Helen Sperry Lea Foundation | Foundation Profile

GrantBay analyzes IRS Form 990-PF data to help grant seekers find fit funders like Helen Sperry Lea Foundation. Data shown is extracted from Form 990-PF filings.

EIN: 13-6161749

Foundation Overview

Based in Venice, CA, Helen Sperry Lea Foundation has awarded 142 grants totaling $1,385,530 to organizations in California, Massachusetts and 3 other states across the US. Individual grants range from $371 to $32,033, with a median award of $10,000.

Latest Tax Year
2025
Total Giving (all years)
$1,385,530
Total Assets
$2,906,475
Median Grant (all grants)
$10,000

Latest Form 990-PF Snapshot

Total Grants
11
Median Grant
$10,000
% No Significant Change
0% (vs previous year)
Data extracted from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Last filing year: May 2026

Foundation Intelligence

Advanced analytics and strategic insights to help nonprofit organizations assess grant opportunities and optimize their application strategies

New Applicant Friendliness
Closed Network: N/A

0 of 11 recipients (0%) were new grantees. Foundation maintains tight relationships with established partners. New applicants rarely succeed without insider connections.

Geographic Focus
Minnesota

54% of grants are awarded in Minnesota, with additional funding distributed across 4 other locations. The foundation balances regional focus with broader geographic diversity. Within Minnesota, funding concentrates in Minneapolis (50%), Saint Paul (42%), St Paul (8%).

Funding Trajectory
+10%

Stable funding levels with 10% change over 9 years indicate consistent grant-making capacity and predictable philanthropic resources. This stability suggests reliable ongoing funding opportunities.

Program Areas
General Purposes + Community Projects

Dual focus on general purposes (67%) and community projects, indicating strategic concentration in complementary program areas.

Where is The Money Going?

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Grants & Funding

Analyzing past grantees provides valuable insights into Helen Sperry Lea Foundation's funding preferences, organizational priorities, and grant making patterns. This historical data helps potential applicants understand the foundation's strategic focus and identify successful funding approaches.

Name Amount Location Purpose Year
The Wooden Floor $30,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2025
Braver Angels-inst For Am Values $11,755 New York, NY, US General 2025
Music Academy Of The West $15,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2025
Mass Audubon $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2025
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $9,754 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2025
Friend Of The Ms River $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2025
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $10,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2025
Urban Boat Builders $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2025
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2025
Second Harvest Heartland $20,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2025
Project For Pride In Living $20,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2025
The Wooden Floor $32,033 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2024
Braver Angels-inst For Am Values $10,000 New York, NY, US General 2024
Music Academy Of The West $10,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2024
Mass Audubon $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2024
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $5,033 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Friend Of The Ms River $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Urban Boat Builders $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2024
Second Harvest Heartland $20,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2024
Project For Pride In Living $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2024
The Wooden Floor $32,033 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2024
Braver Angels-inst For Am Values $10,000 New York, NY, US General 2024
Music Academy Of The West $10,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2024
Mass Audubon $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2024
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $5,033 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Friend Of The Ms River $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Urban Boat Builders $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2024
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2024
Second Harvest Heartland $20,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2024
Project For Pride In Living $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2024
The Wooden Floor $23,344 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2023
Music Academy Of The West $10,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2023
Mass Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2023
Project For Pride In Living $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2023
Second Harvest Heartland $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2023
Urban Boat Builders $3,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2023
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $7,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2023
Simpson Housing Services $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2023
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2023
Friends Of The Mississippi River $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2023
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $4,344 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2023
Braver Angels-inst For Amer Values $19,000 New York, NY, US General 2023
The Wooden Floor $25,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2022
Alternatives To Violence Project Ca $8,000 Stockton, CA, US General 2022
Music Academy Of The West $11,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2022
Mass Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2022
Project For Pride In Living $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Second Harvest Heartland $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Urban Boat Builders $3,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $5,935 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Simpson Housing Services $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Friends Of The Mississippi River $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Braver Angels-inst For Amer Values $19,935 New York, NY, US General 2022
The Wooden Floor $25,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2022
Alternatives To Violence Project Ca $8,000 Stockton, CA, US General 2022
Music Academy Of The West $11,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2022
Mass Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2022
Project For Pride In Living $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Second Harvest Heartland $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Urban Boat Builders $3,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $5,935 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Simpson Housing Services $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2022
Friends Of The Mississippi River $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $4,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2022
Braver Angels-inst For Amer Values $19,935 New York, NY, US General 2022
The Wooden Floor $22,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2021
Alternatives To Violence Project Ca $10,000 Stockton, CA, US General 2021
Music Academy Of The West $11,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2021
Mass Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2021
Project For Pride In Living $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2021
Second Harvest Heartland $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2021
Urban Boat Builders $1,300 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2021
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $1,300 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2021
Simpson Housing Services $18,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2021
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2021
Center For Teaching Peace $2,000 Washington, DC, US General 2021
Friends Of The Mississippi River $571 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2021
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2021
Braver Angels-inst For Amer Values $9,171 New York, NY, US General 2021
The Wooden Floor $22,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General 2020
Alternatives To Violence Project Ca $17,000 Stockton, CA, US General 2020
Music Academy Of The West $11,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General 2020
Mass Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General 2020
The Lange Foundation $827 Los Angeles, CA, US General 2020
The Esalen Institute $3,000 Big Sur, CA, US General 2020
Project For Pride In Living $18,576 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2020
Second Harvest Heartland $18,575 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2020
Urban Boat Builders $800 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2020
Interact Ctr For Vis Perm Arts $800 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2020
Simpson Housing Services $18,576 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2020
Walk In Counseling Center $1,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General 2020
Center For Teaching Peace $3,000 Washington, DC, US General 2020
Friends Of The Mississippi River $500 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2020
Hallie Q Brown Comm Center $2,000 Saint Paul, MN, US General 2020
Alternatives To Violence Project $15,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General Charity 2018
American Farm School In Greece $8,000 New York, NY, US General Charity 2018
Center For Teaching Peace $10,000 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2018
Esalen Institute $2,745 Big Sur, CA, US General Charity 2018
Massachusetts Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General Charity 2018
Music Academy Of The West $10,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General Charity 2018
Project For Pride In Living $12,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2018
Second Harvest Heartland $2,745 St Paul, MN, US General Charity 2018
Simpson Housing Services $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2018
Society For The Preservation Of Greek Heritage $1,000 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2018
St Paul Academy And Summit School $5,000 St Paul, MN, US General Charity 2018
The Wooden Floor $20,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Charity 2018
Walk-in Couseling Center $4,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2018
Alternatives To Violence Project $15,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General Charity 2017
Center For Teaching Peace $10,000 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2017
Esalen Institute $4,371 Big Sur, CA, US General Charity 2017
Fabbs Foundation $371 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2017
Heal The Bay $2,000 Santa Monica, CA, US General Charity 2017
Massachusetts Audubon Society $10,000 Lincoln, MA, US General Charity 2017
Music Academy Of The West $10,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General Charity 2017
Project For Pride In Living $12,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2017
Second Harvest Heartland $5,000 St Paul, MN, US General Charity 2017
Simpson Housing Services $15,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2017
Society For The Preservation Of Greek Heritage $5,000 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2017
St Paul Academy $10,000 St Paul, MN, US General Charity 2017
The Wooden Floor $15,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Charity 2017
Venice Family Clinic $6,000 Venice, CA, US General Charity 2017
Walk-in Couseling Center $5,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2017
Alternatives To Violence Project $15,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General Charity 2016
American Farm School In Greece $8,000 New York, NY, US General Charity 2016
Center For Teaching Peace $8,123 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2016
Fabbs Foundation $1,000 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2016
Heal The Bay $1,493 Santa Monica, CA, US General Charity 2016
Massachusetts Audubon Society $7,000 Lincoln, MA, US General Charity 2016
Music Academy Of The West $10,000 Santa Barbara, CA, US General Charity 2016
Project For Pride In Living $10,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2016
Second Harvest Heartland $10,000 St Paul, MN, US General Charity 2016
Simpson Housing Services $12,000 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2016
Society For The Preservation Of Greek Heritage $8,124 Washington, DC, US General Charity 2016
St Paul Academy $10,000 St Paul, MN, US General Charity 2016
The Wooden Floor $15,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Charity 2016
Walk-in Couseling Center $5,493 Minneapolis, MN, US General Charity 2016

