The Witthoey Foundation Inc
The Witthoey Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Westport, Connecticut. Its 2024 filing reports 11 grants totaling $475,416, including support for arts and cultural organizations, youth programs, and other organizations.
The Witthoey Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Witthoey Foundation Inc gave $475K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $43K), mostly in Maryland. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $475,416
- +49.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +10.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $43,220
- +35.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $171,724
- -70.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (78% 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 Witthoey Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says to submit a written request and lists Judy Phares as the contact. It states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists May 15. That date is past as of September 29, 2026; the filing does not specify a year.
- Deadline
- The filing lists May 15.
- Contact
Application contact: Judy Phares
Mailing address: 3 Lamplight Lane, Westport, CT 06880
Phone: (410) 467-1723
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Witthoey Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc ($272K). Together the top 10 received $474K.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 55 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland (78%), Connecticut (15%), New York (4%), Pennsylvania (2%), and Hawaii (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Witthoey Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $49K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 73% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 135% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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 $202K (2021) to $650K (2020). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $475K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc Baltimore, MD | General Support | $272,000 |
| Westport Country Playhouse Westport, CT | General Support | $70,000 |
| The Walters Art Museum Baltimore, MD | General Support | $41,666 |
| Everyman Theatre Baltimore, MD | General Support | $25,000 |
| New York City Ballet New York, NY | General Support | $15,000 |
| Philly Seeds Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Maui Classical Music Festival Kihei, HI | General Support | $10,000 |
| Baltimore Squashwise Baltimore, MD | General Support | $10,000 |
| Arts for Learning MD Baltimore, MD | General Support | $10,000 |
| BSO Orchkids Baltimore, MD | General Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Witthoey 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 | $171,724 | $83,430 | $486,454 | $475,416 | 11 | $478,961 | $71,047 | $20,371 |
| 2023 | $574,748 | $420,543 | $327,305 | $318,417 | 10 | $321,558 | $133,205 | $14,657 |
| 2022 | $481,510 | $18,200 | $436,701 | $429,767 | 12 | $430,714 | $12,822 | $33,191 |
| 2021 | $900,011 | $104,787 | $209,660 | $202,250 | 8 | $204,125 | $99,252 | $51,063 |
| 2020 | $1,100,366 | $36,429 | $657,322 | $650,084 | 14 | — | $36,429 | $5,157 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Witthoey Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $20K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included arts and cultural organizations: for example, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra says its mission is to present musical concerts, and Westport Country Playhouse says it aims to engage and enrich its community through professionally produced theater. Other grantees describe work in youth development and education: Baltimore SquashWise says it partners with youth and families on squash, education, and personal development, while PhillySEEDS says it provides self-sufficiency, education, and empowerment opportunities to residents of public and assisted housing.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $475,416. Grants ranged from $1,750 to $272,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest awards were $272,000 to Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc., $70,000 to Westport Country Playhouse, $41,666 to The Walters Art Museum, and $25,000 to Everyman Theatre. Each was listed for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Judy M. Phares as president.
The Witthoey Foundation Inc is led by Judy M. Phares, President on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Judy M. Phares
President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Witthoey Foundation Inc
How much does The Witthoey Foundation Inc give each year?
The Witthoey Foundation Inc gave $475K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $318K across 10 grants.
What is The Witthoey Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Witthoey Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $43,220, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Witthoey Foundation Inc that year got $18K on average.
Where does The Witthoey Foundation Inc give grants?
The Witthoey Foundation Inc gives mostly in Maryland: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Connecticut (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (6 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Witthoey Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Witthoey Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Witthoey Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Witthoey Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc ($272,000), Westport Country Playhouse ($70,000) and The Walters Art Museum ($41,666), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Witthoey Foundation Inc?
The Witthoey Foundation Inc reported $172K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $479K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Witthoey Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Witthoey Foundation Inc?
The 2024 filing says to submit a written request and lists Judy Phares as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Witthoey Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Witthoey Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2143620. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Witthoey Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-witthoey-foundation-inc-morg_4f00c07e8ebe43bbb2e2fdc875980500
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522143620_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Witthoey Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-witthoey-foundation-inc-morg_4f00c07e8ebe43bbb2e2fdc875980500},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Witthoey 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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