The Gerald D and Helen M Stephens Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, and the filing does not say how organisations are selected or invited, so a cold proposal is unlikely to get a hearing.
- Its recorded grants span educational, medical, wildlife, disability and cultural causes, and no formal eligibility conditions or selection criteria are set out, but every grant dollar it gave to organisations went to groups it had funded in an earlier filing, so this is a relationship-led funder.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $600,000, and half of its grants to organisations were $50,000 or less, so a modest request is the most realistic starting point, although its largest grant was $1,000,000.
- Nothing in the filing sets out timing, and its grants have mainly gone to Wisconsin, Maryland and Ohio, but no geographic focus is stated, so that pattern should not be treated as a rule about who may apply.
Overview
The Gerald D and Helen M Stephens Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and web pages about the foundation (thejournal-news.net), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation is described as having supported many organisations and causes. Its recorded grants have gone to university foundations and universities, a medical-centre foundation, a disability-services organisation and a book festival. Recorded purposes include university building improvements and an indoor football practice facility, urology and aortic surgery research, a black bear research endowment, a centennial campaign and unrestricted support. These grants span educational, medical, wildlife, disability and cultural organisations, alongside general support. The sources describe broad support but set out no formal eligibility conditions, geographic rule or selection criteria.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Wisconsin, Maryland and Ohio.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing does not describe how organisations are selected or invited.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 100% 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 12 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
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 61% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations The Gerald D and Helen M Stephens Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Wisconsin Foundation · Grainger Hall Capital Improvement Fund$1,000,0002025 tax year
- University of Wisconsin Foundation · Football Indoor Practice Facility Fund$600,0002025 tax year
- Johns Hopkins University · Brady Urology - SLICE$500,0002025 tax year
- Savannah Book Festival · General & Unrestricted$10,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Jo Lee Stephens — Director
- Jeffrey Stephens — Director, President
- Angela M Larson — Director, Treasurer, Vice President
- Jenni Krupiarz — Director, Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $159,027 | $60,000 | $39,589,453 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,599,890 | $1,447,825 | $51,579,109 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $2,300,167 | $2,110,000 | $68,720,904 | 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 Gerald D and Helen M Stephens Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Wilmington, DE
Applying to The Gerald D and Helen M Stephens Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Wilmington, DE