Foundations Similar to Helen Sperry Lea Foundation

Discover 5 foundations with comparable assets ($2,899,169-$2,915,478), similar grant patterns, and geographic focus in CA that may also align with your organization's funding needs and grant seeking strategy.

Foundation Name Total Assets Typical Grant Size Service Area Similarity Match

EIN: 68-0401845 | 142 grants awarded
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median grant
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Excellent match

EIN: 83-2024175 | 43 grants awarded
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EIN: 85-3179877 | 74 grants awarded
$2,899,169
(≈ Similar)
$9,250
median grant
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Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 88-3891860 | 18 grants awarded
$2,914,140
(≈ Similar)
$15,000
median grant
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Same state
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EIN: 95-4692717 | 108 grants awarded
$2,915,478
(≈ Similar)
$5,000
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Contact Information

Official contact details for Helen Sperry Lea Foundation as registered with the IRS. These details are essential for grant applications, correspondence, and due diligence processes.

EIN 13-6161749
Website N/A
Address 224 SHERMAN CANAL Venice, CA 90291-4515

Key People (3)

Board members, trustees, and key staff who oversee Helen Sperry Lea Foundation's grant making decisions and strategic direction. Understanding leadership composition can provide insights into foundation priorities and potential networking opportunities.

President R Brooke Lea Ii
Vice President Emily Fields
Vice President Helena Lea-bastille

Forms 990-PF

IRS Form 990-PF filings provide comprehensive financial information, grant details, and operational data. These documents are essential resources for understanding foundation capacity, giving patterns, and strategic priorities.

Form 990-PF Research Tips
  • Review Part XV for detailed grant recipient information and funding purposes
  • Check Part I for total assets, annual giving amounts, and payout requirements
  • Examine Part VIII for key personnel compensation and board structure
  • Look for trends across multiple years to understand giving patterns

About This Foundation Profile

This comprehensive foundation profile for Helen Sperry Lea Foundation is powered by Grant Bay's advanced foundation research platform. Our system analyzes IRS Form 990-PF filings, grant histories, and philanthropic patterns to provide nonprofit organizations with actionable intelligence for grant seeking success.

Data Sources & Accuracy

All information is derived from official IRS filings and public records. Grant Bay processes thousands of Form 990-PF documents to extract grant details, financial data, and organizational information. Data accuracy depends on foundation reporting quality and IRS filing completeness.

Research Applications

Use this profile for prospect research, grant strategy development, application preparation, and relationship building. Combine this data with additional research on foundation priorities, application processes, and board member backgrounds for comprehensive grant seeking strategies.

Data Currency: Last updated May 2026 based on IRS Form 990-PF filings. Foundation information reflects most recent available tax year data.