Whimsie Fund
Whimsie Fund is a private foundation based in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and states that the foundation contributes only to preselected organizations.
Whimsie Fund at a glance
In short: Whimsie Fund gave $322K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in California. 35% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $322,250
- +4.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +70.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,956
- -38.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,657,172
- +12.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (6 of 17, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (76% 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 Whimsie Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: C/O Erboynton 30 Valley Stream Pkwy, Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: (610) 640-5800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Whimsie Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was YMCA Channel Islands ($111K). Together the top 10 received $290K.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 55 grants of 66 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in California (76%), Maryland (8%), New York (8%), Rhode Island (5%), and Georgia (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Whimsie Fund open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 17 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 107% of 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 $185K (2020) to $350K (2021). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $322K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YMCA Channel Islands Carpinteria, CA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $111,000 |
| Laguna Blanca School Santa Barbara, CA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $50,000 |
| Oldfields School Sparks Glencoe, MD | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $25,000 |
| Windmark Foundation Oyster Bay, NY | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $25,000 |
| Loberto Theatre Santa Barbara, CA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $15,000 |
| Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Santa Barbara, CA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $15,000 |
| Santa Barbara Youth Sailing Fdn Santa Barbara, CA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $15,000 |
| Roger Williams University Bristol, RI | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $15,000 |
| Transpac Yacht Club San Clemente, CA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $10,000 |
| Island Academy Roswell, GA | Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org | $8,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Whimsie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,657,172 | $1,186,162 | $544,233 | $322,250 | 17 | $322,250 | $1,060,480 | $300,619 |
| 2023 | $5,015,243 | $96,231 | $561,775 | $307,250 | 10 | $307,250 | — | $289,533 |
| 2022 | $5,480,787 | $76,956 | $521,924 | $251,000 | 10 | $251,000 | — | $299,064 |
| 2021 | $5,925,755 | $1,588,469 | $561,549 | $350,000 | 15 | $350,000 | $1,338,211 | $318,966 |
| 2020 | $4,898,835 | $160,032 | $410,524 | $185,000 | 14 | — | — | $297,066 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Whimsie Fund reported a distributable amount of $301K 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
The foundation’s 2024 filing does not state a mission. Its grants supported organizations with varied missions. For example, Laguna Blanca School describes its purpose as operating a kindergarten-through-college-preparatory school for boys and girls. Santa Barbara Maritime Museum says it creates exhibits and educational experiences celebrating the Santa Barbara Channel and connections with the sea. Urban Tree Foundation describes its work as promoting and preserving California’s urban forest through education, planning, and tree care.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $322,250. Grants ranged from $2,750 to $111,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable recipients included YMCA Channel Islands ($111,000), Laguna Blanca School ($50,000), Oldfields School ($25,000), Windmark Foundation ($25,000), and Loberto Theatre, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, Santa Barbara Youth Sailing Foundation, and Roger Williams University ($15,000 each).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Harry L Atterbury as President/DI, Wendy S Atterbury as Secy/Treas/D, and Edwin R Boynton as Director.
Whimsie Fund is led by Harry L. Atterbury, President & Director on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Harry L. Atterbury
President & Director
On filings since 2020
$76K (2022) → $76K (2024)
Edwin R. Boynton
Director
On filings since 2020
$7K (2022) → $7K (2024)
Wendy S. Atterbury
Secretary, Treasurer & D
Secretary, Treasurer & Director → Secretary, Treasurer & D, 2022
On filings since 2020
$65K (2022) → $76K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $76K, to Harry L Atterbury (President/Di). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Whimsie Fund
How much does Whimsie Fund give each year?
Whimsie Fund gave $322K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $307K across 10 grants.
What is Whimsie Fund's typical grant size?
Whimsie Fund's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $18,956, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Whimsie Fund that year got $13K on average.
Where does Whimsie Fund give grants?
Whimsie Fund gives mostly in California: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Maryland (8%) and New York (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (9 grants).
Does Whimsie Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Whimsie Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant to Another 501(C)(3) Org" (16 grants).
Who are Whimsie Fund's largest grantees?
Whimsie Fund's largest 2024 grantees include YMCA Channel Islands ($111,000), Laguna Blanca School ($50,000) and Oldfields School ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Whimsie Fund?
Whimsie Fund reported $5.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $322K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $301K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Whimsie Fund fund?
The foundation’s 2024 filing does not state a mission. Its grants supported organizations with varied missions. For example, Laguna Blanca School describes its purpose as operating a kindergarten-through-college-preparatory school for boys and girls. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Whimsie Fund?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Whimsie Fund's EIN?
Whimsie Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-5271127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Whimsie Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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). Whimsie Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/whimsie-fund-morg_60c7df1500b64777873c2193a673050d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_275271127_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Whimsie Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/whimsie-fund-morg_60c7df1500b64777873c2193a673050d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Whimsie 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.
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