W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 36-2498125 · since 1965wcstonefnd.org·Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$5.2M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,700 to $100k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$50,000

Typical grant (median)

97 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

Work in early childhood, education or youth development in one of the priority areas (Boston, New York, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area or Philadelphia) is the clearest fit, and the foundation prioritises programmes engaging low-income and under-served young people aged 10 to 24.
Ask for a modest sum: about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $2,700 and $100,000, the median grant was $50,000, and the largest was $225,000.
The foundation works by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so the practical route is a preliminary conversation with staff, who ordinarily contact organisations of interest.
The filing shows that 91% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so it is a relationship-led funder, and it does not fund individuals, endowment campaigns, capital campaigns, fundraising events or individual schools.
Renewal depends on the organisation accomplishing its planned work, so a new grantee should plan to show that it can deliver.

Overview

W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation is a US private foundation based in Chicago, IL.

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

The Foundation concentrates its work in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area, and the states where they are located, seeking positive change through educational and developmental opportunities that support equitable outcomes. It supports integrated early-childhood systems, educator preparation and professional development, and education strategies that help teachers and leaders promote equitable learning and student success. Its youth-development work elevates young people’s engagement and voice through youth media, organising, leadership and youth-led advocacy, with priority for programmes engaging low-income and underserved young people aged 10 to 24. Its grants support tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisations, recognised as public charities under IRC 509(a)(1); scholarship grants are made to colleges, universities and organisations rather than to individuals. It pursues policy and systems change, collaboration and strategies that position affected people as contributors and leaders.

Themes

Early childhood development
Education
Youth development

Geographic Focus

Priority: Boston; New York; Chicago; San Francisco Bay Area; Philadelphia.

What They Don't Fund

Direct support to individuals
Endowment campaigns
Fundraising events, such as dinners or lunches
Capital campaigns
Individual schools

How to apply

The Foundation invites selected organisations to submit a proposal, and staff arranges an individual submission date with each organisation.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 91% 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 288 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

For Education requests, it looks for strategies supporting growth-oriented, high-quality learning outcomes for all students and the environments that drive those outcomes.
Its Youth Development portfolio prioritises programmes engaging low-income and under-served young people aged 10 to 24.
Staff ordinarily contact nonprofit organisations of interest for a preliminary conversation about their work and how a grantmaking partnership might help advance it.
Grantee renewals depend on the organisation’s ability to accomplish planned work and make programme refinements based on its own assessment of what is working well.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

Illinois28%

California24%

New York15%

Massachusetts12%

District of Columbia10%

Pennsylvania8%

6 other states: 3%

The largest single recipient received 4% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to organisations W. Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

97 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $50,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 97 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k1%

$1k–$2.5k9%

$2.5k–$5k6%

$5k–$10k6%

$10k–$25k9%

$25k–$50k6%

$50k–$100k47%

$100k–$250k14%

Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Education Trust · Addressing Inequities in Massachusetts' School System
$225,0002024 tax year
Communities United · Advancing Safe, inclusive, and Supportive Learning Environments in Chicago Public Schools
$195,0002024 tax year
University of Illinois at Chicago · Coaching & Data Systems Support
$140,0002024 tax year
Third Sector New England · General Operating Support
$140,0002024 tax year
Oakland Kids First · General Operating Support
$130,0002024 tax year
Internationals Network for Public Schools · General Operating Support
$120,0002024 tax year
Make the Road New York · General Operating Support
$120,0002024 tax year
Learning Policy Institute · For continued development and implementation of the Education Preparatory Laboratory (EdPrepLab) Edu
$100,0002024 tax year

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

Officers and directors

Sara R Slaughter — Executive Director
Van Tingley — Board Member
Sandra Stone — Board Member, President Emerita
Peter Parcell — Board Member
Lindsay Stone — Board Member
Jeffrey Stone — Board Member
Deborah Stone — Board Member
David Stone — Board Member
Barbara West Stone — Board Member
Steven M Stone JD — 1st VP & Treasurer
Sara Stone — Vice President
Michael A Stone — VP, Assistant Treasurer & Secretary
Chad Tingley — Vice President
Amy Stone — President & Chair

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$6,740,019	$5,165,300	$115,705,961	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$6,828,895	$5,172,800	$120,422,018	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$6,903,300	$5,185,800	$123,390,339	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.