The Sand Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, established in 2016. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a private foundation focused on philanthropic giving across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.7M
+0.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$276K
-6.2% YoY
Grant Count
74
-9.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+3.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sand Foundation reported a distributable amount of $452K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports general and unrestricted charitable causes. Its funding priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and creative endeavors
- Historic preservation
- Journalism
- Charter schools
- First Amendment rights (through a lecture series fund)
- Scholarship funds for students
Grantmaking
The foundation appears open to new applicants.
Grant Range
approximately $15,000
Average Grant
approximately $15,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with particular concentration in:
- Rhode Island
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
Additional funding extends to organizations in numerous other states including Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $7,703,456
- Total revenues: $408,631
- Total expenses: $487,040
- Total liabilities: $0
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $7.7 million
- Total annual grants awarded: $294,000
The foundation maintains no employees and operates with an expense ratio of 119.2% of total revenue.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,704,860 | $7,703,456 | $7,778,065 |
| Revenue | $472,501 | $408,631 | $359,742 |
| Expenses | $471,597 | $487,040 | $527,464 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $407,482 | $425,200 | $469,016 |
| Net Investment Income | $412,886 | $351,191 | $308,594 |
| Distributable Amount | $452,264 | $413,781 | $422,368 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Naval War College Foundation Inc ($25,000), Newport Art Museum and Art Association ($25,000), Georgetown University ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABORTION CARE NETWORK WASHINGTON, DC | General & Unrestricted | $5,500 |
| ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE OAKLAND, CA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | combating antisemitism | $5,000 |
| AQUIDNECK LAND TRUST MIDDLETOWN, RI | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| ASHOKA ARLINGTON, VA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| BERKELEY ATHLETIC FUND BERKELEY, CA | Berkeley High XC / Track & Field Team Support | $300 |
| BERKELEY FOOD NETWORK BERKELEY, CA | General & Unrestricted | $1,000 |
| BERKELEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FUND BERKELEY, CA | General & Unrestricted | $6,000 |
| BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL INC MIAMI, FL | General & Unrestricted | $4,500 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA ATLANTA, GA | General & Unrestricted | $4,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by a five-member board of directors, all from the Schoenfeld family. Each director works approximately one hour per week and receives annual compensation of $1,000.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Braun Schoenfeld | Dir | 1 | $1,000 |
| Barbara B Schoenfeld | Dir, Pres, Sec, Treas | 1 | $1,000 |
| Gordon Schoenfeld | Dir | 1 | $1,000 |
| Larry J Schoenfeld | Dir, VP | 1 | $1,000 |
| Max Schoenfeld | Dir | 1 | $1,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Sand Foundation fund?
The foundation supports general and unrestricted charitable causes. Its funding priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and creative endeavors • Historic preservation • Journalism • Charter schools • First Amendment rights (through a lecture series fund) • Scholarship funds for students
How do I apply for a grant from The Sand Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 59 grants in 2023, totaling approximately $275,729 • Made 82 grants in 2024, totaling approximately $294,000 • Typical grant awards range from $50 to $50,000 • Average grant size: approximately $15,000 **Recent Grantees (2023):** • Naval War College Foundation: $25,000 (General & Unrestricted) • Newport Art Museum and Art Association: $25,000 (Annual Fund) • Georgetown University: $20,000 (Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center - Aya Integrative Medicine Fund)
Where does The Sand Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with particular concentration in: • Rhode Island • California • New York • Massachusetts Additional funding extends to organizations in numerous other states including Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.
What size grants does The Sand Foundation award?
In 2024, The Sand Foundation awarded 74 grants totaling $276K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Sand Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Sand Foundation reported a distributable amount of $452K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Sand Foundation's EIN?
The Sand Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3209913. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sand 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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