Middlebury College’s philanthropic giving mixes a heavy local/community emphasis with targeted support for academic and applied research, particularly in digital media, mental health and education. The foundation makes one very large, place-based investment in Middlebury town infrastructure while otherwise distributing modest, often repeat research grants to universities, research labs and nonprofits working at the intersection of technology, education and wellbeing. They also sustain local cultural institutions through annual pledges.
A town bridge project dominates the President and Fellows of Middlebury College’s recent giving, with two large awards to the Town of Middlebury in 2023 and 2024. That place-based commitment sits alongside a steady stream of research grants to universities and mission-driven organizations working on digital media, youth wellbeing, mental health, and education. The foundation’s largest listed grant, $1,196,770, went to the Town of Middlebury for the Town Bridge Project in 2023, followed by another $925,588 award for the same project in 2024. Beyond that infrastructure work, the foundation supports applied research and program development at organizations such as iThrive Games, University of New Hampshire, Arizona State University, and Take This. It also makes recurring support part of its pattern: Town Hall Theater received the same annual pledge in both 2023 and 2024. Across the recent grants list, the picture is of a funder that combines one major local capital commitment with smaller, project-based awards to academic and nonprofit partners.
Municipal infrastructure is the clearest funding theme in the recent record. The Town of Middlebury received $1,196,770 in 2023 and $925,588 in 2024 for the Town Bridge Project, showing a sustained commitment to a single local public works effort. Research and evaluation are another major lane. iThrive Games received $172,248 in 2024 and $32,652 in 2023 as research grants, while Logically AI received $36,558 in 2024 for research. University-based social science and education work appears as well: the University of New Hampshire received $76,827 in 2024 and $52,834 in 2023, and Arizona State University received $54,154 in 2024 and $26,113 in 2023. The foundation also supports cultural life in Middlebury through an annual pledge to Town Hall Theater.
Recent grants range from a low of $3,079 to a high of $1,196,770, with a typical grant size centered at $24,109 at the 25th percentile, $41,584 at the median, and $52,842 at the 75th percentile. The distribution is mixed: one very large project grant stands apart, while most awards cluster in the tens of thousands. The foundation appears to fund on a recurring basis in several areas, including the Town Bridge Project, Town Hall Theater, University of New Hampshire, Arizona State University, iThrive Games, and the University of Wisconsin, each of which appears in more than one year. It is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF or individual-giving vehicle.
$2M
$2.4B
$511.3M
$443.8M
Most grants fall between $24K and $53K, with a median of $42K.
25th Percentile
$24K
Median
$42K
75th Percentile
$53K
Laurie L Patton
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Concentrated: one very large, place-based capital grant alongside a cohort of small-to-medium recurring research grants. Many grantees are repeat recipients and academic institutions, indicating preference for sustained research partnerships and local civic/arts investments rather than one-off national program grants.
Notable grantees: Town of Middlebury, iThrive Games, Town Hall Theater, University of New Hampshire, Take This
Grantmaking is national, with every listed recipient in the US. Vermont receives 24% of grants, driven by the Town of Middlebury, Town Hall Theater, and the University of Vermont. Outside Vermont, activity shows up in Wisconsin through the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and in places such as Durham, Portland, Tempe, Los Angeles, and Norfolk. The top state by grant count is Wisconsin, reflecting repeated awards there even though the headquarters are in Middlebury, Vermont.
It funds a mix of local public institutions, universities, and nonprofits. The recent list includes a major municipal infrastructure award to the Town of Middlebury, recurring support for Town Hall Theater, and research grants to organizations such as University of New Hampshire, Arizona State University, iThrive Games, Take This, and Logically AI.
Typical award size is in the tens of thousands: the 25th percentile is $24,109, the median is $41,584, and the 75th percentile is $52,842. The recent list also includes one much larger outlier tied to the Town Bridge Project.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the Town of Middlebury, Town Hall Theater, University of New Hampshire, Arizona State University, iThrive Games, and the University of Wisconsin. That suggests repeated support rather than purely one-time awards in several areas.
