The Seeley Foundation
The Seeley Foundation is a private foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2025, it awarded 27 grants totaling $740,706 to charitable organizations, including arts and cultural organizations, conservation groups, and organizations working in health and reproductive care.
The Seeley Foundation at a glance
In short: The Seeley Foundation gave $741K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), top state Missouri. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $740,706
- +16.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,434
- +8.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $13,599,784
- -1.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (7 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (34% 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 Seeley Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 803878, Chicago, IL 60680
Phone: (312) 630-6000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Seeley Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Bridger-Teton ($105K). Together the top 10 received $593K.
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 124 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states and Washington, DC. The largest shares went to Missouri (34%), Virginia (27%), and Wyoming (23%), followed by DC (6%) and New York (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Seeley Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 27 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $634K (2024) to $755K (2020). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $741K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Bridger-Teton Jackson, WY | General Support | $105,000 |
| Kansas City Ballet Assoc Kansas City, MO | General Support | $100,000 |
| George Mason Univeristy Fdn Fairfax, VA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Owen Cox Dance Group Kansas City, MO | General Support | $62,000 |
| Kansas City Symphony Kansas City, MO | General Support | $50,000 |
| Wellspring Health Access Washington, DC | General Support | $45,000 |
| Nature Conservancy Virginia Arlington, VA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Weta Public Television and Radio Arlington, VA | General Support | $35,000 |
| Community Fdn of Jackson Hole Jackson, WY | General Support | $30,100 |
| Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithica, NY | General Support | $25,606 |
Ready to take the next step with The Seeley 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 | $13,599,784 | $565,644 | $833,956 | $740,706 | 27 | $783,474 | $536,151 | $797,799 |
| 2024 | $13,869,794 | $1,001,696 | $710,425 | $633,800 | 25 | $675,427 | $975,059 | $750,157 |
| 2023 | $13,577,623 | $681,503 | $771,114 | $703,740 | 24 | $743,919 | $656,249 | $702,747 |
| 2022 | $13,669,652 | $503,409 | $750,007 | $674,100 | 21 | $714,522 | $481,914 | $720,332 |
| 2021 | $13,916,247 | $970,934 | $819,144 | $734,000 | 27 | $776,886 | $942,299 | $806,324 |
| 2020 | $13,767,600 | $922,143 | $817,422 | $755,000 | 26 | — | $898,485 | $706,009 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Seeley Foundation reported a distributable amount of $798K 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 own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Owen Cox Dance Group says it creates music and dance collaborations and presents contemporary dance performances with live music. Friends of Dragon Run describes its work as protecting the Dragon Run watershed through public engagement, education, and land conservation. Chelsea’s Fund says it works to enable access to abortion and contraceptive care in Wyoming and the surrounding region.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $740,706. Grants ranged from $500 to $105,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest awards included $105,000 to Friends of Bridger-Teton, $100,000 to Kansas City Ballet Association, and $100,000 to George Mason University Foundation. Other notable grants were $62,000 to Owen Cox Dance Group, $50,000 to Kansas City Symphony, and $45,000 to Wellspring Health Access. The listed grants were designated for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists:
- Judith M. Seeley Renshaw — President
- Ellen Fales Roberts — Vice President, Secretary
- Dana M. Seeley — Vice President
The Seeley Foundation is led by Judith M. Seeley Renshaw, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Judith M. Seeley Renshaw
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dana M. Seeley
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Fales Roberts
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
6 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 Seeley Foundation
How much does The Seeley Foundation give each year?
The Seeley Foundation gave $741K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $634K across 25 grants.
What is The Seeley Foundation's typical grant size?
The Seeley Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $27,434, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Seeley Foundation that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Seeley Foundation give grants?
The Seeley Foundation's top state is Missouri, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (27%) and Wyoming (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (5 grants), Jackson, WY (4 grants), Arlington, VA (2 grants) and Encinitas, CA (2 grants).
Does The Seeley Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Seeley Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 27) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Seeley Foundation's largest grantees?
The Seeley Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Bridger-Teton ($105,000), Kansas City Ballet Assoc ($100,000) and George Mason Univeristy Fdn ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Seeley Foundation?
The Seeley Foundation reported $13.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $783K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $798K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Seeley Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Owen Cox Dance Group says it creates music and dance collaborations and presents contemporary dance performances with live music. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Seeley Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it 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 Seeley Foundation's EIN?
The Seeley Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6049991. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Seeley 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 May 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 31, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Seeley Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-seeley-foundation-morg_e0221be791a74a3f9a780da327dd41af
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366049991_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Seeley Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-seeley-foundation-morg_e0221be791a74a3f9a780da327dd41af},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Seeley 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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