The Sutherland Foundation Inc
The Sutherland Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Louisville, Kentucky, established in 1990 and designated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation is a grantmaking organization that supports philanthropic initiatives across multiple sectors and geographic regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.4M
-9.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$452K
+1.8% YoY
Grant Count
20
-42.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
+78.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Museums
- Education
- Environment
- Human services
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$4,000–$23,000
Average Grant
$12,700
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects across multiple U.S. states and cities, including:
States: Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, North Carolina, New York, and Virginia
Cities: Asheville, Aurora, Brevard, Denver, Charlottesville, Fairfield, Fairview, Louisville, and New York
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending March 2024:
- Total assets: $3.37–$3.7 million
- Total revenue: $88,270–$209,003
- Total expenses: $540,987–$541,000
- Total liabilities: $0
- Giving rate: 13.4% of assets
- Net income: -$331,984
The foundation's expenses exceed its annual revenue, reflecting a drawdown of assets to support its grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,372,301 | $3,704,285 | $4,155,152 |
| Revenue | $209,003 | $88,270 | $204,403 |
| Expenses | $540,987 | $539,137 | $663,143 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $515,894 | $509,582 | $595,468 |
| Net Investment Income | $185,678 | $103,417 | $185,405 |
| Distributable Amount | $507,022 | $536,112 | $582,411 |
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
116 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Laura Lee Brown – Director
- Garvin Deters – Director-Chairman (compensated at $40,000 annually)
- Laura Lee Gastis – Director-Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA LEE BROWN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| GARVIN DETERS | DIRECTOR-CHAIRMAN | 1 | $40,000 |
| LAURA LEE GASTIS | DIRECTOR-SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| POLK DETERS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JAMES SEILER | DIRECTOR-TREASURER | 1 | — |
| GEORGE GASTIS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SARAH ASHWORTH | DIRECTOR | — | — |
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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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