The foundation gives nationally, but Vermont accounts for 24% of grants. The highest grant count by state is Wisconsin, and the recent list also includes recipients in New Hampshire, Arizona, Washington, California, Maine, Delaware, New Jersey, and Oregon.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Middlebury | Middlebury, VT | $870,158 | 2026 | Town Bridge Project |
| SUNY Research Foundation | Albany, NY | $559,394 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| Oregon Health & Science University | Portland, OR | $132,986 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty | Lexington, VA | $125,000 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| University System of New Hampshire | Durham, NH | $90,953 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| Town Hall Theater | Middlebury, VT | $71,349 | 2026 | Annual Pledge |
| University Of Vermont | Burlington, VT | $41,327 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| Georgia Tech Research Corporation | Atlanta, GA | $23,684 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | $21,675 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| Regents of the University of California | Los Angeles, CA | $18,281 | 2026 | Research Grant |
| TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $873,649 | 2025 | TOWN BRIDGE PROJECT |
| LOGICALLY AI | CAMDEN, DE | $190,525 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| ITHRIVE GAMES | NORFOLK, VA | $102,676 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | TEMPE, AZ | $79,834 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| TAKE THIS | KIRKLAND, WA | $79,263 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT | BURLINGTON, VT | $58,053 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| TOWN HALL THEATER | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $47,205 | 2025 | ANNUAL PLEDGE |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE | DURHAM, NH | $41,230 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE | PORTLAND, ME | $27,913 | 2025 | RESEARCH GRANT |
| Town of Middlebury | Middlebury, VT | $925,588 | 2024 | Town Bridge Project |
| iThrive Games | Norfolk, VA | $172,248 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| University of New Hampshire | Durham, NH | $76,827 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | $54,154 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| Take This | Kirkland, WA | $52,842 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| Town Hall Theater | Middlebury, VT | $47,205 | 2024 | Annual Pledge |
| Logically AI | Camden, DE | $36,558 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| University of Southern Maine | Portland, ME | $25,088 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| Regents of the University Of California (Parent Supplier) | Los Angeles, CA | $10,184 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| University Of Wisconsin | Madison, WI | $8,100 | 2024 | Research Grant |
| Town of Middlebury | Middlebury, VT | $1,196,770 | 2023 | Town Bridge Project |
| University of New Hampshire | Durham, NH | $52,834 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| Regents of the University Of California (Parent Supplier) | Los Angeles, CA | $48,335 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| Town Hall Theater | Middlebury, VT | $47,205 | 2023 | Annual Pledge |
| University of Southern Maine | Portland, ME | $41,584 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| iThrive Games | Norfolk, VA | $32,652 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | $26,113 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| University of Vermont | Williston, VT | $24,109 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| Rutgers University | Piscataway, NJ | $15,492 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| University Of Wisconsin | Madison, WI | $8,100 | 2023 | Research Grant |
| Oregon Health & Science University | Portland, OR | $3,079 | 2023 | Research Grant |
Town of Middlebury
$870,158Town Bridge Project
SUNY Research Foundation
$559,394Research Grant
Oregon Health & Science University
$132,986Research Grant
Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty
$125,000Research Grant
University System of New Hampshire
$90,953Research Grant
Town Hall Theater
$71,349Annual Pledge
University Of Vermont
$41,327Research Grant
The Ohio State University
$21,675Research Grant
Regents of the University of California
$18,281Research Grant
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY
$873,649TOWN BRIDGE PROJECT
LOGICALLY AI
$190,525RESEARCH GRANT
ITHRIVE GAMES
$102,676RESEARCH GRANT
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
$79,834RESEARCH GRANT
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
$58,053RESEARCH GRANT
TOWN HALL THEATER
$47,205ANNUAL PLEDGE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
$41,230RESEARCH GRANT
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE
$27,913RESEARCH GRANT
Town of Middlebury
$925,588Town Bridge Project
iThrive Games
$172,248Research Grant
University of New Hampshire
$76,827Research Grant
Town Hall Theater
$47,205Annual Pledge
Logically AI
$36,558Research Grant
University of Southern Maine
$25,088Research Grant
Regents of the University Of California (Parent Supplier)
$10,184Research Grant
University Of Wisconsin
$8,100Research Grant
Town of Middlebury
$1,196,770Town Bridge Project
University of New Hampshire
$52,834Research Grant
Regents of the University Of California (Parent Supplier)
$48,335Research Grant
Town Hall Theater
$47,205Annual Pledge
University of Southern Maine
$41,584Research Grant
iThrive Games
$32,652Research Grant
Arizona State University
$26,113Research Grant
University of Vermont
$24,109Research Grant
Rutgers University
$15,492Research Grant
University Of Wisconsin
$8,100Research Grant
Oregon Health & Science University
$3,079Research Grant