Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Kennebunkport, ME EIN: 01-0537127

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Kennebunkport, Maine. It makes grants for charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes described in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc gave $295K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $74K), mostly in Maine. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$295,000
-65.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
4
-90.7% vs 2024
Average grant
$73,750
+276.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$17,500
Total assets
$4,042,762
+142.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
Maine (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc

How to Apply

The foundation’s filing says there is no specific format or content for application materials. Requests are subject to the stated restriction that awards be limited to charitable, religious, scientific, literary, or educational purposes described in Section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contact

Application contact: Gordon C Ayer President
Mailing address: 16 Locke Street, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Phone: (207) 967-5597

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

Habitat for Humanity York County: $250KHabitat for Humanity YorkCounty$250KUnited Way of Southern Maine: $20KUnited Way of Southern Maine$20KCenter for Grieving Children: $15KCenter for Grieving Children$15KMaine Philanthropy Center: $10KMaine Philanthropy Center$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Habitat for Humanity York County ($250K). Together the top 4 received $295K.

Grant Size Distribution

226 grants across all recorded years

212<$50K11$50–100K1$100–250K2$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 212 grants of 226 (94%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All reported grant dollars in 2025 went to recipients in Maine.

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

Cities

PortlandKennebunkBiddefordSacoSanfordKitteryScarboroughSouth PortlandSpringvaleWestbrookBrunswickKennebunkportYorkArundelFalmouthYarmouthAugustaWellsYork HarborAuburn

How Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc gives

  • Giving fell 67% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 196% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$500K$1M$1.5M57 grants2020 53 grants2021 62 grants2022 64 grants2023 43 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $295K (2025) to $1.3M (2023). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $295K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Habitat for Humanity York County Kennebunk, MEGeneral Operating Support$250,000
United Way of Southern Maine Portland, MEGeneral Operating Support$20,000
Center for Grieving Children Portland, MEGeneral Operating Support$15,000
Maine Philanthropy Center Portland, MEProfessional Development Scholarship$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$4,042,762$2,824,617$446,119$295,0004$299,812$2,696,721$153,111
2024$1,664,264$779,294$982,470$842,50043$847,750$670,253$189,035
2023$1,867,440$543,870$1,451,905$1,304,50064$1,309,750$465,383$224,815
2022$2,787,337$74,874$1,039,747$900,50062$905,750$48,071$301,121
2021$3,759,494$1,283,035$907,420$788,04353—$1,187,139$313,291
2020$3,393,778$274,994$998,461$889,45557—$184,610$305,851

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $153K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants included general operating support for Habitat for Humanity York County, United Way of Southern Maine, and the Center for Grieving Children, as well as a professional development scholarship to the Maine Philanthropy Center. The Maine Philanthropy Center describes its own mission as advancing the effectiveness of philanthropy in Maine by providing resources, leadership, and support.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported four grants totaling $295,000. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $250,000, with a median of $17,500. The largest grant was $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity York County for general operating support. Other grants included $20,000 to United Way of Southern Maine and $15,000 to the Center for Grieving Children, both for general operating support, and $10,000 to the Maine Philanthropy Center for a professional development scholarship.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Gordon C. Ayer as president, Susan Ayer as vice president, and Carolyn B. May as treasurer.

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc is led by Gordon C. Ayer, President on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Gordon C. Ayer

    President

    On filings since 2020

    8 hrs/week

    $35K (2020) → $16K (2025)

  • Carolyn B. May

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    $18K (2020) → $16K (2025)

  • Susan Ayer

    Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    8 hrs/week

    $18K (2021) → $16K (2025)

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Gordon C Ayer — President: $16KGordon C AyerPresident$16KSusan Ayer — Vice President: $16KSusan AyerVice President$16KCarolyn B May — Treasurer: $16KCarolyn B MayTreasurer$16K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $16K, to Gordon C Ayer (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc

How much does Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc give each year?

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc gave $295K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $843K across 43 grants.

What is Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $17,500, and its average grant was $73,750, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc give grants?

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc gives mostly in Maine: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, ME (3 grants).

Does Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 75% of Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

How large is Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc?

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $300K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $153K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included general operating support for Habitat for Humanity York County, United Way of Southern Maine, and the Center for Grieving Children, as well as a professional development scholarship to the Maine Philanthropy Center. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc?

The foundation’s filing says there is no specific format or content for application materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc's EIN?

Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0537127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Virginia Hodgkins Somers 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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