The Old Bug Light Charitable Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) family foundation based in Portland, Maine. Established in 1997 and tax-exempt since March 1998, the foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on supporting charitable causes primarily in Maine, New York, and Oregon.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.3M
+11.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$200K
+17.0% YoY
Grant Count
23
+21.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-3.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Old Bug Light Charitable reported a distributable amount of $124K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Human and Social Service Grants
- Poverty Alleviation
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $50,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Maine, New York, and Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $2,328,281 (as of 2025)
- Total Giving: $200,000 (2025)
- Revenue: $446,000 (2025)
- Expenses: $213,000 (2025)
- Total Liabilities: $0 (2025)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,328,281 | $2,095,301 | $2,229,557 |
| Revenue | $445,861 | $48,340 | $-17,218 |
| Expenses | $212,881 | $182,596 | $236,404 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $201,762 | $172,706 | $200,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $435,304 | $54,826 | $40,093 |
| Distributable Amount | $124,397 | $121,689 | $124,283 |
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
110 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Learningworks ($50,000), Doctors Without Borders ($30,000), National Network of Abortion Funds ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 240 STRINGS PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $1,000 |
| ACLU OF MAINE PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| BICYCLE COALITION OF MAINE PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS NEW YORK, NY | FOR OPERATIONS | $30,000 |
| EASTERN TRAIL ALLIANCE SACO, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $2,500 |
| FOUNDATION FOR PORTLAND PUBLIC PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| FRIENDS OF CONGRESS SQUARE PARK PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| GOOD THEATER PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $2,000 |
| GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE PORTLAND, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| HOSPICE OF SOUTHERN MAINE SCARBOROUGH, ME | FOR OPERATIONS | $4,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NATHANIEL T MOORE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| CHRISTOPHER S MOORE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| JENNIFER M VANDEKREEKE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| MERYL NIERMAN | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| ROBIN VANDEKREEKE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| BREE LACASSE | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 7160, Portland, ME 04112-7160
- Telephone: 207-553-7160
- EIN: 01-0514859
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Old Bug Light Charitable fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Nonprofit Human Services • Human and Social Service Grants • Poverty Alleviation
How do I apply for a grant from The Old Bug Light Charitable?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $50,000. **Annual Giving:** The foundation distributed $200,000 in grants based on its most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2025). **Recent Activity:** The foundation has demonstrated active grantmaking, with recent grants including a $20,800 operating grant to Old North Illuminated (announced February 2025).
Where does The Old Bug Light Charitable make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Maine, New York, and Oregon.
What size grants does The Old Bug Light Charitable award?
In 2025, The Old Bug Light Charitable awarded 23 grants totaling $200K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Old Bug Light Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Old Bug Light Charitable reported a distributable amount of $124K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Old Bug Light Charitable's EIN?
The Old Bug Light Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0514859. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Old Bug Light Charitable'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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