Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore is a public charity based in Salisbury, Maryland, established in 1984. It connects donors with community causes and supports local nonprofits through grants and other resources.
Key facts about Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
In short: Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor gave $8.0M across 238 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Maryland. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 52-1326014
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,008,101
- Grants made (2025)
- 238
- Average grant
- $33,647
- Median grant
- $13,642
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (59 of 231, 2025)
- Total assets
- $198,762,465
- Primary geography
- Maryland (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$198.8M
+10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.0M
+29.7% YoY
Grant Count
238
+28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$34K
+0.8% YoY
Is Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 59 of 231 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $18K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is “Inspiring community philanthropy and connecting people who care with causes that matter.”
Its stated program areas include education, human services, health, animal-related causes, arts, culture and humanities, community development, environmental quality and protection, faith-based programs, and youth. The Foundation describes education support as including financial assistance and scholarships for schools, colleges, universities, and libraries, as well as support for nonprofit educational initiatives. Its program descriptions also include support for organizations providing emergency and social services and community health programs.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its grantmaking. Wor-Wic Community College Foundation says its mission is to benefit Wor-Wic Community College through charitable and educational purposes. Horizons Delmarva describes its work as providing low-income Wicomico County students with academic summer learning and year-round support. Worcester County Developmental Center says it works to empower adults with developmental and physical disabilities, while the Art League of Ocean City says it promotes artistic expression and appreciation for the creative arts.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 238 grants totaling $8,008,101. Grant amounts ranged from $5,123 to $663,465, with a median of $13,642. The Foundation’s 2025 filing reported that 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland.
Open Grants
13 open opportunities from Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
CFES Community Needs Grant
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
CFES Education Grants
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
Amount
Up to US $5,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
CFES Workforce Development Grant
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
Amount
Up to US $7,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation serves Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. Its Community Needs Grants program specifies this three-county area as its geographic scope. In 2025, 92% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland; smaller shares went to recipients in Delaware, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 238 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.2M (2021) to $8.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 238 grants totaling $8.0M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was WOR-WIC Community College Foundation Inc ($663K). Together the top 10 received $2.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($43,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
788 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 655 grants of 788 (83%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WOR-WIC Community College Foundation Inc Salisbury, MD | Education | $663,465 |
| Horizons Delmarva Inc Salisbury, MD | Education | $375,540 |
| Wicomico Presbyterian Church Salisbury, MD | Faith Based Programs | $348,300 |
| Tidalhealth Foundation Inc Salisbury, MD | HEALTH | $260,597 |
| United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore Inc Salisbury, MD | Community Development | $205,291 |
| Worcester County Developmental Center Inc Newark, MD | Human Services | $173,787 |
| Worcester County Commission on Aging Inc Snow Hill, MD | Human Services | $165,000 |
| Salvation Army - Richard Hazel Youth Center Salisbury, MD | Human Services | $158,770 |
| Ocean City Paramedics Foundation Inc Ocean City, MD | HEALTH | $150,000 |
| Eastern Shore Dental Society State of Maryland Salisbury, MD | HEALTH | $135,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $198,762,465 | $17,564,499 | $10,370,247 | $8,008,101 |
| 2024 | $179,762,721 | $16,943,866 | $8,533,623 | $6,174,755 |
| 2023 | $159,381,501 | $13,185,530 | $7,632,340 | $5,457,348 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $198,762,465 | $179,762,721 | $159,381,501 |
| Revenue | $17,564,499 | $16,943,866 | $13,185,530 |
| Expenses | $10,370,247 | $8,533,623 | $7,632,340 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,403,359 | $6,636,550 | $4,760,041 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 24, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 28, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 10, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ed Barber, Dr. Richard Warren Jr., Gregory Tawes, Allen Brown Sr., Tyrone Mills, William McCain, Ginnie Malone, and Janice Perdue as directors; Dean Lewis as secretary; and Robin Evans as treasurer. The Foundation’s website identifies Erica Joseph as president.
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor is led by Erica Joseph, President on every filing since 2019; 3 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Erica Joseph
President
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$121K (2019) → $154K (2025)
Velda Henry
Chairwoman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2022
Vice Chairman → Chairwoman, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allen Brown Sr.
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andy Kim
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Annette E. Wallace
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gayle Widdowson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George I. Whitehead III
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ginnie Malone
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Tawes
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janice Perdue
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melody S. Nelson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ed Barber
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sonya Whited
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tyrone Mills
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Phoebus
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William McCain
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gail Foltz
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Jones
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Mathers
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Mitchell
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharone Grant
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lu Ann Goldsborough
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Warren Jr.
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Veronique Diriker
Chief Strategy Officer
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$101K (2024) → $106K (2025)
Sharon Dickson
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$103K (2025)
Daniel O'Connell II
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dean Lewis
Secretary
Director → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robin Evans
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Carolyn Johnston (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Michael P. Truitt (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Dwight W. Marshall Jr. (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: James P. Jones (2019–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Julius Zant (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Stephanie Willey (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: James R. Thomas Jr. (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: W. Todd Hershey (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: David A. Vorhis (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Ernest R. Satchell (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Kathleen G. McLain (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Lauren C. Taylor (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: David Mitchell (2020) — Director
- Former: John Allen (2019) — Director
- Former: Thomas K. Coates (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $154K, to Erica Joseph (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1324 Belmont Avenue 401, Salisbury, MD 21804-4558
Phone: (410) 742-9911
Website: https://cfes.org
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor
How much does Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor give each year?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor gave $8.0M across 238 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $6.2M across 185 grants.
What is Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's median grant in 2025 was $13,642, and its average grant was $33,647, across 238 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor that year got $13K on average.
Where does Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor give grants?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor gives mostly in Maryland: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Salisbury, MD (97 grants), Berlin, MD (20 grants), Ocean City, MD (11 grants) and Snow Hill, MD (9 grants).
Does Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 238 grants with a stated purpose on Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (68 grants), "Human Services" (54 grants) and "Faith Based Programs" (28 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's largest 2025 grantees include WOR-WIC Community College Foundation Inc ($663,465), Horizons Delmarva Inc ($375,540) and Wicomico Presbyterian Church ($348,300), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($43,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor reported $198.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.6M.
What does Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor fund?
The Foundation’s mission is “Inspiring community philanthropy and connecting people who care with causes that matter.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check cfes.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's EIN?
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1326014. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Community Foundation of the Eastern Shor by hand.
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