Seedlings Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 04-3600502 · since 2002seedlingsct.org·Connecticut, District of Columbia, New York·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$22.6M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$20,000 to $750k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$123k

Typical grant (median)

88 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

Seedlings Foundation supports programs that nourish the physical and mental health of children and families, and foster an educated and engaged citizenship, with recipients spanning schools and early-childhood organisations, health and social-service providers, arts and cultural bodies, and public-interest organisations, so this is not a single-service funder.
It does not accept unsolicited requests and makes grants by invitation only, so organisations cannot approach it with an unsolicited proposal and should not try.
A typical request, if invited, would sit around the median grant of $120,000, with most grants falling between $20,000 and $750,000, though the largest recorded grant was $2,300,000.
Giving is heavily relationship-led: 80% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the two previous filings, so new applicants face a genuinely competitive position for the remaining share.
No geographic focus is stated, though its grants are seen mainly in Connecticut, District of Columbia and New York.

Overview

Seedlings Foundation is a US private foundation based in Branford, CT.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

Seedlings Foundation supports programs that nourish the physical and mental health of children and families, and foster an educated and engaged citizenship. Its stated purpose encompasses family and child wellbeing alongside an educated, engaged public. Its recorded grants reach a broad mix of schools and early-childhood organisations, health and social-service providers, arts and cultural bodies, and public-interest organisations. These recipients work across education, community wellbeing, culture and civic life rather than in one single service type. The foundation does not review or accept unsolicited grant proposals, so organisations cannot approach it with an unsolicited proposal.

Themes

Children and family health
Educated and engaged citizenship

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Connecticut, District of Columbia and New York.

How to apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 80% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 258 grants to organisations were $120,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Connecticut51%

District of Columbia17%

New York16%

California4%

Massachusetts3%

Illinois3%

6 other states: 6%

The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to organisations Seedlings Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
8% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

88 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $123k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 88 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$5k–$10k1%

$10k–$25k9%

$25k–$50k7%

$50k–$100k20%

$100k–$250k36%

$250k–$500k13%

$500k–$1M6%

$1M and over8%

Median $123k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Truth in Advertising · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,720,0002024 tax year
Friends Center for Children · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,700,0002024 tax year
Symphony Space · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,600,0002024 tax year
Francis W. Parker School · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,500,0002024 tax year
Clifford Beers Community Care Center · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,357,5002024 tax year
National Archives Foundation · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,100,0002024 tax year
LEAP (Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership) · Humanitarian/educational/community
$1,000,0002024 tax year
National Diaper Bank Network · Humanitarian/educational/community
$800,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Linda Pritzker — Secretary & Director
Toni Burt — Treasurer & Secretary
Karen Pritzker — President
Audrey Ratner — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$27,750,289	$25,868,910	$304,844,663	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$23,668,921	$20,563,020	$405,797,375	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$25,267,460	$22,576,914	$469,304,965	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.