The South Waite Foundation
The South Waite Foundation is a private foundation based in Brooklyn, Ohio. In 2024, it gave grants to organizations including a land conservancy, schools, museums, and other cultural and community organizations.
The South Waite Foundation at a glance
In short: The South Waite Foundation gave $154K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $154,000
- +0.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $15,400
- +10.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $2,751,541
- +8.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Ohio (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The South Waite Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing states that there is no specific format for applications and that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It also states that trustees normally make grants to charities they are familiar with and with which they maintain a close relationship.
- Review Cycle
- The filing states that there are no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The filing states that there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Greg Gatto
Mailing address: 127 Public Sq Oh-01-27-1236, Cleveland, OH 44114
Phone: (216) 689-8989
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The South Waite Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Western Reserve Land Conservancy ($65K). Together the top 10 received $154K.
Grant Size Distribution
24 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 19 grants of 24 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 13% went to recipients in Maine.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How The South Waite Foundation gives
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% 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 (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $151K (2022) to $175K (2021). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $154K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Western Reserve Land Conservancy Moreland Hills, OH | General Operating | $65,000 |
| Jackson Laboratory Bar Harbor, ME | General Operating | $20,000 |
| Lawrence School Sagamore Hills, OH | General Operating | $15,000 |
| Lake View Cemetery Foundation Cleveland, OH | General Operating | $12,000 |
| The Lake Metro Parks Concord, OH | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Musical Arts Assoc Cleveland, OH | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, OH | General Operating | $8,000 |
| Childrens Museum of Cleveland Cleveland, OH | General Operating | $5,000 |
| Cleveland Museum of Natural History Cleveland, OH | General Operating | $5,000 |
| Holden Forest and Gardens Cleveland, OH | General Operating | $4,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,751,541 | $391,346 | $170,250 | $154,000 | 10 | $155,050 | $374,813 | $173,665 |
| 2023 | $2,530,577 | $96,491 | $166,268 | $153,000 | 11 | $154,275 | $79,250 | $155,288 |
| 2022 | $2,601,146 | $134,433 | $170,548 | $151,000 | 1 | $151,020 | $121,048 | $156,270 |
| 2021 | $2,637,262 | $261,970 | $191,408 | $175,000 | 1 | $177,635 | $248,197 | $175,994 |
| 2020 | $2,566,764 | $-6,381 | $179,394 | $155,000 | 1 | — | $57,881 | $158,438 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The South Waite Foundation reported a distributable amount of $174K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Western Reserve Land Conservancy describes its mission as land conservation and restoration for public benefit. The Cleveland Museum of Art describes its mission as bringing the pleasure and meaning of art to the broadest possible audience. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History says it seeks to inspire, through science and education, a passion for nature and the protection of natural diversity. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 10 grants totaling $154,000. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $65,000, with a median grant of $10,000. All listed grants were for general operating support:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Marguerite Sherwin as president, Pamela S. Zalba as vice president, Jessica H. Rosner as secretary, and Francis McIntosh Sherwin II as trustee.
The South Waite Foundation is led by Marguerite Sherwin, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marguerite Sherwin
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
FRANCIS McINTOSH SHERWIN II
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica H. Rosner
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pamela S. Zalba
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 South Waite Foundation
How much does The South Waite Foundation give each year?
The South Waite Foundation gave $154K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $153K across 11 grants.
What is The South Waite Foundation's typical grant size?
The South Waite Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $15,400, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The South Waite Foundation give grants?
The South Waite Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maine (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (6 grants).
Does The South Waite Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The South Waite Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The South Waite Foundation's largest grantees?
The South Waite Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Western Reserve Land Conservancy ($65,000), Jackson Laboratory ($20,000) and Lawrence School ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The South Waite Foundation?
The South Waite Foundation reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $155K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $174K (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 South Waite Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Western Reserve Land Conservancy describes its mission as land conservation and restoration for public benefit. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The South Waite Foundation?
The filing states that there is no specific format for applications and that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The South Waite Foundation's EIN?
The South Waite Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6526411. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The South Waite Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-south-waite-foundation-morg_ff7e7735d72342ec83bc861b843b2b4e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346526411_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The South Waite Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-south-waite-foundation-morg_ff7e7735d72342ec83bc861b843b2b4e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 South Waite 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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