The Sand Foundation
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.
Key facts about The Sand Foundation
- EIN
- 81-3209913
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $275,729
- Grants made (2024)
- 74
- Average grant
- $3,726
- Median grant
- $2,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (15 of 68, 2024)
- Total assets
- $7,704,860
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (42% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Sand Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Sand Foundation's 74 itemized 2024 grants were Rhode Island (42%), District of Columbia (18%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Providence, RI (12 grants), Newport, RI (11 grants), San Francisco, CA (9 grants) and Washington, DC (7 grants). 84% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Sand Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 68 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Sand Foundation
- How to evaluate The Sand Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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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
Ready to take the next step with The Sand Foundation?
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
Share of all 74 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
377 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Newport Art Museum and Art Association ($40,000 across 3 grants), Naval War College Foundation Inc ($35,029 across 2 grants), Georgetown University ($21,000 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NAVAL WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC Newport, RI | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| NEWPORT ART MUSEUM AND ART ASSOCIATION Newport, RI | Campus Signage and related costs | $25,000 |
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Washington, DC | AYA Integrative Medicine - Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center | $20,000 |
| HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $15,300 |
| NAVAL WAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC Newport, RI | Charitable Event | $10,029 |
| NEWPORT ART MUSEUM AND ART ASSOCIATION Newport, RI | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| NEWPORT FESTIVALS FOUNDATION INC Manchester, MA | Free Music Lessons and Underwriting | $10,000 |
| NEWPORT HOSPITAL FOUNDATION INC Providence, RI | Emergency Department and Rehabilitation | $10,000 |
| PTA CALIFORNIA CONGRESS OF PARENTS TEACHERS & STUD Berkeley, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| U S COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS INC Arlington, VA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
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 IRS 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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.