Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: Not publicly disclosed
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Unknown
• Grant Range: Unknown (documented gift of $500,000)
• Geographic Focus: Connecticut (Greater Hartford area)

Contact Details

• Phone: 860-677-1974
• Address: 47 West Main Street, Avon, CT 06001
• Website: None
• Email: Not publicly available

Overview

The Elizabeth Ferry Speer Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2009 following the passing of Elizabeth Ferry Speer (1921-2014), a philanthropist who lived in Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and Europe. With net assets of approximately $4.5 million as of 2022, the foundation operates as a trustee-managed organization making discretionary grants primarily to educational institutions in Connecticut. The foundation is managed by co-trustees John Drew and Chris Drew, both with deep connections to Avon Old Farms School. The foundation operates without any public application process, making grants exclusively to pre-selected organizations with existing relationships to the trustees.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee discretion with no formal grant programs. Known grants include:

• Capital campaign support: $500,000+ (for STEM/engineering initiatives)
• Facility naming gifts: Amount undisclosed (athletic complexes)
• Educational program support: Various amounts

Priority Areas

Based on documented giving:

• Secondary education (independent schools)
• Higher education
• STEM education (engineering, robotics)
• Athletic facilities and programs
• Capital campaigns and infrastructure

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation does not:

• Accept unsolicited applications
• Fund organizations outside their pre-selected network
• Appear to support organizations outside Connecticut

Governance and Leadership

Co-Trustees:

• John Drew P'85, P'87, GP'17, GP'18 - Served on Avon Old Farms School Board of Directors (1981-2002)
• Chris Drew '85, P'17, P'18 - Avon Old Farms alumnus, served on National Council (2005-2016) and Board of Directors

Both trustees have multi-generational connections to Avon Old Farms School, with children and grandchildren attending the institution.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations with which they have established relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's giving patterns, organizations that have received funding share these characteristics:

• The trustees have served on their boards (John Drew served 21 years on Avon Old Farms board)
• Multi-generational family connections exist (alumni relationships spanning decades)
• They are educational institutions in the Greater Hartford area conducting capital campaigns
• They have demonstrated excellence in STEM education or athletics

The foundation appears to identify beneficiaries through the trustees' personal involvement in educational institutions and their board service.

Decision Timeline

No information available on decision timelines as grants are made at trustee discretion.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only model.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's invitation-only model, traditional application advice does not apply. However, analysis of successful recipients reveals:

Documented Success Patterns:

• Avon Old Farms School received major support after decades of trustee board service
• University of Saint Joseph received facility naming gift for athletic complex
• Both recipients are Connecticut educational institutions with strong reputations

Key Relationship Factors:

• Long-term board involvement by foundation trustees
• Multi-generational family connections to the institution
• Location within Greater Hartford/Connecticut region
• Focus on transformational capital projects rather than operational support

What the Foundation Values: Based on known grants, the foundation appears to prioritize:

• Educational institutions where trustees have deep personal connections
• Projects that create lasting infrastructure (buildings, facilities, programs)
• STEM education initiatives, particularly engineering and robotics
• Athletic facilities that serve both students and community

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is a relationship-driven foundation with no public application process - traditional grant applications are not accepted
• Focus is exclusively on Connecticut educational institutions, particularly in Greater Hartford area
• Trustees' board service and family connections appear to be the primary pathway to funding consideration
• The foundation supports substantial capital projects ($500,000+) rather than small operational grants
• Organizations should focus on building authentic, long-term relationships rather than seeking immediate funding
• Review the foundation's Form 990-PF for complete list of grant recipients to understand giving patterns
• Consider whether board recruitment of the Drew family would align with your organization's needs and values

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990-PF data (2017-2024). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/276183605. Accessed March 11, 2026.
• CauseIQ Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/elizabeth-ferry-speer-foundation,276183605/. Accessed March 11, 2026.
• Avon Old Farms School. "Building A Future For Our Young Men" - Capital Campaign Update. Accessed March 11, 2026.
• Avon Old Farms School. Summer 2020 Annual Report - Leadership Giving Societies. Published via Issuu. Accessed March 11, 2026.
• University of Saint Joseph Athletics. "Elizabeth Ferry Speer Tennis Complex" facility information. Accessed March 11, 2026.
• Hartford Courant. Elizabeth Ferry Speer Obituary (February 2014). Accessed March 11, 2026.
• GuideStar Profile 27-6183605. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/27-6183605. Accessed March 11, 2026.
• FoundationSearch.com Connecticut Foundation Rankings. https://www.foundationsearch.com/TopSP/ELIZABETH%20FERRY%20SPEER%20FOUNDATION-276183605.HTML. Accessed March 11, 2026.