The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation is a private foundation based in Shelburne, Vermont. It made 67 grants totaling $601,500 in 2024 to organizations including education, food assistance, civic engagement, and community organizations.
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation at a glance
In short: The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation gave $602K across 67 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in Vermont. 46% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $601,500
- -18.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 67
- +1.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,978
- -19.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $8,009,074
- +3.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (26 of 57, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (79% 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 Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Any form is acceptable; applicants should include organizational details and the proposed use of funds. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Peter Stern
Mailing address: PO Box 458, Shelburne, VT 05482
Phone: (802) 985-9943
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Stern Center for Language & Learning ($285K across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $515K.
Grant Size Distribution
235 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 235 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Vermont recipients received 79% of grant dollars. Other reported recipient-state shares were California 10%, District of Columbia 7%, Idaho 2%, and New Hampshire 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 67 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 26 of 57 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $435K (2021) to $733K (2023). In 2024 it made 67 grants totaling $602K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Stern Center for Language & Learning Williston, VT | General Support | $80,000 |
| Stern Center for Language & Learning Williston, VT | General Support | $75,000 |
| Stern Center for Language & Learning Williston, VT | General Support | $75,000 |
| Stern Center for Language & Learning Williston, VT | General Support | $50,000 |
| Empower Fund Inc Pomona, CA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Fair Democracy Engagement Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $40,000 |
| Hunger Free Vermont Inc South Burlington, VT | General Support | $25,000 |
| Changing Perspectives Inc Montpelier, VT | General Support | $20,000 |
| Tides Center San Francisco, CA | General Support | $20,000 |
| Vermont Community Foundation Middlebury, VT | General Support | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Morris & Bessie Altman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,009,074 | $2,323,880 | $931,531 | $601,500 | 67 | $625,075 | $833,136 | $587,910 |
| 2023 | $7,708,654 | $1,920,283 | $938,877 | $733,350 | 66 | $773,581 | $279,474 | $447,550 |
| 2022 | $6,929,134 | $2,082,561 | $600,932 | $436,500 | 45 | $452,113 | $386,718 | $450,844 |
| 2021 | $5,725,929 | $3,243,575 | $501,034 | $434,750 | 57 | — | $641,722 | $331,446 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $588K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees describe a range of work: Hunger Free Vermont says it works to end hunger and pursue systemic change; Fair Democracy Engagement Fund says it seeks to strengthen democracy through civic education and participation; and Vermont Foodbank says it works so that no one in Vermont goes hungry. The Stern Center for Language & Learning received several of the foundation’s largest grants, each designated for general support.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 67 grants totaling $601,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $80,000, with a median of $1,000.
The largest listed grants included four general-support grants to the Stern Center for Language & Learning totaling $280,000: $80,000, $75,000, $75,000, and $50,000. Other notable 2024 grants included $40,000 each to Empower Fund and Fair Democracy Engagement Fund; $25,000 to Hunger Free Vermont; and $20,000 each to Changing Perspectives, Tides Center, Vermont Community Foundation, and Vermont Foodbank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marjorie Stern, Abbi Stern, Sarena Stern, and Peter Stern as directors.
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Abbi Stern
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Majorie Stern
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Peter Stern
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Sarena Stern
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation
How much does The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation give each year?
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation gave $602K across 67 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $733K across 66 grants.
What is The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's typical grant size?
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $8,978, across 67 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation give grants?
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation gives mostly in Vermont: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (10%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Burlington, VT (19 grants), Williston, VT (6 grants), South Burlington, VT (6 grants) and Shelburne, VT (6 grants).
Does The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (67 of 67) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's largest grantees?
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Stern Center for Language & Learning ($285,000 across 5 grants), Empower Fund Inc ($40,000) and Fair Democracy Engagement Fund ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation?
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation reported $8.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $625K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $588K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation?
The filing states that the foundation 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 Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's EIN?
The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 03-0323120. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-morris-and-bessie-altman-foundation-morg_97d00ad21b2247928d48eef444b456ed
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_030323120_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Morris \& Bessie Altman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-morris-and-bessie-altman-foundation-morg_97d00ad21b2247928d48eef444b456ed},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Morris & Bessie Altman 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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