benefiting multiple organizations and families. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lightweaver Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lightweaver Foundation's EIN?
The Lightweaver Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5077915. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lightweaver Foundation 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Lightweaver Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lightweaver-foundation-morg_7a7fa88dbf0a4b7eb53ea4f17d33d5f0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_475077915_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lightweaver Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lightweaver-foundation-morg_7a7fa88dbf0a4b7eb53ea4f17d33d5f0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Lightweaver 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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