Elias & Sultana Foundation
The Elias & Sultana Foundation is a private foundation based in Windsor Mill, Maryland. In its 2025 filing, it said it provides financial assistance primarily in food, shelter, and education to civic organizations that regularly serve marginalized people in their diverse communities.
Key facts about Elias & Sultana Foundation
In short: Elias & Sultana Foundation gave $273K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), top state Pennsylvania. 62% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 85-2697541
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $273,085
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- Average grant
- $16,064
- Median grant
- $7,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 62% first-time grantees (8 of 13, 2025)
- Total assets
- $7,701,359
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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
$7.7M
+10.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$273K
+139.5% YoY
Grant Count
17
+30.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+83.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elias & Sultana Foundation reported a distributable amount of $354K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Elias & Sultana Foundation open to new grantees?
62%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 13 grantees (62%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 38% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 992% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2025 filing describes its direct charitable activity as supporting civic organizations that provide food, shelter, and education services to marginalized people.
Examples of supported organizations describe the kinds of work represented among its grantees. First Fruits Farm says it raises and distributes fresh produce to shelters, soup kitchens, and food banks. The Port Washington Masjid says its mission includes facilitating Islamic practice, supporting spiritual growth, and contributing to society through education, charity, and community engagement. Quran Foundation describes its mission as connecting and socializing around religious text.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave **$273,085 through 17 grants**. Grants ranged from **$1,200 to $75,000**, with a median grant of **$7,500**. Among the largest were $75,000 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for research; $66,904 to Peabody Health Philanthropies for general support; $27,500 to Community Compassion USA for general support; and $25,000 to St. Cloud University Foundation for general support. Other 2025 grants included $15,000 to Quran Foundation for a retreat, $12,000 to Dar-Al Taqwa for general support, and $8,500 to First Fruits Farm for general support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in several states. The largest reported shares were Pennsylvania (27%), California (24%), Maryland (21%), New York (9%), and Minnesota (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2022) to $273K (2025). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $273K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Trustees of the Univ of Penn ($75K). Together the top 10 received $250K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($11,981), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 58 (97%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees of the Univ of Penn Philadelphia, PA | Research | $75,000 |
| Peabody Health Philanthropies San Francisco, CA | General Support | $66,904 |
| Community Compassion USA Gwynn Oak, MD | General Support | $27,500 |
| St Cloud University Foundation St Cloud, MN | General Support | $25,000 |
| Quran Foundation Brooklyn, NY | Retreat | $15,000 |
| Dar-Al Taqwa Ellicot City, MD | General Support | $12,000 |
| Projahnmo-MHTI | Scholarship | $11,500 |
| First Fruits Farm Freeland, MD | General Support | $8,500 |
| 2 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $11,981 |
| Port Washington Masjid Port Washington, NY | General Support | $6,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,701,359 | $194,546 | $315,550 | $273,085 (17) |
| 2024 | $6,958,850 | $636,602 | $142,843 | $114,011 (13) |
| 2023 | $6,162,291 | $3,101,067 | $73,023 | $67,198 (17) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,701,359 | $6,958,850 | $6,162,291 |
| Revenue | $194,546 | $636,602 | $3,101,067 |
| Expenses | $315,550 | $142,843 | $73,023 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $278,079 | $116,281 | $68,563 |
| Net Investment Income | $157,075 | $110,040 | $96,607 |
| Distributable Amount | $354,440 | $310,726 | $95,834 |
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 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rebeka Sultana as president, Mohammad Elias as treasurer, and David Folsom as director.
Elias & Sultana Foundation is led by Rebeka Sultana, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rebeka Sultana
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Folsom
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mohammad Elias
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 7125 Ambassador Road 100, Windsor Mill, MD 21244
Phone: (410) 999-7044
Frequently asked questions about Elias & Sultana Foundation
How much does Elias & Sultana Foundation give each year?
Elias & Sultana Foundation gave $273K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $114K across 13 grants.
What is Elias & Sultana Foundation's typical grant size?
Elias & Sultana Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $16,064, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Elias & Sultana Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does Elias & Sultana Foundation give grants?
Elias & Sultana Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (24%) and Maryland (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were Jamaica, NY (2 grants).
Does Elias & Sultana Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 65% of Elias & Sultana Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (4 grants).
Who are Elias & Sultana Foundation's largest grantees?
Elias & Sultana Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Trustees of the Univ of Penn ($75,000), Peabody Health Philanthropies ($66,904) and Community Compassion USA ($27,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 individual scholarships ($11,981), which are not listed by name. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Elias & Sultana Foundation?
Elias & Sultana Foundation reported $7.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $278K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $354K (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.
What does Elias & Sultana Foundation fund?
The foundation’s 2025 filing describes its direct charitable activity as supporting civic organizations that provide food, shelter, and education services to marginalized people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Elias & Sultana Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Elias & Sultana Foundation's EIN?
Elias & Sultana Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2697541. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Elias & Sultana Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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