Woodshouse Foundation
The Woodshouse Foundation is a private foundation established in 1992 and based in Greenwich, Connecticut. It operates as a grantmaking organization with no formal staff, functioning primarily through trustees and investment management. The foundation invests its assets to generate income for making grants and covering administrative expenses.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.4M
-3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
-5.5% YoY
Grant Count
26
-10.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$42K
+5.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not provided a formal mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the Woodshouse Foundation demonstrates interests in:
- Education, particularly Waldorf education and organizations promoting Rudolf Steiner teachings
- Environment and Sustainable Agriculture, including climate-related initiatives and regenerative agriculture practices
- Democracy and Community Development, with emphasis on social justice and civil liberties
- Animal Welfare and Domesticated Animals
- Human Services
The foundation supports an eclectic mix of organizations and demonstrates a strong interest in social justice causes. Notable grantees have included the Center for Agricultural Resilience, the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, the Real Organic Project, the Biodynamic Demeter Alliance, the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, the Health Freedom Defense Fund, and the Backbone Campaign.
Grantmaking
The foundation tends to maintain long-term relationships with grantees, supporting the same organizations year after year. This makes it challenging for new applicants to gain the foundation's attention. Organizations working in Waldorf education or promoting Rudolf Steiner teachings have a reasonably good chance of receiving support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving is national in scope, with support extending to multiple states including New York, Virginia, South Dakota, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and others. The foundation also supports some international locations, including Paris.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $5,442,283
- Total revenues: $922,688
- Total expenses: $1,144,695
- Total liabilities: $0
Assets and Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $5,660,000
- Total revenues: $56,200
- Total expenses: $1,230,000
The foundation has no employees and operates with volunteer leadership.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,442,283 | $5,664,290 | $6,833,965 |
| Revenue | $922,688 | $56,231 | $2,004,534 |
| Expenses | $1,144,695 | $1,225,906 | $1,493,103 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,070,650 | $1,145,173 | $1,419,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $848,643 | $47,329 | $930,758 |
| Distributable Amount | $629,931 | $565,002 | $591,107 |
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
100 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key personnel include:
- Wende Ractliffe – Trustee (works without compensation)
- Gretchen Biggs – Trustee (works without compensation)
- Barton W. Biggs – Trustee (works without compensation)
- Thomas Frame – Investment Manager (works without compensation)
The foundation is also known by the name "Biggs Wende H Gretchen G Et Al Ttee."
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WENDE RACTLIFFE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GRETCHEN BIGGS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARTON W BIGGS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| THOMAS FRAME | INVESTMENT MANAGER | 10 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Woodshouse Foundation maintains a low public profile, does not operate a website, and does not actively publicize its grantmaking activities. The foundation continues to accept grant applications and is open to new applicants, though historical data suggests a relatively low percentage of new applicants receive funding.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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