Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation
The Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 filing lists grants to organizations serving communities and individuals, including organizations in education, health care, social services, housing, and the arts.
Key facts about Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation
In short: Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation gave $2.1M across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $45K), mostly in Delaware. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 51-0348090
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,111,710
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- Average grant
- $44,930
- Median grant
- $40,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (8 of 31, 2025)
- Total assets
- $29,079,857
- Primary geography
- Delaware (85% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Contact John T Fay CPA with a letter request and pamphlet. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None.
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
$29.1M
+13.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+11.0% YoY
Grant Count
47
+4.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$45K
+6.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 31 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $34K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). 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
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Delaware Hospice describes its work as providing compassionate care for people facing serious illness and support for their families and communities. First State Squash says it helps participants pursue academic success and physical wellness through educational, athletic, and community engagement. The Ministry of Caring describes services for people experiencing poverty, including food, shelter, housing, employment support, and health services.
Education is represented by Delaware College Scholars, which says it prepares high-achieving, under-resourced Delaware public high school students for four-year college. Other supported organizations include West End Neighborhood House, which describes programs intended to help people achieve self-sufficiency, and Habitat for Humanity, whose mission is to address poverty housing and access to decent shelter.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 45 grants totaling $1,901,798. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $125,000, with a median grant of $31,200. In 2023, it made 36 grants totaling $1,797,633; in 2022, it made 36 grants totaling $1,898,759.
Review Cycle
None.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Delaware. The remaining shares went to Virginia (4%), Tennessee (1%), New Jersey (1%), and North Carolina (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 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 $1.7M (2020) to $2.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Newark Free Library ($128K). Together the top 10 received $847K.
Organizations only. It also paid 12 grants to individuals ($559,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
202 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 202 (53%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Newark Free Library Newark, DE | Financial Assistance | $127,980 |
| Delaware Botanical Gardens Dagsboro, DE | Financial Assistance | $124,500 |
| Historic Odessa Foundation Odessa, DE | Financial Assistance | $100,000 |
| Aspira Academy Newark, DE | Financial Assistance | $75,000 |
| Delaware College Scholars WIlmingotn, DE | Financial Assistance | $75,000 |
| Faithful Friends WIlmingotn, DE | Financial Assistance | $75,000 |
| 12 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $559,500 |
| The Ministry of Caring Inc WIlmington, DE | Financial Assistance | $75,000 |
| University of Delaware Newark, DE | Financial Assistance | $75,000 |
| Delaware Museum of Natural History WIlmington, DE | Financial Assistance | $61,925 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,667,137 | $2,617,059 | $2,280,104 | $1,901,798 |
| 2023 | $25,392,040 | $977,801 | $2,125,077 | $1,797,633 |
| 2022 | $26,440,853 | $1,691,024 | $2,257,321 | $1,898,759 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,079,857 | $25,667,137 | $25,392,040 |
| Revenue | $5,847,751 | $2,617,059 | $977,801 |
| Expenses | $2,556,469 | $2,280,104 | $2,125,077 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,111,710 | $1,901,798 | $1,797,633 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,446,924 | $2,244,807 | $675,558 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,126,540 | $1,947,732 | $1,729,005 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 27, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Gregory Inskip Esq as President, John T Fay CPA as Secretary/Treasurer, and H Murray Sawyer as Vice President.
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation is led by Gregory Inskip Esq., President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Gregory Inskip Esq.
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
H Murray Sawyer
Vice President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John T Fay CPA
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Application contact: John T Fay Cpa
Mailing address: 3801 Kennett Pike Bldg C Suite 101, Wilmington, DE 19807
Phone: (484) 798-7982
Email: jfay289491@aol.com
Frequently asked questions about Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation
How much does Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation give each year?
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation gave $2.1M across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.9M across 45 grants.
What is Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's typical grant size?
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $44,930, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation that year got $34K on average.
Where does Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation give grants?
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation gives mostly in Delaware: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmingotn, DE (12 grants), Wilmington, DE (8 grants), Newark, DE (4 grants) and Newport, DE (3 grants).
Does Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 47 grants with a stated purpose on Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Financial Assistance" (45 grants).
Who are Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's largest grantees?
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Newark Free Library ($127,980), Delaware Botanical Gardens ($124,500) and Historic Odessa Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 12 grants to individuals ($559,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation?
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation reported $29.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.1M (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 Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Delaware Hospice describes its work as providing compassionate care for people facing serious illness and support for their families and communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation?
Contact John T Fay CPA with a letter request and pamphlet. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's EIN?
Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0348090. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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