The Mousetrap Foundation is a private, independent foundation established in 2002 and based in Reston, Virginia. The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation with a primary focus on investing in securities and holding cash, with income from these investments directed toward charitable purposes as determined by the board of directors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.4M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-18.4% YoY
Grant Count
16
-56.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$89K
+88.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mousetrap Foundation reported a distributable amount of $835K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is to invest in securities or hold cash and use the income from these investments for charitable purposes in accordance with the foundation's exempt purpose.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Human and Social Service Grants
- Poverty Alleviation
- Reproductive Health
Grantmaking
Grant Range
& Activity:**
Average Grant
amount varies by year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds operations and pro-bono projects in Virginia, with additional focus on the District of Columbia and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $13,300,727
- Total Revenues: $8,720,549
- Total Expenses: $1,919,642
- Total Giving: $1,430,946
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $13,375,717
- Total Giving: $1,430,946
Historical Context (2014):
- Assets: $9,920,145
- Income: $1,381,687
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,375,717 | $13,300,727 | $6,499,820 |
| Revenue | $1,759,969 | $8,720,549 | $430,554 |
| Expenses | $1,684,979 | $1,919,642 | $1,852,053 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,510,900 | $1,821,410 | $1,764,550 |
| Net Investment Income | $295,231 | $463,092 | $353,051 |
| Distributable Amount | $835,036 | $555,041 | $450,661 |
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
93 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Howard University ($220,946), Stanford Law School ($200,000), Georgetown University Law Center ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AYUDA INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| FENWICK FOUNDATION ARLINGTON, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| GLACIER NATIONAL PARK CONSERVANCY COLUMBIA FALLS, MT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| HOWARD UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $220,946 |
| PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL WARRENTON, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| STANFORD LAW SCHOOL STANFORD, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| THE CHEHALIS FOUNDATION CHEHALIS, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| THE FAUQUIER FREE CLINIC WARRENTON, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CHEHALIS, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES LINTOTT | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| KENDRA HARVEY | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| J VANDER STOEP | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW KEEFER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 12030 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 450, Reston, VA 20191-3400
Phone: 703-437-9720
Administrative Support: Sterling Foundation Management LLC
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Mousetrap Foundation fund?
The foundation's stated purpose is to invest in securities or hold cash and use the income from these investments for charitable purposes in accordance with the foundation's exempt purpose. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Nonprofit Human Services • Human and Social Service Grants • Poverty Alleviation • Reproductive Health
How do I apply for a grant from The Mousetrap Foundation?
**Grant Size & Activity:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,500 to $250,892 • Average grant amount varies by year • In 2023, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $1,217,899 (with additional grants bringing total giving to approximately $1,430,946) **Recent Grant Recipients (2023):** • Howard University: $210,899 (General Support) • American Nutrition Association (ACN): $200,000 (General Support) • Repro Rising Virginia: $175,000 (General Support) • The Greenhouse Project (among other reci…
Where does The Mousetrap Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds operations and pro-bono projects in Virginia, with additional focus on the District of Columbia and Washington.
What size grants does The Mousetrap Foundation award?
In 2024, The Mousetrap Foundation awarded 16 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $89K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Mousetrap Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Mousetrap Foundation reported a distributable amount of $835K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Mousetrap Foundation's EIN?
The Mousetrap Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2285383. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mousetrap 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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