The Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation concentrates its giving in Vermont with a strong emphasis on direct support for specialized education and local community institutions. The foundation is a major, repeat supporter of a single special‑education organization while also making sizable gifts to community philanthropy and place‑based environmental/education programs. Its grants suggest a preference for funding enduring local capacity rather than broad national initiatives.
Highly concentrated: a few, relatively large grants with heavy repeat funding to a single core grantee (Stern Center), plus sizable one‑off gifts to local Vermont institutions. Geographic focus is local/statewide rather than national.
A 2024 general-support grant of $275,000 to the Stern Center for Language & Learning stands out in the Morris & Bessie Altman Foundation C/O Peter Stern’s recent record. That gift sits within a clear pattern of repeated support for the same special-education organization across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including multiple additional awards in the $50,000 to $80,000 range. The foundation also backs Vermont institutions that work in community philanthropy, food access, and place-based education, including Vermont Community Foundation and Shelburne Farms. Its recent grants show a preference for operating support rather than restricted project funding, and for sustained support to organizations with a local footprint. The portfolio is compact and locally focused: most grants stay in Vermont, and the named recipients are concentrated in Williston, Shelburne, Middlebury, Barre, Burlington, South Burlington, Bradford, and Montpelier. Alongside human services and education, the foundation has made a few larger awards to organizations tied to broader civic and public-interest work, but the overall shape remains anchored in durable local capacity and recurring support for select grantees.
In specialized learning and language services, the foundation’s largest named award went to the Stern Center for Language & Learning for general support, with additional general-support grants in 2025. Environmental and farm-based learning also appears in the record: Shelburne Farms received grants for general support in 2023 and 2024, including awards of $80,000 and $60,000. Community philanthropy is another clear thread. Vermont Community Foundation received $100,000 in 2024 and $20,000 in 2025, both as general support. The foundation also funds basic-needs work, giving Vermont Food Bank general-support grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, with awards ranging from $25,000 to $55,000.
Typical grants are modest, with a p25 of $750, a median of $1,000, and a p75 of $5,000, even though a small number of larger general-support gifts anchor the recent record. The foundation appears to give recurring support to the same organizations across multiple years, especially the Stern Center for Language & Learning, Shelburne Farms, Vermont Food Bank, and Vermont Community Foundation. The pattern is consistent with a family foundation style of flexible funding: grants are often labeled general support or general, and the foundation does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. No application process is indicated in the provided data.
$602K
$8M
$2.3M
$932K
Most grants fall between $750 and $5K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$750
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Notable grantees: Stern Center for Language & Learning, Vermont Community Foundation, Shelburne Farms
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly Vermont-based, with 80% of grants going to recipients in the state and the top giving state also Vermont. Recent recipients are concentrated in Williston, Shelburne, Middlebury, Barre, Burlington, South Burlington, Bradford, and Montpelier. Outside Vermont, the record includes recipients in Pomona, California; Washington, DC; and San Francisco, California. All recorded grantee-country locations are in the United States.
The record centers on specialized education and language services, Vermont community philanthropy, environmental and farm-based learning, and basic-needs support. Named recent grantees in those areas include the Stern Center for Language & Learning, Shelburne Farms, Vermont Community Foundation, and Vermont Food Bank.
It shows a recurring pattern. The Stern Center for Language & Learning received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Shelburne Farms appears in 2023 and 2024; Vermont Food Bank appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Vermont Community Foundation appears in 2024 and 2025.
The typical grant size is small: p25 is $750, the median is $1,000, and p75 is $5,000. The recent grants list also includes much larger general-support awards, such as $275,000 to the Stern Center for Language & Learning and $100,000 to Vermont Community Foundation.
Its giving is strongly Vermont-centered. Vermont accounts for 80% of grants, and the top giving state is Vermont. Recent recipient cities include Williston, Shelburne, Middlebury, Barre, Burlington, South Burlington, Bradford, and Montpelier, with a smaller number of grants going outside the state.
No. The provided data says it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE & LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $80,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE & LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE & LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE & LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EMPOWER FUND INC | POMONA, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FAIR DEMOCRACY ENGAGEMENT FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUNGER FREE VERMONT INC | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHANGING PERSPECTIVES INC | MONTPELIER, VT | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TIDES CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VERMONT FOODBANK | BARRE, VT | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPECTRUM INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JANET S MUNT FAMILY ROOM | BURLINGTON, VT | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VERMONT JOURNALISM TRUST | MONTPELIER, VT | $11,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEE PESKY LEARNING CENTER INC | BOISE, ID | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JANET S MUNT FAMILY ROOM | BURLINGTON, VT | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHELBURNE FARMS | SHELBURNE, VT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STERN CENTER FOR LANGUAGE & LEARNING | WILLISTON, VT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VERMONT FOODBANK | BARRE, VT | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF VT & STATE AGRIC COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BURLINGTON, VT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF VT & STATE AGRIC COLLEGE FOUNDATION | BURLINGTON, VT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND INC | COLCHESTER, VT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRESCOTT COLLEGE INC | PRESCOTT, AZ | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHELBURNE MUSEUM INC | SHELBURNE, VT | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VERMONT PUBLIC CO | COLCHESTER, VT | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PROCTOR ACADEMY | ANDOVER, NH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF BURLINGTON INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VERMONT YOUTH ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION INC | COLCHESTER, VT | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER DELAWARE VALLEY SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANT | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMITTEE ON TEMPORARY SHELTER INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KING STREET CENTER INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GENERATOR INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEE PESKY LEARNING CENTER INC | BOISE, ID | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OUTREACH FOR EARTH STEWARDSHIP | SHELBURNE, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD4FARMERS | BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RILOS RESCUE INC | KETCHUM, ID | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OPERA COMPANY OF MIDDLEBURY INC | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FLYNN CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS LTD | BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PARTNERS IN HEALTH A NONPROFIT CORPORATION | BOSTON, MA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF NORTHWEST VERMONT INC | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KEEPING TRACK INC | RICHMOND, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COLD HOLLOW SCULPTURE PARK INC | ENOSBURG, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BURLINGTON CITY ARTS FOUNDATION INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOON PHILANTHROPY INC | CUMBERLAND, RI | $750 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TOWN OF SHELBURNE-RESCUE DEPARTMENT | SHELBURNE, VT | $750 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHELBURNE FOOD SHELF INC | SHELBURNE, VT | $750 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PATHWAYS VERMONT INC | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $750 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
EMPOWER FUND INC
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FAIR DEMOCRACY ENGAGEMENT FUND
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HUNGER FREE VERMONT INC
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE INC
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HUMANE SOCIETY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
PRESCOTT COLLEGE INC
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SHELBURNE MUSEUM INC
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VERMONT PUBLIC CO
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PROCTOR ACADEMY
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VERMONT YOUTH ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION INC
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GREATER DELAWARE VALLEY SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANT
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
OUTREACH FOR EARTH STEWARDSHIP
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOOD4FARMERS
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RILOS RESCUE INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OPERA COMPANY OF MIDDLEBURY INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KEEPING TRACK INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COLD HOLLOW SCULPTURE PARK INC
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BOON PHILANTHROPY INC
$750GENERAL SUPPORT
TOWN OF SHELBURNE-RESCUE DEPARTMENT
$750GENERAL SUPPORT
SHELBURNE FOOD SHELF INC
$750GENERAL SUPPORT