The Sye Fund
The Sye Fund is a private foundation, based in Wilmington, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $264K. Net investment income was $575K.
The Sye Fund at a glance
In short: The Sye Fund gave $264K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $263,968
- +37.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- +28.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $29,330
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,088
- Total assets
- $8,449,974
- +3.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (82% 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 Sye Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mad Foundation Inc ($205K across 2 grants). Together the top 8 received $264K.
Grant Size Distribution
36 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 36 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Sye Fund gives
- Giving grew 40% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 59% 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $164K (2021) to $264K (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $264K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mad Foundation Inc New York, NY | General & Unrestricted | $149,264 |
| Mad Foundation Inc New York, NY | Charitable Event | $56,088 |
| 826DC Inc Washington, DC | helping kids dream big, find their voice, and inspiring them to write fund | $10,088 |
| National Taiwan University Medical College Alumni Burr Ridge, IL | General & Unrestricted | $10,088 |
| Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,088 |
| Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Inc Pittsburgh, PA | General & Unrestricted | $10,088 |
| Zero Foodprint San Francisco, CA | General & Unrestricted | $8,088 |
| Corning Day Programs Inc Corning Corning, NY | General & Unrestricted | $5,088 |
| Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | Men's Basketball Club Fund | $5,088 |
Ready to take the next step with The Sye Fund?
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 | $8,449,974 | $665,594 | $349,192 | $263,968 | 9 | $287,811 | $574,886 | $491,068 |
| 2024 | $8,147,821 | $4,382,019 | $259,009 | $192,616 | 7 | $216,512 | $572,966 | $291,439 |
| 2023 | $4,028,048 | $823,899 | $276,906 | $209,616 | 4 | $223,838 | $253,458 | $211,889 |
| 2022 | $3,511,165 | $269,343 | $255,787 | $188,968 | 9 | $201,773 | $221,143 | $221,306 |
| 2021 | $3,575,708 | $125,603 | $208,896 | $163,704 | 7 | — | $79,750 | $202,508 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sye Fund reported a distributable amount of $491K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Sye Fund is led by Dwayne J Sye, President, Director, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dwayne J Sye
President, Director, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Sye Fund
How much does The Sye Fund give each year?
The Sye Fund gave $264K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $193K across 7 grants.
What is The Sye Fund's typical grant size?
The Sye Fund's median grant in 2025 was $10,088, and its average grant was $29,330, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Sye Fund give grants?
The Sye Fund gives mostly in New York: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Sye Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 67% of The Sye Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Sye Fund's largest grantees?
The Sye Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Mad Foundation Inc ($205,352 across 2 grants), 826DC Inc ($10,088) and National Taiwan University Medical College Alumni ($10,088), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 85% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Sye Fund?
The Sye Fund reported $8.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $288K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $491K (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 Sye Fund's EIN?
The Sye Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2289253. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Sye Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Panta Rhea Foundation
La Jolla, CA
Panta Rhea Foundation funds community-led work advancing climate justice, food sovereignty, human rights, storytelling and creative practice, and community well-being, mainly with Afro-descendant, Indigenous, and other frontline communities across the Caribbean and Americas. Grants have ranged from $1,500 to $400,000, and current annual grantmaking is about $6 million, mostly in multi-year general operating support. It does not accept unsolicited requests; it prioritizes solicited applications and funds preselected organizations.
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
1
Total Given
$75K
Humanities Council of Washington DC Inc
Washington, DC
HumanitiesDC funds public humanities projects—including local history, cultural heritage, oral history, and humanities programming—as well as operating support for eligible humanities nonprofits. Its typical grant is around $25,000, with 2025 awards ranging from $7,387 to $124,000; funding serves DC-based people and organizations and projects focused on the District.
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
46
Total Given
$1.1M
The Guide Foundation
Washington, DC
The Guide Foundation supports a varied mix of environmental and climate, education, arts, humanitarian, and food-system organizations, with 2025 grants ranging from $100 to $11,000 and a median of $1,000. Its giving is concentrated in Washington, DC, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, and New York. It says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations and requires no specific application form; no deadline is stated.
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
66
Total Given
$97K
Support Nebraska
Elkhorn, NE
To promote charitable giving, community involvement and prosperity in the state of Nebraska by engaging community and business leaders through charitable assistance and to bring people together and support community causes in a fun and compelling way.
Assets
$145K
Grants
8
Total Given
$113K
The Holder Family Foundation Co H Randolph Holder Jr
Incline Village, NV
Assets
$2K
Grants
9
Total Given
$31K
The Nell Newman Foundation Inc
Santa Cruz, CA
The Nell Newman Foundation supports humanitarian, scientific, and environmental work, with interests including ecology, education, arts, and human services; recent grants went mainly to organizations in California, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $15,000, with a median of $10,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$86K
Grants
10
Total Given
$85K
More similar funders
More Funders in Delaware
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Sye Fund'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.
The Sye Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?