The Sears Swetland Family Foundation
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Bratenahl, Ohio, and describes itself as a small family foundation serving Greater Cleveland. It supports nonprofit programming in environmental and community health, education, livable communities, and sustainability.
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Sears Swetland Family Foundation gave $318K across 48 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Ohio. 23% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $318,000
- -0.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- +2.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,625
- -2.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,881,444
- +3.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (11 of 48, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (71% 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 Sears Swetland Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Its website asks interested organizations to email a brief introduction and letter of intent. If a program fits the foundation’s mission, the foundation may arrange a site visit and then invite a proposal. A proposal should include the institution’s name, mission, and vision; the director or applicant’s name; a program description and request; the anticipated impact and fit with the foundation’s interests; other donors and amounts given or solicited; and current trustees. The foundation supports operating, program, internship and campership, community research, and capital campaign grants. It may make multi-year grants; after a multi-year grant cycle, it generally takes at least a year off from funding an organization, except for operating grants. It may request a verbal or written report after a grant.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists Spring and Fall deadlines of March 1 and September 1. The September 1, 2026 deadline has passed. The foundation’s 2025 filing, by contrast, lists no deadlines, forms or materials, or award restrictions.
- Deadline
- The website lists Spring and Fall deadlines of March 1 and September 1.
- Contact
Application contact: 990App
Mailing address: 13003 Lakeshore Blvd, Bratenahl, OH 44108
Phone: (216) 932-2745
Website: https://searsswetlandfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Sears Swetland Family Foundation
Who The Sears Swetland Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Central Lincoln YMCA ($30K). Together the top 10 received $135K.
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 198 grants of 200 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it is committed to serving Greater Cleveland. Its 2025 grant dollars went primarily to Ohio recipients (71%), with 13% to Maine, 9% to Vermont, 3% to Illinois, and 2% to Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Sears Swetland Family Foundation open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 48 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% 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 $279K (2023) to $335K (2021). In 2025 it made 48 grants totaling $318K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Central Lincoln YMCA Damariscotta, ME | Child Care and Education | $30,000 |
| CWRU Swetland Center for Environmental Health Cleveland, OH | Environmental Health | $20,000 |
| Cleveland Institute of Art Cleveland, OH | Arts Education | $15,000 |
| Birthing Beautiful Communities Cleveland, OH | Social Support | $10,000 |
| Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, ME | Historic Park Preservation | $10,000 |
| Cleveland Neighborhood Progress Shaker Heights, OH | Community Building | $10,000 |
| Nature Conservancy of Vermont Monpelier, VT | Conservation | $10,000 |
| Smokey House Center Danby, VT | Environmental Research | $10,000 |
| Vermont Public Interest Research Group Montpelie, VT | Research and Education | $10,000 |
| Western Reserve Land Conservancy Moreland Hills, OH | Conservation/Parks | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Sears Swetland 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 | $4,881,444 | $553,491 | $373,909 | $318,000 | 48 | $325,588 | $511,176 | $321,270 |
| 2024 | $4,700,943 | $300,199 | $367,354 | $319,000 | 47 | $332,472 | $264,425 | $317,991 |
| 2023 | $4,768,791 | $106,454 | $334,697 | $278,500 | 36 | $301,540 | $62,485 | $285,381 |
| 2022 | $4,996,974 | $33,337 | $357,359 | $280,000 | 25 | $286,269 | $48,035 | $283,508 |
| 2021 | $5,330,260 | $2,003,074 | $384,798 | $335,003 | 44 | $343,917 | $1,962,193 | $316,496 |
| 2020 | $3,723,414 | $145,974 | $355,512 | $310,000 | 44 | — | $114,553 | $300,733 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sears Swetland Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $321K 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
The foundation’s mission is to support healthy, livable communities through nonprofit programming in environmental and community health, education, and sustainability initiatives that enhance social, environmental, and economic outcomes. Its stated focus areas include environmental education and enhanced educational attainment, environmental and community health, and sustainable communities. Its history describes an interest in the environment, health, and education that has expanded to include urban revitalization, livable communities, and community and economic development through sustainable initiatives.
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations. Examples among its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of work supported: Vermont Public Interest Research Group describes its work as environmental and consumer advocacy; Smokey House Center describes maintaining a conserved working landscape while engaging young people in education and work programs; Birthing Beautiful Communities describes work addressing structures that contribute to poor birth outcomes; and College Now Greater Cleveland describes its mission as increasing postsecondary educational attainment through advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing reports 48 grants totaling $318,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $30,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed grant was $30,000 to Central Lincoln YMCA for child care and education. Other listed awards included $20,000 to CWRU Swetland Center for Environmental Health, $15,000 to Cleveland Institute of Art, and $10,000 each to Birthing Beautiful Communities, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Nature Conservancy of Vermont, Smokey House Center, Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Ohio Environmental Council, and Westside Market.
The foundation’s website also lists $227,500 in grants during 2026. Its listed recipients include organizations working in environmental education, conservation, community health, arts, food access, and urban revitalization.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ruth Swetland Eppig as president/trustee; Lydia Harrington, David S. Swetland, and Marianne Eppig as trustees; and David T. Eppig as secretary/trustee.
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation is led by Ruth Swetland Eppig, President & Trustee since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ruth Swetland Eppig
President & Trustee
Trustee → President & Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
$10K (2023) → $0 (2025)
David S. Swetland
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David T. Eppig
Secretary & Trustee
Secretary → Secretary & Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lydia Harrington
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marianne Eppig
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $10K, to Ruth Swetland Eppig (President/Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Sears Swetland Family Foundation
How much does The Sears Swetland Family Foundation give each year?
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation gave $318K across 48 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $319K across 47 grants.
What is The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,625, across 48 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sears Swetland Family Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Sears Swetland Family Foundation give grants?
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 71% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maine (13%) and Vermont (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (30 grants), Shaker Heights, OH (2 grants), Columbus, OH (2 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does The Sears Swetland Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 48 grants with a stated purpose on The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Environmental" (4 grants).
Who are The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Central Lincoln YMCA ($30,000), CWRU Swetland Center for Environmental Health ($20,000) and Cleveland Institute of Art ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sears Swetland Family Foundation?
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation reported $4.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $326K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $321K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Sears Swetland Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support healthy, livable communities through nonprofit programming in environmental and community health, education, and sustainability initiatives that enhance social, environmental, and economic outcomes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sears Swetland Family Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's EIN?
The Sears Swetland Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6522143. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Sears Swetland Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Sears Swetland Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-sears-swetland-family-foundation-morg_16651f09183f43d8a82de909ade940c4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346522143_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Sears Swetland Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-sears-swetland-family-foundation-morg_16651f09183f43d8a82de909ade940c4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Sears Swetland 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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