The Summit Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Summit Foundation funds gender equality for women and girls, ocean biodiversity and transportation choice, with its gender work prioritising Central America and the United States and its transportation grantmaking extending across America, so check your work sits within these themes and that stated geographic priority before approaching.
- A realistic request size is modest: the median grant was $50,000, typical grants fall between $5,000 and $150,000, and half of all grants were $50,000 or less, though the largest grant was $300,000.
- Importantly, the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is not the way in; organisations should not send unsolicited proposals.
- With 89% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded in the previous two filings, this looks like a highly relationship-led funder where most support goes to known partners rather than new applicants.
- Given the invitation-only process, there is little practical advice beyond ensuring strong alignment with its themes and geographic priority and being alert to any route by which the foundation might become aware of your work.
Overview
The Summit Foundation is a US private foundation based in Washington, DC.
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 Summit Foundation frames its work around equality for women and girls, ocean biodiversity, and transportation for people. It seeks to amplify women’s and girls’ rights, supporting girls’ education and empowerment, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice, and stronger civil society. Its ocean work focuses on restoring biodiversity and protecting marine habitats. Its transportation grantmaking supports affordable, clean mobility choices such as trains, buses, bikes and electric cars. In transportation, it funds nonprofit organisations; its grantees also include grassroots and locally based groups alongside larger international, regional and national organisations, as well as some locally registered groups doing gender equality work. Its gender programme targets Central America and the United States, while its transportation work extends across America. It prioritises community-based and youth-led groups and work that is timely, measurable and scalable.
Themes
- Gender equality
- Ocean biodiversity
- Transportation choice
Geographic Focus
Priority: Central America; United States.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% 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 287 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It prioritises community-based and youth-led or youth-serving organisations that know the local context and are committed to advancing gender equality.
- It seeks out nascent organisations with potential to grow and make a deep local impact on gender equality.
- It supports transportation work that is timely, measurable and scalable.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 13%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 27%
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations The Summit Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 17% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Canada).
- 26% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 110 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide · General program support for applying legal tools to protect the mesoamerican reef, 2023-2025$300,0002024 tax year
- Mesoamerican Reef Fund · General operating support$250,0002024 tax year
- Coral Reef Alliance · General program support for coral's work in the mesoamerican reef ecoregion, 2025-2027$245,0002024 tax year
- International Community Foundation · Improving fisheries in the mesoamerican reef and water quality in the mayan aquifer, 2025-2027$225,0002024 tax year
- Healthy Reefs for Healthy People · General operating support, 2024-2027$200,0002024 tax year
- Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente · Improving the water quality and health of the motagua river, 2024$175,0002024 tax year
- Oceana · General program support for oceana's work in belize, 2023-2026$175,0002024 tax year
- Healthy Reefs for Healthy People · General operating support 2023-2024$151,3002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Lindi Von Mutius — Trustee
- Cristian Samper — Trustee
- Shira Saperstein — Trustee
- Michael Sant — Trustee
- John Sant — Trustee
- Chrissie Sant — Trustee
- Alison Sant Johnson — Trustee
- Shari Sant — Secretary
- Roger Sant — Chairman
- Katherine Banks — CFO
- Jennifer Ruffner — Assistant Secretary
- Jason Hicks — Treasurer
- Sioban Reyes — Vice President
- Alexis Sant — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $10,873,822 | $4,151,495 | $108,976,839 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $14,165,189 | $7,084,250 | $109,776,413 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $12,648,909 | $7,254,053 | $159,046,230 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Summit Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Washington, DC
- summitfdn.org
Applying to The Summit Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Washington, DC
- summitfdn.org