The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc is a private family foundation headquartered in Washington, DC. Founded in 1991 by Vicki and Roger Sant, it supports work to promote the health and well-being of the planet and its people through programs focused on equality for women and girls, ocean biodiversity, and transportation for people.
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc gave $7.3M across 110 grants in 2024 (avg $66K), top state District of Columbia. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,254,053
- +2.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 110
- -6.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $65,946
- +9.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $159,046,230
- +44.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (15 of 92, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (20% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1717 K Street Nw 1050, Washington, DC 20006-5321
Phone: (202) 912-2900
Website: https://summitfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Inc ($351K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
370 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 194 grants of 370 (52%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were DC (20%), California (16%), New York (10%), and Florida (5%). Another 18% was listed with the recipient state shown as “?”. Grant purposes also include work in the Mesoamerican Reef region, Belize, Guatemala, and the Mayan Aquifer.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 110 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 92 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $85K; repeat grants $78K. How we count
Medians: $33K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 292% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 155% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $1.7M (2020) to $7.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 110 grants totaling $7.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide Eugene, OR | General program support for applying legal tools to protect the mesoamerican reef, 2023-2025 | $300,000 |
| Mesoamerican Reef Fund | General Operating Support | $250,000 |
| Coral Reef Alliance San Francisco, CA | General program support for coral's work in the mesoamerican reef ecoregion, 2025-2027 | $245,000 |
| International Community Foundation National City, CA | Improving fisheries in the mesoamerican reef and water quality in the mayan aquifer, 2025-2027 | $225,000 |
| Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Inc Fort Lauderdale, FL | General Operating Support, 2024-2027 | $200,000 |
| Asociacion Interamericana Para La Defensa Del Ambiente (Aida) San Francisco, CA | Improving the water quality and health of the motagua river, 2024 | $175,000 |
| Oceana Inc Washington, DC | General program support for oceana's work in belize, 2023-2026 | $175,000 |
| Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Inc Fort Lauderdale, FL | General Operating Support 2023-2024 | $151,300 |
| Friends of Turneffe Atoll DBA Turneffe Atoll Trust Bozeman, MT | General Operating Support, 2024-2027 | $150,000 |
| Fundacion Para El Ecodesarrollo Y La Conservacion (Fundaeco) | Scaling up no-take areas and sustainable fisheries management in caribbean guatemala 2023-2024 | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Summit Charitable 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $159,046,230 | $17,159,365 | $12,648,909 | $7,254,053 | 110 | $11,925,759 | $16,551,883 | $7,675,435 |
| 2023 | $109,776,413 | $5,608,063 | $14,165,189 | $7,084,250 | 118 | $10,962,029 | $5,734,942 | $5,159,530 |
| 2022 | $108,976,839 | $37,303,981 | $10,873,822 | $4,151,495 | 59 | $7,702,633 | $15,114,769 | $3,799,710 |
| 2021 | $95,320,263 | $3,956,642 | $5,662,228 | $1,848,714 | 44 | $4,774,337 | $6,485,156 | $4,321,956 |
| 2020 | $86,910,017 | $11,741,260 | $4,749,959 | $1,729,177 | 39 | — | $6,213,113 | $3,631,849 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $7.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated aim is to promote the health and well-being of the planet, its people, and its natural environment. Its programs are Equality for Women and Girls, Ocean Biodiversity—identified in its filing as the Resilient Mesoamerican Reef program—and Transportation for People.
Its grants include support for organizations working on reef protection, fisheries, water quality, gender justice, youth leadership, and transportation. For example, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide received support for applying legal tools to protect the Mesoamerican Reef. The International Community Foundation describes its work as connecting people, ideas, and investments across borders. Global Fund for Children says it partners with grassroots organizations to help children and youth reach their potential and advance their rights. Smart Growth America describes its work as empowering communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to advance livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 110 grants totaling $7,254,053. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $300,000, with a median of $50,000.
Among the largest reported awards were $300,000 to Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide for legal tools to protect the Mesoamerican Reef; $250,000 to Mesoamerican Reef Fund for general operating support; $245,000 to Coral Reef Alliance for work in the Mesoamerican Reef ecoregion; and $225,000 to International Community Foundation for improving fisheries in the reef and water quality in the Mayan Aquifer. Other reported grants included $200,000 to Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, $175,000 to Oceana for work in Belize, and $150,000 to Global Fund for Children for youth leadership for gender justice in Central America.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing include Alexis Sant, president; Sioban Reyes, vice president; Jason Hicks, treasurer; Jennifer Ruffner, assistant secretary; Katherine Banks, CFO; Roger Sant, chairman; Shari Sant, secretary; Alison Sant Johnson, trustee; Chrissie Sant, trustee; and John Sant, trustee.
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc is led by Alexis Sant, President on every filing since 2020; 8 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alexis Sant
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$326K (2020) → $396K (2024)
Roger Sant
Chairman
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shira Saperstein
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $15K (2024)
Cristian Samper
Trustee
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$15K (2021) → $15K (2024)
Lindi Von Mutius
Trustee
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$8K (2022) → $15K (2024)
Alison Sant Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chrissie Sant
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Sant
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Sant
Trustee
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Hicks
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$351K (2024)
Jennifer Ruffner
Assistant Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$181K (2024)
Katherine Banks
CFO
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$244K (2024)
Sioban Reyes
Vice President
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$329K (2024)
Shari Sant
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Shari Sant Plummer (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Kathryn Fuller (2020–2022) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $396K, to Alexis Sant (President). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc
How much does The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc give each year?
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc gave $7.3M across 110 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.1M across 118 grants.
What is The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $65,946, across 110 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc that year got $85K on average.
Where does The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc give grants?
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's top state is District of Columbia, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (16%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (20 grants), New York, NY (11 grants), San Francisco, CA (5 grants) and Seattle, WA (5 grants).
Does The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 41% of The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (45 of 110) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Inc ($351,300 across 2 grants), Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide ($300,000) and Fundacion Para El Ecodesarrollo Y La Conservacion (Fundaeco) ($300,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc?
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc reported $159.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to promote the health and well-being of the planet, its people, and its natural environment. Its programs are Equality for Women and Girls, Ocean Biodiversity—identified in its filing as the Resilient Mesoamerican Reef program—and Transportation for People. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1743817. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Summit Charitable 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-summit-charitable-foundation-inc-morg_cace15eded264be8a6ec58ffd44815cc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521743817_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Summit Charitable Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-summit-charitable-foundation-inc-morg_cace15eded264be8a6ec58ffd44815cc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Summit Charitable 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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