The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation
THE RICHARD AND SUSAN MASTER FAMILY is a private foundation based in Easton, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports 20 charitable grants totaling $1,708,350, all to recipients in Pennsylvania.
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $85K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,708,350
- +550.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +17.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $85,418
- +452.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,657,296
- -24.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (6 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2280 Newlins Rd, Easton, PA 18045
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Lehigh Valley Community Foundation ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 70 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 20 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $256K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1194% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 805% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $115K (2020) to $1.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley Community Foundation Allentown, PA | Charitable | $1,500,000 |
| Lehigh Valley Justice Institute Easton, PA | Charitable | $75,000 |
| National Museum of Industrial History Bethlehem, PA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Spotlight PA Harrisburg, PA | Charitable | $25,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Easton Easton, PA | Charitable | $13,000 |
| Northampton Community College Bethlehem, PA | Charitable | $11,700 |
| Boys & Girls Club Reading, PA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Center for Health and Democracy Philadelphia, PA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Lehigh County Humane Society Allentown, PA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Jewish Family Services of the Lehigh Valley Allentown, PA | Charitable | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Richard and Susan Master Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,657,296 | $901,888 | $1,737,277 | $1,708,350 | 20 | $1,712,327 | $877,860 | $212,689 |
| 2024 | $3,539,150 | $1,420,448 | $284,372 | $262,825 | 17 | $263,904 | $134,353 | $172,536 |
| 2023 | $3,405,884 | $1,733,469 | $394,835 | $381,500 | 13 | $381,500 | $204,137 | $105,340 |
| 2022 | $2,067,250 | $157,936 | $146,667 | $132,000 | 10 | $132,000 | $42,845 | $105,877 |
| 2021 | $2,055,981 | $1,077,690 | $277,684 | $261,410 | 10 | $261,410 | $65,986 | $113,764 |
| 2020 | $1,255,975 | $331,239 | $122,468 | $114,500 | 10 | — | $22,737 | $65,233 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $213K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants include support for organizations whose own missions span community philanthropy, criminal justice research and advocacy, industrial history, investigative journalism, healthcare advocacy, animal welfare, Jewish community support, and youth education.
For example, the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation says it develops, manages, and distributes philanthropy to improve quality of life in the Lehigh Valley. The Lehigh Valley Justice Institute describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan research, policy, and advocacy organization working toward a more equitable criminal justice system, with a data-driven focus on the Lehigh Valley. The National Museum of Industrial History says it connects America’s industrial past with today’s innovations through public education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $1,708,350 through 20 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $1,500,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest reported grant was $1,500,000 to the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. Other notable grants included $75,000 to the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, $25,000 each to the National Museum of Industrial History and Spotlight PA, and $13,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Easton. Additional 2025 recipients included Northampton Community College ($11,700), the Center for Health and Democracy ($10,000), and the Lehigh County Humane Society ($10,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Richard Master and Susan E Master as trustees.
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard L. Master
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan E. Master
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation
How much does The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation give each year?
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation gave $1.7M across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $263K across 17 grants.
What is The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $85,418, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation that year got $256K on average.
Where does The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation give grants?
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Allentown, PA (6 grants), Bethlehem, PA (5 grants), Easton, PA (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (20 grants).
Who are The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lehigh Valley Community Foundation ($1,500,000), Lehigh Valley Justice Institute ($75,000) and National Museum of Industrial History ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 94% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation?
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $213K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and 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 Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's EIN?
The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2728225. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Richard and Susan Master Family 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-richard-and-susan-master-family-foundation-morg_de86b811d5cc439e9cc5334fd1e693e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_472728225_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Richard and Susan Master Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-richard-and-susan-master-family-foundation-morg_de86b811d5cc439e9cc5334fd1e693e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Richard and Susan Master Family 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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