Commencement Inc
Commencement Inc is a private foundation, based in Baltimore, MD. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $90K. Net investment income was $65K.
Key facts about Commencement Inc
In short: Commencement Inc gave $90K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $45K), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 85-4098965
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $90,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- Average grant
- $45,000
- Median grant
- $45,000
- Total assets
- $2,067,256
- Primary geography
- Maryland (50% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.1M
-1.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$90K
+0.0% YoY
Grant Count
2
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$45K
+0.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Commencement Inc reported a distributable amount of $97K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Commencement Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Ready to take the next step with Commencement Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2022) to $90K (2025). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $90K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mentoring Mentors Inc ($45K). Together the top 2 received $90K.
Grant Size Distribution
9 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 9 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mentoring Mentors Inc Baltimore, MD | Education | $45,000 |
| Urban Alliance Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Education | $45,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,067,256 | $2,105,071 | $2,108,555 |
| Revenue | $70,333 | $105,053 | $85,286 |
| Expenses | $108,248 | $108,522 | $106,475 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $96,083 | $97,631 | $97,393 |
| Net Investment Income | $64,639 | $64,318 | $44,835 |
| Distributable Amount | $97,097 | $97,087 | $92,682 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 31, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Commencement Inc is led by Nicholas Funk, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nicholas Funk
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Monique Rizer
Assistant Treasurer
Member → Assistant Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Price
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ieesha Johnson
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Debbie Williams (2020–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Erica Myers (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Jody Latimer (2022–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Beverly White (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Cailin McGough (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Nicole Miklewski (2020) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Commencement Inc
How much does Commencement Inc give each year?
Commencement Inc gave $90K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $90K across 2 grants.
How large is Commencement Inc?
Commencement Inc reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $96K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $97K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
Where does Commencement Inc operate?
Commencement Inc has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Maryland.
What is Commencement Inc's EIN?
Commencement Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4098965. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Here's the math on researching Commencement Inc by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Commencement Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Maryland
Patricia and Mark Joseph Shelter Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
The foundation primarily supports housing and related services for homeless people, older adults, and people with low or moderate incomes, while also funding education, journalism, arts, libraries, and community organizations. In 2025, grants ranged from $6,000 to $100,000, with a median of $19,000; 78% of grant dollars went to Maryland recipients. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$50.9M
Grants
42
Total Given
$1.4M
The Stephen & Renee Bisciotti Foundation
Baltimore, MD
The foundation supports Baltimore-focused 501(c)(3) organizations in education, mentorship, community and workforce development, entrepreneurship, and expanding opportunity for underserved communities. In 2024, grants ranged from $680 to $8 million, with a median of $75,000; most funding went to Maryland, though grants also went to organizations in other states. It uses an invitation-only process and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$474.4M
Grants
79
Total Given
$42.1M
The Abell Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
The Abell Foundation funds nonprofits, government agencies, and fiscally sponsored projects addressing health, education, community development, workforce, justice and addiction, the environment, and arts, as well as Baltimore-focused research and catalytic business investments. Its giving is focused on Baltimore City, with a typical grant of about $20,000 (2024 median; awards ranged from $188 to $300,000). It accepts applications: requests of $10,000 or less are reviewed on a rolling basis, while larger requests go through five annual board meetings.
Assets
$296.4M
Grants
391
Total Given
$13.4M
Lockhart Vaughan Foundation
Baltimore, MD
The Lockhart Vaughan Foundation supports Baltimore-area 501(c)(3) organizations working in education, environmental protection, and community development. Its 2025 grants ranged from $4,000 to $176,522, with a median of $27,500. New applicants start with a Letter of Intent, but the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$38.6M
Grants
78
Total Given
$2.7M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg
Owings Mills, MD
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation funds direct services, programs, general operations, and capital projects in housing, health, jobs, education, and aging for low-income and vulnerable people. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000; its Small Grants Program offers up to $50,000 over two years, with funding focused on Baltimore, Hawaiʻi, Israel, and Northeastern Pennsylvania. It awards grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.8B
Grants
872
Total Given
$127.8M
Associated Jewish Charities of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Associated Jewish Charities of Baltimore supports Jewish life and related charitable, educational, religious, health, humanitarian, cultural, and social-service needs in Baltimore, nationally, in Israel, and worldwide. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,020 to $15.25 million, with a median of $18,750; the profile describes specific funding opportunities and donor-advised fund recommendations but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$446.7M
Grants
515
Total Given
$53.0M
Annie E Casey Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
The Annie E. Casey Foundation funds U.S. nonprofits and other partners working to improve outcomes for children and young people, including family strengthening, child welfare, education, employment, community development and juvenile justice. In 2024, grants ranged from $50 to $1,185,000, with a median of $40,000. Grants are by invitation only; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
1,462
Total Given
$93.1M
Baltimore Community Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore Community Foundation supports schools, neighborhoods, and community projects, including work on kindergarten readiness, student well-being, neighborhood vitality, and arts and culture. Its 2024 grants had a median of about $19,800, with amounts varying widely, and its strategic school and neighborhood grants focus on Baltimore City and Baltimore County. It invites applications through its online portal for specified grant programs.
Assets
$314.3M
Grants
604
Total Given
$29.3M
Clayton Baker Trust
Baltimore, MD
The Clayton Baker Trust funds education, environmental, and community development work, primarily in Maryland; in 2024, 95% of its grant dollars went to Maryland recipients. Its 86 grants ranged from $5,000 to $115,000, with a median of $20,000. The Trust accepts applications from organizations beyond a preselected list; applicants must submit a cover letter, proposal narrative, and attachments in the ABAG Common Grant Application Format.
Assets
$32.9M
Grants
86
Total Given
$2.4M
Hoffberger Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
The Hoffberger Foundation funds Greater Baltimore nonprofits, with current priorities in children’s mental health and trauma and workforce development and economic mobility; it also has a significant commitment to the Jewish community. In 2024, grants ranged from $250 to $90,000, with a median of $5,500. Its 2026 process is by invitation only, and it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$20.2M
Grants
43
Total Given
$995K
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Johns Hopkins University funds a broad range of education, research, health, and community-related work, with 2025 grants ranging from $5,500 to nearly $95 million and a median of $100,000; many of the largest awards were sub-awards. Its grants went to organizations across the U.S., with the largest shares in California and Maryland, and the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$25.3B
Grants
813
Total Given
$594.1M
More Funders in Maryland
Commencement Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?