Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. Established in 2006, it makes grants to organizations that promote environmental health and justice, environmental stewardship, and sustainable use of resources.
Key facts about Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc
In short: Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc gave $5.4M across 57 grants in 2025 (avg $95K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 65-1287707
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,423,200
- Grants made (2025)
- 57
- Average grant
- $95,144
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $63,918,731
- Primary geography
- New York (17% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$63.9M
+11.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.4M
+19.8% YoY
Grant Count
57
+5600.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$95K
-97.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $5.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+9%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support organizations advocating for environmental health and justice, encouraging stewardship of the environment, and furthering respect for sustainability of resources. Its website identifies land conservation, environmental health and justice, watershed protection, and sustainability of resources as areas of focus.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of supported work. For example, World Central Kitchen describes its work as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Ceres describes itself as working to accelerate a cleaner, more just, and resilient world, including through work on climate change, water, and biodiversity. Greater Yellowstone Coalition says it works to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 57 grants totaling $5,423,200. Grants ranged from $1,200 to $500,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest awards included $500,000 each to Doctors Without Borders and World Central Kitchen, $450,000 to the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, and $400,000 to Earth Justice. Other notable grants included $250,000 to the Southern Environmental Law Center; $200,000 each to the New York Botanical Garden, SkyTruth, and the Center for Biological Diversity; and $175,000 to the Grand Canyon Trust. The listed 2025 grants were for general support.
The foundation reported one grant totaling $4,525,000 in filing year 2024 and one totaling $4,862,000 in filing year 2023.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. It also says it is unable to accept unsolicited proposals or renewal requests, including from organizations it has funded in past years.
Ready to take the next step with Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York and the District of Columbia, at 17% each, followed by Wyoming at 14%, Arizona at 12%, and California at 10%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 57 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.2M (2020) to $5.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 57 grants totaling $5.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Doctors Without Borders ($500K). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 62 (35%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Support | $500,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Support | $500,000 |
| Comm FD of Jackson Hole Jackson, WY | General Support | $450,000 |
| Earth Justice San Francisco, CA | General Support | $400,000 |
| So Environmental Law Ctr Charlottesville, VA | General Support | $250,000 |
| NY Botanical Garden Bronx, NY | General Support | $200,000 |
| Sky Truth Shepherdstown, WV | General Support | $200,000 |
| Center Biological Diversity Tucson, AZ | General Support | $200,000 |
| Grand Canyon Trust Flagstaff, AZ | General Support | $175,000 |
| Greater Yellowstone Coalition Bozeman, MT | General Support | $150,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,423,200 | 57 |
| 2024 | $4,525,000 | 1 |
| 2023 | $4,862,000 | 1 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $63,918,731 | $57,236,416 | $52,438,329 |
| Revenue | $12,633,237 | $9,638,763 | $3,456,835 |
| Expenses | $5,801,668 | $4,863,121 | $5,185,044 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,790,821 | $4,855,889 | $5,178,957 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,547,735 | $1,542,571 | $1,459,545 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,359,381 | $5,173,055 | $4,337,925 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 10, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ann Cornell as president and director, Holly Cornell Lowen as secretary and director, and Alex Cornell as treasurer. The foundation’s website also identifies Cynthia Duffy as executive director.
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc is led by Ann Cornell, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ann Cornell
President & Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Holly Cornell Lowen
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alex Cornell
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 4701 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 20816
Phone: (301) 229-3008
Website: https://www.cornelldouglas.org
Frequently asked questions about Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc
How much does Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc give each year?
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc gave $5.4M across 57 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $4.5M across 1 grant.
What is Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $95,144, across 57 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc give grants?
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's top state is New York, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (17%) and Wyoming (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (11 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Bethesda, MD (5 grants) and Jackson, WY (3 grants).
Does Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (57 of 57) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Doctors Without Borders ($500,000), World Central Kitchen ($500,000) and Comm FD of Jackson Hole ($450,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc?
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc reported $63.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support organizations advocating for environmental health and justice, encouraging stewardship of the environment, and furthering respect for sustainability of resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's EIN?
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1287707. 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. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Similar funders in Maryland
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
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
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
The Keith Campbell Foundation
Bethesda, MD
The Keith Campbell Foundation funds nonprofits working for equitable, livable communities, especially on watershed health, clean water, agriculture, and related community needs, with a focus on the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays and California’s San Francisco Bay watershed. Giving varies widely: 2024 grants ranged from $40 to $1.5 million, with a median of $5,000. It accepts unsolicited requests, with two application cycles per year.
Assets
$420.2M
Grants
688
Total Given
$27.9M
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Bethesda, MD
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation funds cystic fibrosis research, drug development, specialized care, and related training and clinical programs. In 2024, its grants had a median of about $150,000, with awards ranging from $2,800 to nearly $12.9 million; it supports work nationwide. Applications are submitted through specific funding opportunities, but the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$5.0B
Grants
624
Total Given
$189.6M
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
Nora Roberts Foundation
Glenn Dale, MD
The Nora Roberts Foundation prioritizes literacy and also supports the arts, children, social justice, and the environment. It gives mainly in Maryland and nearby parts of Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC, while also making grants nationwide; typical grants are about $3,000–$5,000. Its 2025 filing says it funds preselected organizations only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$118.6M
Grants
466
Total Given
$7.5M
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
Enterprise Community Partners Inc
Columbia, MD
Enterprise Community Partners funds affordable housing and community development, including housing production and preservation, community organizations, capacity building, and related resident services. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $45,000, with awards ranging from $5,500 to about $13.6 million, and its work spans the United States. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$941.1M
Grants
347
Total Given
$61.8M
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
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington Inc
North Bethesda, MD
The Federation funds Jewish communal organizations and programs, including services for people in need, Jewish learning and engagement, youth and family programs, inclusion, community security, and work connecting the region with Israel and Jewish communities abroad. In 2025 it made 360 grants, with a median award of $20,000; grants ranged from $5,001 to $3.3 million, primarily supporting organizations in Greater Washington as well as national and international partners. It issues requests for proposals when opportunities are available; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$388.5M
Grants
360
Total Given
$34.1M
Allegis Group Foundation Inc
Hanover, MD
The Allegis Group Foundation supports education, youth life skills, workforce and career development, employment access for underserved adults, veterans and people with disabilities, and employee-linked volunteerism. In 2025 it made 269 grants, with a median award of $2,500 and amounts ranging from $50 to $1,111,750; the largest shares went to organizations in Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, New York, and Washington, DC. It accepts applications by letter and has no stated deadline.
Assets
$12.4M
Grants
269
Total Given
$4.5M
More Funders in Maryland
Cornell Douglas Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?