Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc
The Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations working in areas including conservation, the arts, education, and housing and social services.
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc gave $1.9M across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $61K), mostly in California. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,950,000
- -77.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- +28.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $60,938
- -82.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $19,750
- Total assets
- $59,825,402
- +2.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (8 of 32, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Nature Conservancy ($400K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
168 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 168 (46%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant list was concentrated in California: the state accounted for 97% of grant dollars. The filing also reported shares for recipients in the District of Columbia, Utah, New York, and Oregon, at 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 32 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $65K; repeat grants $59K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 59% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 59% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 52% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2024) to $8.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 32 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nature Conservancy Sacramento, CA | Protecting the San Andreas Corridor | $400,000 |
| Focusing Philanthropy Inc Santa Monica, CA | General & Unrestricted | $323,000 |
| Friends of the Los Angeles River Los Angeles, CA | The FoLAR Resilience Lab at the Harvard-Westlake River Park Campus | $200,000 |
| Stella Adler Theatre Hollywood, CA | ACTion/Outreach Scholarship fund and General Support | $160,000 |
| Antelope Valley Conservancy Lake Hughes, CA | Joshua Tree Woodland Preservation Fund | $140,000 |
| Colettes Children Home Inc Huntington Beach, CA | Homeless Shelter Program (HSP) | $100,000 |
| Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation Inc Arcadia, CA | Arboretum Visitor Plaza Entrance Project | $100,000 |
| Ventura County Farm to School Camarillo, CA | General Support and Program Activities for 2024-2025 school year | $100,000 |
| Treepeople Inc Beverly Hills, CA | Environmental Education and School Greening | $69,000 |
| Alexandria House Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
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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 | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $59,825,402 | $5,121,703 | $3,858,804 | $1,950,000 | 32 | $2,202,679 | $3,490,978 | $4,212,760 |
| 2023 | $58,554,535 | $5,399,944 | $10,058,989 | $8,694,000 | 25 | $8,829,315 | $3,851,679 | $4,045,634 |
| 2022 | $63,208,805 | $3,382,493 | $6,681,171 | $5,236,000 | 27 | $5,401,479 | $1,771,407 | $4,830,803 |
| 2021 | $66,485,579 | $6,305,373 | $6,297,735 | $4,758,330 | 43 | $4,956,849 | $5,016,677 | $5,303,584 |
| 2020 | $66,487,466 | $1,796,224 | $6,111,754 | $4,400,000 | 41 | — | $738,356 | $4,972,815 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included environmental conservation and education, performing arts, school garden and farm-to-school activities, housing services, and general support. For example, Friends of the Los Angeles River says it builds community and student capacity to advocate for nature, climate, and equity on the river; Stella Adler Theatre says it provides aspiring performing artists with a creative and educational setting; and Antelope Valley Conservancy says it acquires and stewards habitat lands for wildlife and rare plants.
Other 2024 recipients describe work in horticulture and learning (Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation), environmental and nutrition education (Ventura County Farm to School), climate-resilient communities (TreePeople), and supportive housing for women and children experiencing homelessness and trauma (Alexandria House). Mesivta of Greater Los Angeles describes its work as operating a boarding high school for young men.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 32 grants totaling $1,950,000. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $400,000, with a median of $19,750. The largest awards included $400,000 to Nature Conservancy for protecting the San Andreas Corridor; $323,000 to Focusing Philanthropy Inc for general and unrestricted support; and $200,000 to Friends of the Los Angeles River for its Resilience Lab at the Harvard-Westlake River Park Campus. Other notable grants included $160,000 to Stella Adler Theatre, $140,000 to Antelope Valley Conservancy, and $100,000 each to Colettes Children Home, Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation, and Ventura County Farm to School.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Celina McHugh as a director; Patricia McHugh as a director and CEO; and Theresa M. McHugh as a director, secretary, and vice president.
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc is led by Patricia McHugh, Director & CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patricia McHugh
Director & CEO
Director → Director & CEO, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Celina McHugh
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theresa M McHugh
Director, Secretary & Vice President
Director & Secretary → Director, Secretary & Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Frank McHugh (2020–2022) — CEO & Director
- Former: Anna Johnson (2020) — Director
- Former: Katherine Cadiente (2020) — Director
- Former: Loree A Vincent (2020) — Director
- Former: Oscar Zaldana (2020) — Director
- Former: Richard Riordan (2020) — Director & Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc
How much does Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc give each year?
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc gave $1.9M across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.7M across 25 grants.
What is Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $19,750, and its average grant was $60,938, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc that year got $65K on average.
Where does Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc give grants?
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (8 grants), Santa Monica, CA (2 grants) and Playa Del Rey, CA (2 grants).
Does Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 38% of Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Nature Conservancy ($400,000), Focusing Philanthropy Inc ($323,000) and Friends of the Los Angeles River ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc?
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc reported $59.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.2M (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 Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included environmental conservation and education, performing arts, school garden and farm-to-school activities, housing services, and general support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's EIN?
Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0842449. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/frank-mchugh-o-donovan-foundation-inc-morg_f277370308b042cbacc47692378eb93b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200842449_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/frank-mchugh-o-donovan-foundation-inc-morg_f277370308b042cbacc47692378eb93b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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