The Sutherland Foundation Inc

LOUISVILLE, KY EIN: 61-6175862

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

-42.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$23K

+78.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sutherland Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $507K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

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

Kentucky $1.3M (67%)

North Carolina $464K (24%)

Colorado $151K (8%)

Virginia $25K (1%)

New York $3K (0%)

Connecticut $1K (0%)

States

Colorado Connecticut Kentucky North Carolina New York Virginia

Cities

AshevilleAuroraBoulderBrevardCenverCharlottesvilleDenverFairfieldFairviewLouisvilleNew York

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.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

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

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Read to Succeed Ashevillebuncombe ($65,000), Decode Project ($50,000), Educational Justice Llc ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ADELANTE HISPANIC ACHIEVERS LOUISVILLE, KY	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$25,000
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBOF METRO DENVER DENVER, CO	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$2,500
COLABORATIVE LA MILPA ASHEVILLE, NC	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$12,000
COLORADO SOCCER FOUNDATION AURORA, CO	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$2,500
DECODE PROJECT LOUISVILLE, KY	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$50,000
EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE LLC LOUISVILLE, KY	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$50,000
MUDDY SNEAKERS BREVARD, NC	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$25,000
MUSICWORKS ASHEVILLE ASHEVILLE, NC	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$20,000
PLAY COUSINS COLLECTIVE LOUISVILLE, KY	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$20,000
READ TO SUCCEED ASHEVILLEBUNCOMBE ASHEVILLE, NC	GENERAL FUND-UNRESTRICTED	$65,000

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	—	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Sutherland Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Arts and culture • Museums • Education • Environment • Human services • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking

How do I apply for a grant from The Sutherland Foundation Inc?

**Grant Activity:** • Total annual giving: $444,000–$452,000 • Number of grants awarded: 20–35 grants annually • Median grant size: $4,000–$23,000 • Grant range: $3,000–$65,000 • Average grant size: $12,700 **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.

Where does The Sutherland Foundation Inc make 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

What size grants does The Sutherland Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Sutherland Foundation Inc awarded 20 grants totaling $452K — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Sutherland Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Sutherland Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $507K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.