Suskin Foundation

The Suskin Foundation is a small family-run private independent foundation (IRS NTEE code T22) based in Kenmore, Washington, tax-exempt since May 2000. The foundation is governed by the Suskin family — trustees Jody L. Suskin, Steven C. Suskin, and Stacy Suskin Rottinghaus all serve without compensation, per its most recent Form 990-PF. As a 990-PF filer, Suskin is a non-operating private foundation that makes grants from an invested endowment rather than running programs directly. Its asset base has hovered in the $10–12M range for the past five years, which makes it a "small-medium" family foundation by U.S. standards. There is no public website describing funding priorities (suskin.org appears to be an unrelated placeholder blog), which is typical of unstaffed family foundations that make grants by invitation or to a stable slate of long-standing grantees. Prospective applicants should treat this foundation as relationship-driven, not open-call.

Based on IRS Form 990-PF filings aggregated by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (2011–2024), Suskin Foundation's financial pattern is consistent with a disciplined family endowment: total assets have ranged from roughly $10.07M (2022) to $12.13M (2023), with 2024 year-end net assets of $12,078,527 and zero liabilities. In fiscal 2024 the foundation reported $1,030,416 in revenue (69.9% from sales of assets, 29.5% from dividends, 0.7% from interest — no contributions received, confirming it is endowment-funded rather than a pass-through) against $1,083,382 in expenses, yielding a small operating deficit of -$52,966. Charitable disbursements in 2024 were $955,030 — about 88.2% of total expenses and roughly 7.9% of net assets, well above the 5% minimum payout required for 990-PF private foundations. Officers received $0 compensation, indicating near-zero overhead and that essentially all spending flows to grantees. Specific grantee names, grant sizes, and program areas are not disclosed in ProPublica's extracted summary; the full Schedule of Contributions Paid is available on the 990-PF PDF (filed July 8, 2025) for anyone underwriting a prospect file.

Suskin sits at the larger end of its $9–12M asset-size peer group and has the highest disclosed annual grantmaking ($955K in 2024). Unlike Widen (open application) or Luminate (accelerator cohorts), Suskin has no public intake process — it behaves like a classic closed family foundation.

Most recent 990-PF on file covers fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, filed July 8, 2025. Net assets ended the year at $12.08M, down marginally from $12.13M at year-end 2023 — essentially flat, consistent with a payout-matching-return endowment strategy. Charitable disbursements of $955,030 in 2024 are the visible signal of active grantmaking in calendar 2024. No press releases, grant announcements, or social media presence could be located for the Suskin Foundation as of April 2026 — it operates quietly with no public communications footprint. The same three Suskin family trustees have served without compensation across the filings reviewed, indicating stable governance. No staff, no program officers, no RFP cycles have been publicly announced.

Because Suskin Foundation has no public website, no posted guidelines, and no staff, direct "cold" applications are unlikely to be productive. Practical approach for prospective grantees: (1) Pull the full Form 990-PF PDF from ProPublica (https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/912015382) and review Schedule I / Part XV to identify named grantees, grant sizes, and the foundation's stated mission restriction language — this is the only public window into their giving priorities. (2) Look for a pattern: most small family foundations fund a tight geographic circle (likely greater Seattle / King County, WA) and a narrow set of cause areas. (3) Attempt contact only through a personal introduction — cold mail or email addressed to trustees at their personal/professional addresses is not advised. (4) If your organization is already a prior grantee, renewals typically require nothing more than a one-page progress letter and updated 990 / audited financials. (5) If you are seeking a first-time grant, build a relationship through a shared board contact or donor network before any written request.