The Spray Foundation Inc
Preselected recipients only
The Spray Foundation Inc is a private foundation in New York, New York. In tax year 2025 it gave $3.3 million in 32 grants; the typical grant was $50,000 and the largest $685,000. It only gives to organizations it selects itself and does not accept unsolicited applications.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$3.3 million
- Number of grants32
- Typical grant$50,000
- Largest grant$685,000
- Assets$64.4 million
- New grantees19%
Giving in 2025 was down from $33.2 million the year before.
19% of its 2025 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1.9 million | 17 | $53.4 million |
| 2024 | $33.2 million | 29 | $58.3 million |
| 2025 | $3.3 million | 32 | $64.4 million |
How to apply
The Spray Foundation Inc says in its IRS filing that it only makes contributions to preselected organizations, so unsolicited applications are unlikely to be considered. Organizations it funds are usually invited.
What The Spray Foundation Inc funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 14 states, the most to New York.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 11 | $825,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | $685,000 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $310,000 |
| Kentucky | 4 | $300,000 |
| Idaho | 3 | $275,000 |
| Georgia | 1 | $230,000 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | $225,000 |
| Florida | 2 | $110,000 |
| California | 2 | $100,000 |
| Alabama | 1 | $50,000 |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Melmark Charitable Foundation | Scholarship program | $685,000 |
| Laurel House | Resources to recover program | $310,000 |
| Atlanta Speech School | Support programs & policies focusing on literacy & language development | $230,000 |
| American Farmland Trust | Support programs and policies that help save farmland, farmers & the environment | $200,000 |
| Earthjustice | Environmental law programs | $150,000 |
| Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana | Flamenco dance company | $150,000 |
| Transylvania University | Scholarship program | $150,000 |
| Wood River Land Trust | To support the land trust in preserving and protecting the big wood river, its tributaries, and the treasured landscapes of central idaho | $150,000 |
| Spoons Across America | Educating children, teachers, and families about the benefits of healthy eating | $125,000 |
| West Side Campaign Against Hunger | Alleviate hunger by ensuring that all new yorkers have access with dignity to a choice of healthy food | $100,000 |
| Spur Community Foundation | Support arts, activities, facilities, and programs offered to the community | $100,000 |
| Path to College Fellowship | Provide guidance, career exposure, and encouragement to students with high academic aspirations from | $75,000 |
| ACLU | Provide clinical scholarships to patients who would otherwise not have access to | $50,000 |
| Brennan Center for Justice | Defend democracy, reform justice & protect the constitution | $50,000 |
| Center for Biological Diversity Inc | Work protecting endangered species through legal action, scientific petitions, creative media & grassroots activism. | $50,000 |
| Climate Justice Alliance | Help build local alternatives that center traditional ecological and cultural knowledge and create a pathway for a regenerative future. | $50,000 |
| Eblen Charities | Community based charity focusing on damilies & individuals in time of crisis | $50,000 |
| Equal Justice Initiatives | Provide legal representation to prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes, poor prisoners without effective representation, and others who may have been denied a fair trial | $50,000 |
| Individual | Helps to give power back to individuals and communities, promoting justice and equity for all | $50,000 |
| Kentucky Resources Council | Mission is to protect the commonwealth's natural resources and ensure environmental justice for kentucky's most vulnerable people and communities. | $50,000 |
| Mountain Association | The mission is to invest in people and places in eastern kentucky. | $50,000 |
| Natural Resources Defense Council | The mission is to safeguard the earth, its people, its plants and animals and the natural systems on which all life depends. | $50,000 |
| North Star Fund | Supports grassroots organizing led by communities of color building power by organizing people across race & class | $50,000 |
| Soul Fire Farm Institute Inc | Strive to regenerate biodiversity and soil, protect the climate, and honor natural cycles of growth and rest | $50,000 |
| The Formation Project | Provide life-changing services to survivors of human trafficking & exploitation | $50,000 |
| Thousand Currents | To support grassroots social movements in the global south working on issues like climate justice, food sovereignty, and economic justice | $50,000 |
| Uk Kentucky Children's Hospital | Support the kentucky children's hospital activities & art in the new patient health unit. | $50,000 |
| Save the Chimps | Provide quality care to our beloved chimpanzee residents, including fresh and nutritious meals, exceptional veterinary care, innovative enrichment, and the social companionship necessary for the chimps to live happy and full lives. | $35,000 |
| Giffords Law Center | Promotes gun safety legislation | $25,000 |
| The Frick Collection | Support programs & activities in museum perserving the collection of henry clay frick | $25,000 |
| The Community Library | Support the library & programs to provide free resources & services | $25,000 |
| The Windward School | Support programs that provide a specialized, research-based education for children in grades 1-8 with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities | $25,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Clay K Kirk
- Jay B Chadwick
- Laura S Kirk
- Garrett Kirk Jr
- Christina K Kirk
Questions people ask
Does The Spray Foundation Inc accept grant applications?
No. Its IRS filing says it only makes contributions to preselected organizations.
How much does The Spray Foundation Inc give?
$3.3 million in tax year 2025, across 32 grants, with a typical grant of $50,000.
Who runs The Spray Foundation Inc?
Its 2025 filing lists Clay K Kirk (President), Jay B Chadwick (Treasurer), Laura S Kirk (Secretary) and Garrett Kirk Jr (Director) among 5 officers and trustees.
What does The Spray Foundation Inc fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, environment and conservation and arts and culture.