The Summer Hill Foundation
The Summer Hill Foundation is a private foundation, based in Madison, CT. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $20.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $676K. Net investment income was $844K.
The Summer Hill Foundation at a glance
In short: The Summer Hill Foundation gave $676K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $75K), top state Connecticut. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $676,000
- -24.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -30.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $75,111
- +8.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $86,000
- Total assets
- $19,960,715
- +9.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Summer Hill Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Wyndham Land Trust Inc ($100K). Together the top 9 received $676K.
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 27 grants of 54 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Summer Hill Foundation gives
- Giving fell 40% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $661K (2023) to $1.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $676K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Wyndham Land Trust Inc Pomfret Center, CT | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $100,000 |
| Trust for Public Land Los Angeles, CA | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $100,000 |
| Nature Conservancy of Connecticut New Haven, CT | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $100,000 |
| Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust Rangley, ME | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $100,000 |
| Historic Huguenot Street New Paltz, NY | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $86,000 |
| Pacific Forest Trust San Francisco, CA | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $75,000 |
| Maine Woodland Owners Augusta, ME | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $50,000 |
| Joshuas Trust Mansfield Center, CT | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $50,000 |
| Madison Land Conservation Trust Madison, CT | Furtherance of tax exempt activities | $15,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,960,715 | $944,011 | $818,184 | $676,000 | 9 | $718,689 | $844,272 | $903,344 |
| 2024 | $18,243,224 | $1,934,160 | $1,007,824 | $898,000 | 13 | $913,472 | $1,839,808 | $842,208 |
| 2023 | $17,075,868 | $1,046,770 | $751,425 | $661,000 | 8 | $665,000 | $960,345 | $775,693 |
| 2022 | $15,640,525 | $911,324 | $1,255,285 | $1,132,700 | 13 | $1,136,950 | $792,989 | $814,889 |
| 2021 | $20,503,819 | $1,948,292 | $1,100,298 | $1,001,750 | 11 | $1,005,575 | $1,853,569 | $937,306 |
| 2020 | $18,713,345 | $363,723 | $848,850 | $760,000 | 9 | — | $392,187 | $807,656 |
| 2019 | $17,037,294 | $770,004 | $955,235 | $802,000 | 9 | — | $683,847 | $787,540 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Summer Hill Foundation reported a distributable amount of $903K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Summer Hill Foundation is led by Michael D Johnson, Trustee on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael D Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1.5 hrs/week
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Summer Hill Foundation
How much does The Summer Hill Foundation give each year?
The Summer Hill Foundation gave $676K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $898K across 13 grants.
What is The Summer Hill Foundation's typical grant size?
The Summer Hill Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $86,000, and its average grant was $75,111, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Summer Hill Foundation give grants?
The Summer Hill Foundation's top state is Connecticut, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (26%) and Maine (22%).
Who are The Summer Hill Foundation's largest grantees?
The Summer Hill Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Wyndham Land Trust Inc ($100,000), Trust for Public Land ($100,000) and Nature Conservancy of Connecticut ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Summer Hill Foundation?
The Summer Hill Foundation reported $20.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $719K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $903K (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 is The Summer Hill Foundation's EIN?
The Summer Hill Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1344446. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 5, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 5, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
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