The Summer Hill Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work protects land in its natural state, restores native plants, preserves historic buildings linked to open space, or provides environmental education, it fits this foundation's stated focus.
- Its stated priority is the northeast, as other published sources report it, so check that your location falls within that before you write.
- Most of its grants fall between $15,000 and $100,000, with a median of $75,000 and a largest grant of $200,000, so a request in or around that range is typical rather than a fixed limit.
- Repeat giving is strong: 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first-time applicant should expect a more competitive route and should make a clear case for fit.
- Recipients must complete the foundation's application form for approval, and the filing gives no deadlines, so you can submit without a deadline shown.
Overview
The Summer Hill Foundation is a US private foundation based in Madison, CT.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and web pages about the foundation (madisonhistory.org, kingston-ny.gov), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Summer Hill Foundation focuses its grantmaking on land trusts and other organisations dedicated to protecting the environment, especially in ecologically sensitive areas. It supports charitable organisations that preserve land in its natural state, reintroduce native plants where they have been removed, and preserve historically significant buildings associated with open space. It also supports charitable and educational institutions providing environmentally related education, and identifies local governments or governmental agencies as possible recipients for preserving historically significant buildings. A partner describes its broader commitment as protecting open spaces, preserving land in its natural state and funding restoration of historically significant buildings.
Themes
- Land conservation
- Native plant restoration
- Historic preservation
- Environmental education
Geographic Focus
Priority: The northeast. (as reported in other published sources)
How to apply
Recipient organisations are required to complete an application form for approval.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 85% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 30 grants to organisations were $75,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation especially focuses on ecologically sensitive areas.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations The Summer Hill Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 9 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $86,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Trust for Public Land · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$100,0002025 tax year
- Wyndham Land Trust · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$100,0002025 tax year
- Nature Conservancy of Connecticut · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$100,0002025 tax year
- Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$100,0002025 tax year
- Historic Huguenot Street · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$86,0002025 tax year
- Pacific Forest Trust · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$75,0002025 tax year
- Maine Woodland Owners · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$50,0002025 tax year
- Joshuas Trust · Furtherance of tax exempt activities$50,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Michael D Johnson — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $751,425 | $661,000 | $17,075,868 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,007,824 | $898,000 | $18,243,224 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $818,184 | $676,000 | $19,960,715 | Filing for 2025 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.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Summer Hill Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (203) 421-3669
- Madison, CT
Applying to The Summer Hill Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (203) 421-3669
- Madison, CT