Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct
Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Connecticut is an independent foundation established in 1859 in Connecticut. The organization is based in New Haven, Connecticut, at 291 Whitney Ave Ste 403, New Haven, CT 06511-3765. It operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with EIN 06-0655133.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.4M
-2.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$340K
-3.2% YoY
Grant Count
21
+5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
-7.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct reported a distributable amount of $415K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization's primary purpose is to provide scholarship awards to students majoring in marine science and to support public charities that assist needy merchant seamen and their families.
The foundation supports two main categories of recipients:
Undergraduate Scholarships:
- Connecticut residents who are merchant seafarers and/or their dependents attending any institution of higher learning
- Connecticut residents attending state maritime academies
- Legal residents of Connecticut majoring in marine sciences at in-state or out-of-state colleges, universities, or approved educational institutions
- Legal residents of other states majoring in marine sciences at colleges, universities, or approved educational institutions in Connecticut
Scholarship awards consider financial need, academic achievement, letters of recommendation, and proposed program of study. Awards are supplemental and not intended as the primary source of financial assistance.
Graduate Student Support: Awards assist graduate students conducting research in marine sciences. Funds are made payable to the department in which the student is enrolled for exclusive use by that individual for research expenses. Awards typically do not exceed $500 and are not made for publication expenses, salary, tuition, travel to meetings, or routine institutional obligations. Priority is given to students in the first two years of their research.
Grantmaking
Graduate student awards normally do not exceed $500. The Scholarship Committee evaluates applications based on financial need, academic achievement, letters of recommendation, and proposed program of study.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily serves Connecticut residents, though it also funds legal residents of other states who are majoring in marine sciences at educational institutions in Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,424,022 | $2,483,272 | $1,609,026 |
| Revenue | $422,129 | $1,359,441 | $850,611 |
| Expenses | $481,379 | $485,195 | $704,719 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $415,048 | $426,091 | $645,709 |
| Net Investment Income | $356,539 | $1,300,382 | $790,146 |
| Distributable Amount | $415,055 | $359,448 | $382,502 |
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
106 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Massachusetts Maritime Academy ($65,900), Maine Maritime Academy ($47,700), Seafarers International House ($33,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN RED CROSS NEW HAVEN, CT | OPERATIONS | $2,000 |
| CANAL DOCK BOATHOUSE NEW HAVEN, CT | OPERATIONS | $4,000 |
| GATHER NEW HAVEN NEW HAVEN, CT | OPERATIONS | $15,200 |
| INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS AND IDEAS NEW HAVEN, CT | OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY CASTINE, ME | SCHOLARSHIPS AND OPERATIONS | $47,700 |
| MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME ACADEMY BUZZARDS BAY, MA | SCHOLARSHIPS AND OPERATIONS | $65,900 |
| MILFORD MARINE INSTITUTE MILFORD, CT | OPERATIONS- MARINE MUSEUM | $16,000 |
| MYSTIC AQUARIUM MYSTIC, CT | OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| NEW ENGLAND SCIENCE & SAILING FOUNDATION STONINGTON, CT | OPERATIONS | $8,000 |
| NEW HAVEN READS NEW HAVEN, CT | SCHOLARSHIPS AND OPERATIONS | $10,044 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID TOTMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 30 | $42,328 |
| SARA S TYLER | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARCIA CAVANAUGH | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH BERNARDO | FIRST VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARGARET OTTENBREIT | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| CAROL CLAY WISKE | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| NANCY AHERN | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| SUSAN BLANCHARD | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| CONSTANCE CLEMENT | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| AMY ESTABROOK | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| MARY B C ESTABROOK | HONORARY MANAGER | 1 | — |
| LOUISE FITZSIMONS | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| CARL GOTTSCHALK | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| GEORGIA LIEBER | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| JANICE MARKEY | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
| MARIANNE MAZAN | HONORARY MANAGER | 1 | — |
| RUTH SETARO | BOARD MANAGER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Telephone: 203-777-2165
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct fund?
The organization's primary purpose is to provide scholarship awards to students majoring in marine science and to support public charities that assist needy merchant seamen and their families. The foundation supports two main categories of recipients: **Undergraduate Scholarships:** • Connecticut residents who are merchant seafarers and/or their dependents attending any institution of higher learning • Connecticut residents attending state maritime academies • Legal residents of Connecticut maj…
How do I apply for a grant from Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct?
Graduate student awards normally do not exceed $500. The Scholarship Committee evaluates applications based on financial need, academic achievement, letters of recommendation, and proposed program of study. Graduate students applying for financial support must complete a REQUEST FOR GRADUATE STUDENT FINANCIAL AID FORM, while undergraduate applicants use a FINANCIAL AID FORM.
Where does Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct make grants?
The foundation primarily serves Connecticut residents, though it also funds legal residents of other states who are majoring in marine sciences at educational institutions in Connecticut.
What size grants does Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct award?
In 2024, Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct awarded 21 grants totaling $340K — an average of about $16K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct reported a distributable amount of $415K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct's EIN?
Woman's Seamen's Friend Society of Ct's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-0655133. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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