The Soo Foundation Inc
The Soo Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Forest, Ohio. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in areas such as dispute resolution, youth services, botanical gardens, animal protection, disaster relief, and pancreatic cancer research.
The Soo Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Soo Foundation Inc gave $214K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state Maryland. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $213,500
- +10.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,861
- -26.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,150
- Total assets
- $2,318,059
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Maryland (31% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Soo Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 13135 County Road 304, Forest, OH 45843
Phone: (567) 204-0658
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Soo Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Impact Missions Inc ($54K). Together the top 10 received $188K.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 68 grants of 71 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to recipients in several states. By share of grant dollars, Maryland received 31%, North Carolina 24%, Tennessee 11%, New York 9%, and Ohio 9%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Soo Foundation Inc gives
- 22% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $41K (2020) to $214K (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $214K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Impact Missions Inc Bethesda, MD | General | $54,000 |
| Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong Happy Valley, TN | Stupa Fund | $24,000 |
| North Carolina Botanical Garden Fnd Chapel Hill, NC | Coker Arbor & Dixie LP Soo Pavilion | $22,000 |
| Yeshe Nyingpo Inc New York, NY | General | $20,000 |
| American Red Cross Dayton, OH | General | $20,000 |
| John Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Baltimore, MD | Pancreatic Cancer Research in Memory of Catherine Nerantzis | $12,000 |
| Hirshberg Fnd for Pancreatic Resear Los Angeles, CA | General | $10,000 |
| Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Boone, IA | Donation in Memory of Catherine Nerantzis | $10,000 |
| Dudjom Foundation | Rinpoche's Mission | $8,800 |
| Dispute Settlement Center Carrboro, NC | General | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Soo Foundation Inc?
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 | $2,318,059 | $198,569 | $258,954 | $213,500 | 18 | $213,500 | $163,648 | $195,103 |
| 2024 | $2,378,473 | $281,836 | $233,353 | $192,500 | 12 | $192,500 | $247,300 | $181,629 |
| 2023 | $2,330,080 | $29,829 | $208,368 | $163,600 | 9 | $163,600 | $19,317 | $160,608 |
| 2022 | $2,514,677 | $233,713 | $204,749 | $159,000 | 14 | $159,000 | $199,817 | $155,847 |
| 2021 | $2,484,514 | $256,593 | $188,629 | $147,160 | 18 | $147,160 | $221,474 | $181,246 |
| 2020 | $2,418,387 | $72,877 | $77,231 | $41,000 | 5 | — | $42,371 | $144,260 |
| 2019 | $2,422,120 | $55,649 | $122,912 | $79,500 | 4 | — | $16,085 | $142,666 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Soo Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $195K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, the Dispute Settlement Center says its primary purpose is to promote peaceful dispute settlement and prevent conflict escalation through mediation, conciliation, facilitation, and training. LIFE Skills Foundation describes its mission as empowering transition-age youth to live stable, self-directed lives through housing and wraparound support services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $213,500 through 18 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,200 to $54,000, with a median grant of $8,150.
Notable 2025 grants included $54,000 to Impact Missions Inc, $24,000 to Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong for its Stupa Fund, $22,000 to the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation for the Coker Arbor and Dixie LP Soo Pavilion, $20,000 each to Yeshe Nyingpo Inc and the American Red Cross, and $12,000 to Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center for pancreatic cancer research in memory of Catherine Nerantzis. The foundation also gave $7,500 to Dispute Settlement Center and $2,500 to LIFE Skills Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Liang Yee Soo MD as President; Kenneth A Soo as Vice President; Michael L Soo, Jeffery D Soo, and Catherine Soo Nerantzis as Trustees; and Susan Hunsaker as Secretary/Treasurer.
The Soo Foundation Inc is led by Liang Yee Soo MD, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Liang Yee Soo MD
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Catherine Soo Nerantzis
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jeffery D Soo
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Michael L Soo
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Susan Hunsaker
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$10K (2019) → $10K (2025)
Kenneth A Soo
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $10K, to Susan Hunsaker (Secy/Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about The Soo Foundation Inc
How much does The Soo Foundation Inc give each year?
The Soo Foundation Inc gave $214K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $193K across 12 grants.
What is The Soo Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Soo Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $8,150, and its average grant was $11,861, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Soo Foundation Inc give grants?
The Soo Foundation Inc's top state is Maryland, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (24%) and Tennessee (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Durham, NC (3 grants) and Chapel Hill, NC (2 grants).
Does The Soo Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 72% of The Soo Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Soo Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Soo Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Impact Missions Inc ($54,000), Milarepa Osel Cho Dzong ($24,000) and North Carolina Botanical Garden Fnd ($22,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Soo Foundation Inc?
The Soo Foundation Inc reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $214K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $195K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Soo Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Soo Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it 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 Soo Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Soo Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1481699. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Soo Foundation Inc 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 2019 (received by the IRS March 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 29, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Soo Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-soo-foundation-inc-morg_e3b71c985edf4bb5857c3d37ea29a3a3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341481699_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Soo Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-soo-foundation-inc-morg_e3b71c985edf4bb5857c3d37ea29a3a3},
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 Soo Foundation Inc'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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