The Sassafras Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2005 and based in Branford, Connecticut. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving to support various charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.3M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$704K
-10.1% YoY
Grant Count
17
-26.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
+21.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sassafras Foundation reported a distributable amount of $742K for 2024 — 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
- After School Programs
- Mentoring Programs
- Tutoring and Academic Success Enrichment
- General Support
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$4,000–$150,000
Average Grant
amount: $35,829 (general support)
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Connecticut and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11,307,242
- Total Revenue: $1,567,032
- Total Expenses: $732,041
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Giving Rate: 6.5%
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Grants, contributions, etc.: $504,405
- Investment income and dividends: $568,039
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $494,588
Staffing:
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,307,242 | $10,472,251 | $10,769,704 |
| Revenue | $1,567,032 | $507,661 | $608,732 |
| Expenses | $732,041 | $805,114 | $855,347 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $711,079 | $790,513 | $841,958 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,046,428 | $493,060 | $595,343 |
| Distributable Amount | $741,586 | $672,189 | $686,809 |
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
110 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Christian Community Action ($115,000), International Festival of Arts and Ideas ($100,000), New Haven Legal Assistance Inc ($80,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB NEW HAVEN NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $12,000 |
| CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY INC CO U OF CT SCHOOL OF LAW HARTFORD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY ACTION NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $115,000 |
| DWIGHT HALL AT YALE NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| HORIZONS AT THE FOOTE SCHOOL NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| LEADERSHIP EDUCATION ATHLETICS IN PARTNERSHIP NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| NEW HAVEN LEGAL ASSISTANCE INC NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $80,000 |
| OPEN COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE INC HARTFORD, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| THE LINKS FOUNDATION HAMDEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $8,000 |
| YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT URBAN RESOURCES INITIATIVE NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Gordon T Geballe – President, Director
- Shelley D Geballe – Secretary/Treasurer, Director
- Joshua G Geballe – Director
- Benjamin D Geballe – Director
- Daniel W Geballe – Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GORDON T GEBALLE | PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHELLEY D GEBALLE | SECT'Y/TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOSHUA G GEBALLE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BENJAMIN D GEBALLE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DANIEL W GEBALLE | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Sassafras Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • After School Programs • Mentoring Programs • Tutoring and Academic Success Enrichment • General Support
How do I apply for a grant from The Sassafras Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $4,000–$150,000 • Average grant amount: $35,829 (general support) • Median grant amount: $57,915 • Total giving (2024): $711,079 • Total giving (2023): $704,000 • Number of grants awarded (2024): 43 **Grant Programs:** • General Support (40 recipients, $35,829 average) • Harbor Fellows Program ($80,000 average, 1 recipient) • Fellows Program ($28,000 average, 1 recipient) • Scholarships ($100,000 average, 1 recipient) **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Chris…
Where does The Sassafras Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Connecticut and New York.
What size grants does The Sassafras Foundation award?
In 2024, The Sassafras Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $704K — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Sassafras Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Sassafras Foundation reported a distributable amount of $742K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Sassafras Foundation's EIN?
The Sassafras Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3082522. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sassafras 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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