The Near and Far Association Inc
The Near and Far Association Inc is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1946 and based in Southport, Connecticut. Operating as an all-volunteer fundraising and fund-granting organization, it functions as a grantmaker dedicated to addressing poverty in its service region. The organization has zero employees and relies entirely on volunteer leadership.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.8M
-5.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+9.1% YoY
Grant Count
87
+6.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+2.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization is dedicated to eliminating the causes and effects of poverty in Fairfield County. It accomplishes its mission by finding and funding programs that provide life's most basic necessities as well as those that seek to achieve lasting change. The organization provides monetary assistance to non-profit agencies whose primary purpose is to help those living in poverty.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Emergency assistance
- Aid to the homeless
- Aid to families at risk
- Human services and poverty alleviation
- Education and philanthropy
Grantmaking
The Near and Far Association makes grants ranging from $6,000 to $25,000, with recent grants including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization focuses its grantmaking exclusively on Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (Fiscal Year Ending June 2025):
- Total Assets: $1,808,294
- Total Revenue: $1,114,548
- Total Expenses: $1,247,052
- Net Income: -$132,504
- Total Liabilities: $38,200
Prior Year Data (Fiscal Year Ending June 2024):
- Total Assets: $1,910,597
- Total Revenue: $1,275,929
- Total Expenses: $1,144,805
The organization maintains unconditional tax-exempt status and is classified as a public charity receiving substantial support from governmental units or the general public.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,808,294 | $1,910,597 | $1,790,965 |
| Revenue | $1,114,548 | $1,275,929 | $1,319,650 |
| Expenses | $1,247,052 | $1,144,805 | $1,114,030 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $78,520 | $75,853 | $40,642 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Near and Far Association Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Boys & Girls Village Inc ($25,000), Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders Inc ($25,000), Emerge Inc ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVEMENT FIRST SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $7,500 |
| ADAM J LEWIS ACADEMY (FORMERLY ADAM J LEWIS PRESCHOOL) SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $10,000 |
| ALL OUR KIN INC SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $10,000 |
| ARTS FOR LEARNING CONNECTICUT SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $12,000 |
| ASSOCIATION OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES INC (ARC) SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $10,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS VILLAGE INC SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $25,000 |
| BRIDGE ACADEMY (THE) SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $12,500 |
| BRIDGEPORT CARIBE YOUTH LEADERS INC SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $25,000 |
| BRIDGEPORT NEIGHBORHOOD TRUST INC SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $10,000 |
| BUILDING ONE COMMUNITY (FORMERLY NEIGHBORS LINK STAMFORD) SOUTHPORT, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE AID TO FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND EDUCATION. | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROSALINA THOMAS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GEORGIA ADAMS | TREASURER | 5 | — |
| ELIZABETH BECHTOLD | RECORDING SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| KAREN MITCHELL | DEVELOPMENT CO-CHAIR | 5 | — |
| JOAN PANAGOS | GRANT REVIEW CO-CHAIRS | 1 | — |
| JOANNE MASON | CO-PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| LAUREN KELLY-WEISS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LESLEY O'CONNELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LISA ALBENZE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JAIMIE DOCKRAY | GRANT REVIEW CO-CHAIRS | 1 | — |
| KATERINA POWERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SARAH MATTHEWS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LINDSAY MULDOON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SAMIRA CWANEK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NANCY GAULT | DEVELOPMENT CO-CHAIR | 1 | — |
| JACLYN PICARILLO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELORA SWEEDLER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KIM MEIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUZANNE JESSE | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| KELLY SCINTO | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| EMILY GORDON | CO-PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| KRISTIN CLARK | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MISSY HARMON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 717, Southport, CT 06890-0717
- Phone: 203-259-2727
- Website: www.nearandfaraid.org
- EIN: 23-7036523
- Tax-Exempt Since: June 1973
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Near and Far Association Inc fund?
The organization is dedicated to eliminating the causes and effects of poverty in Fairfield County. It accomplishes its mission by finding and funding programs that provide life's most basic necessities as well as those that seek to achieve lasting change. The organization provides monetary assistance to non-profit agencies whose primary purpose is to help those living in poverty. Primary funding focus areas include: • Emergency assistance • Aid to the homeless • Aid to families at risk • Human…
How do I apply for a grant from The Near and Far Association Inc?
The Near and Far Association makes grants ranging from $6,000 to $25,000, with recent grants including: • The Open Door Shelter: $25,000 (Aid to the Homeless) • Inspirica: $25,000 (Aid to the Homeless) • The Center for Family Justice: $25,000 (Aid to Families at Risk) In fiscal year 2024, the organization made approximately 51 grants totaling $614,500 in documented grantmaking activity. Total giving reached $1,188,500 based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing. The organization accepts grant …
Where does The Near and Far Association Inc make grants?
The organization focuses its grantmaking exclusively on Fairfield County, Connecticut.
What size grants does The Near and Far Association Inc award?
In 2025, The Near and Far Association Inc awarded 87 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Near and Far Association Inc's EIN?
The Near and Far Association Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7036523. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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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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