The Sudbury Foundation
The Sudbury Foundation is a private foundation based in Sudbury, Massachusetts, working to transform lives and strengthen communities through grant making and scholarship programs. Established in 1952 by Herbert and Esther Atkinson, long-time Sudbury residents who operated a successful soil testing kit business, the Foundation has grown from an initial $20,000 contribution to a significant community philanthropic institution. The Foundation also manages the historic Grange Hall in Sudbury Town Center, offering its second floor conference room as a community meeting space for Sudbury town committees and local nonprofits.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$36.9M
+4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+15.2% YoY
Grant Count
137
-4.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
+21.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Sudbury Foundation is a private foundation working to transform lives and strengthen communities through grant making and scholarship programs in Sudbury, MA and surrounding communities.
Primary Funding Areas:
Youth Development and Opportunity — Helping young people realize their full potential and become caring, concerned citizens by building leadership skills, encouraging community involvement, enhancing academic enrichment and cultural/recreational programs, and supporting activities that promote healthy behaviors
Preserving Community Character and Assets — Preserving the Town's natural, historic and other community assets through historic preservation and environmental preservation efforts
Community Building/Town Betterment — Strengthening community resources
Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services — Primary focus areas identified in recent grant-making activity
Farm & Local Food Initiative — Funding available statewide in Massachusetts for this initiative
Grantmaking
Review Cycle
for others; some programs are invitation-only. Trustees meet quarterly to make funding decisions, with a typical decision time of approximately three months.
Invitation Only
** Mixed approach with rolling applications for some programs and fixed deadlines for others; some programs are invitation-only. Trustees meet quarterly to make funding decisions, with a typical decision time of approximately three months.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation makes grants to:
- Sudbury-based nonprofit organizations
- The Town of Sudbury and its boards, commissions, and departments
- Sudbury Public Schools and Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
- Public and nonprofit organizations located outside Sudbury for projects that substantially benefit Sudbury residents
Primary Service Area: Sudbury, MA and surrounding communities including Acton, Concord, Framingham, Hudson, Lincoln, Marlborough, Maynard, Natick, Stow, and Wayland
Statewide Focus: Massachusetts statewide for the Farm & Local Food Initiative
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $35.5 million (2023); $36.89 million (2024)
Annual Revenue: $34.1 million
Total Liabilities: $548,000 (2023)
Annual Giving: $1.89 million (2024)
Expenses: $2.47 million (2023)
Revenue: $1.18 million (2023)
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; tax-exempt since November 1954; EIN: 04-6037026
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $36,890,846 | $35,452,264 | $32,987,532 |
| Revenue | $2,075,407 | $1,182,574 | $646,994 |
| Expenses | $2,719,567 | $2,473,009 | $1,721,342 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,358,720 | $2,119,938 | $2,105,424 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,020,424 | $1,051,137 | $662,744 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,961,235 | $1,620,011 | $1,696,657 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Sudbury Foundation
Children, Youth & Families Capacity Building Grant Program
THE SUDBURY FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Sudbury Foundation: Children, Youth & Families - Youth Emotional Well-Being Grant Program
THE SUDBURY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sonia Shah — Executive Director (contact: shah@sudburyfoundation.org)
- Brendan Mahoney — Trustee
- Tory Oak — Trustee (Bank of America)
- Bill Spencer — Trustee
- Jill M. Stansky — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BANK OF AMERICA | TRUSTEE | 0.75 | $148,089 |
| MINER CRARY | TRUSTEE | 1.15 | — |
| JILL STANSKY | TRUSTEE/CHAIR | 1.15 | — |
| TRACY STEWART | TRUSTEE | 1.15 | — |
| BILL SPENCER | TRUSTEE | 1.15 | — |
| SONIA SHAH | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $146,640 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the Foundation distributed $1.89 million in grants and scholarships. The Foundation has been actively managing grant programs focused on children, youth, and families, including capacity building and youth emotional well-being initiatives. The Foundation also hosts regular meetings with Sudbury nonprofits and community organizations, which have been occurring since 2013 to facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among local charitable groups.
The Sudbury Foundation Awards $1.89 Million in Grants in 2024 \u2014 The\The Foundation established "Sudbury Doing Good," an informal affinity group of Sudbury nonprofits, community groups, and Town departments created to highlight charitable and volunteer activities taking place in the community.
The Sudbury Foundation Awards $1.89 Million in Grants in 2024 \u2014 The\Related Funders
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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