Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust is a private foundation based in Lusby, Maryland. Its stated mission is to preserve and protect ecologically sensitive sites in Cove Point and Southern Maryland through land conservation, scientific research, and environmental education.
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc at a glance
In short: Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc gave $41K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Maryland. 57% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $40,994
- -2.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,928
- -51.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $7,002,754
- +11.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 57% first-time grantees (8 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing names Bruce Fall as the contact, says application forms and materials are not applicable, and states there are no restrictions on awards. It also says the Trust does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Small Grants Program deadline was March 15, 2026; this deadline has passed. The 2025 filing lists no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Small Grants Program deadline was March 15, 2026; this deadline has passed.
- Contact
Application contact: Bruce Fall
Mailing address: PO Box 336, Lusby, MD 20657
Phone: (410) 394-1300
Website: https://www.covepoint-trust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Chestnut Trust ($9K). Together the top 10 received $36K.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 41 grants of 41 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Trust states that its work centers on Cove Point and Southern Maryland. In filing year 2025, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland and 8% to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc open to new grantees?
57%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 14 grantees (57%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2022) to $45K (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $41K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Chestnut Trust Prince Frederick, MD | Research | $9,347 |
| St Mary's River Watershed Association Inc Lexington Park, MD | Environmental | $4,225 |
| Calvert Marine Museum S Solomons, MD | Environmental | $4,000 |
| St Marys College of Maryland Alexandria, VA | Education | $3,200 |
| Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Solomons, MD | Environmental | $3,158 |
| College of Souther Maryland Foundation Prince Frederick, MD | Education | $2,500 |
| The Calvert Nature Society Port Republic, MD | Environmental | $2,500 |
| Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust Leonardtown, MD | Environmental | $2,500 |
| University of Maryland College Park, MD | Educational | $2,500 |
| Friends of Hunting Creek Huntingtown, MD | Environmental | $2,376 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,002,754 | $473,082 | $196,046 | $40,994 | 14 | $181,398 | $188,134 |
| 2024 | $6,286,890 | $385,004 | $184,972 | $41,900 | 7 | $41,900 | $529,475 |
| 2023 | $5,795,644 | $326,170 | $224,150 | $44,827 | 7 | $177,008 | $45,075 |
| 2022 | $5,229,218 | $963,418 | $357,336 | $12,500 | 5 | $144,958 | $536,565 |
| 2021 | $5,632,327 | $387,964 | $232,526 | $26,178 | 8 | $128,628 | $176,801 |
| 2020 | $5,188,184 | $395,236 | $271,630 | $26,539 | 4 | — | $56,609 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Trust’s stated focus includes land conservation and acquisition, scientific research, and environmental education. Its website describes work on habitat restoration, stream and wildlife monitoring, and protection of rare plants and animals.
The Trust supports organizations working on environmental and educational activities. For example, St. Mary’s River Watershed Association Inc. received a 2025 grant; the association describes its mission as protecting, improving, and promoting the sustainability of the St. Mary River watershed through collaboration with community stakeholders.
The Trust also established Ruth Mathes Scholarships through agreements with local academic institutions and schools. These annual awards of $1,000 to $3,000 are scholarships for students, rather than grants to outside organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Trust gave 14 grants totaling $40,994. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $9,347, with a median of $2,500. The largest reported grants included:
The Trust’s website announced a $35,000 small-grants fund for 2026, for ecological research or assessment and environmental education projects of $1,000 to $2,500. Its stated March 15, 2026 deadline has passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael Gardner as President; Ronald Klauda as Vice President; Matt Ballantine as Secretary; Frank McPhillips as Treasurer; and Mike Rudy, Carys Mitchelmore, Chris Chenoweth, Lila West, and Amanda Knobloch as trustees. Bruce Fall is listed as Business Manager.
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc is led by Michael Gardner, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 10 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael Gardner
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lila West
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Rudy
Trustee
President → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Knobloch
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carys Mitchelmore
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Chenoweth
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Fall
Business Manager
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$21K (2024) → $60K (2025)
Ronald Klauda
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frank McPhillips
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Ballantine
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Becky Hunter (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Karen Meadow (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Robert Boxwell (2020–2024) — Previous Business Manager
- Former: Frank Brayton (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Gary Ressing (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Ralph Eshelman (2022–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Mildred Kriemelmeyer (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Ewing Miller (2020) — Chair Emeritus
- Former: Paul Dickson (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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $60K, to Bruce Fall (Business Manager).
Frequently asked questions about Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc
How much does Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc give each year?
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc gave $41K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $42K across 7 grants.
What is Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's typical grant size?
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $2,928, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc that year got $3K on average.
Where does Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc give grants?
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc gives mostly in Maryland: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Prince Frederick, MD (2 grants) and Solomons, MD (2 grants).
Does Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Environmental" (9 grants).
Who are Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's largest grantees?
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's largest 2025 grantees include American Chestnut Trust ($9,347), St Mary's River Watershed Association Inc ($4,225) and Calvert Marine Museum ($4,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc?
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc reported $7.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $473K.
What does Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc fund?
The Trust’s stated focus includes land conservation and acquisition, scientific research, and environmental education. Its website describes work on habitat restoration, stream and wildlife monitoring, and protection of rare plants and animals. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc?
The 2025 filing names Bruce Fall as the contact, says application forms and materials are not applicable, and states there are no restrictions on awards. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's EIN?
Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1910341. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cove Point Natural Heritage Trustinc down — hundreds of funders to go?