Friel Foundation Inc
Friel Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Queenstown, Maryland. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations including a church, a volunteer fire company, a school, and organizations working in areas such as disability services, environmental protection, and emergency food relief.
Friel Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Friel Foundation Inc gave $44K across 34 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Maryland. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $43,594
- -62.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 34
- -26.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,282
- -49.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $250
- Total assets
- $1,069,589
- +21.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (10 of 34, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (80% 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 Friel 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: PO Box 10, Queenstown, MD 21658
Phone: (410) 827-8811
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Friel Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Our Mother of Sorrows Church ($26K). Together the top 10 received $39K.
Grant Size Distribution
286 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 285 grants of 286 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland and 16% to recipients in Delaware. The reported shares for Florida, the District of Columbia, and South Carolina were 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Friel Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 34 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $236; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $175 first-time, $250 repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 45% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $44K (2025) to $199K (2021). In 2025 it made 34 grants totaling $44K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Our Mother of Sorrows Church Centreville, MD | Operating Funds | $25,983 |
| Diocese of Wilmington Wilmington, DE | Operating Funds | $5,074 |
| Queenstown Vol Fire Companyems Queenstown, MD | Operating Funds | $2,500 |
| Diocese of Wilmington - Annual Catholic Appeal Wilmington, DE | Operating Funds | $1,500 |
| Chesterwye Foundation Grasonville, MD | Operating Funds | $1,000 |
| Radcliffe Creek School Chestertown, MD | Operating Funds | $1,000 |
| Eastern Shore Holstein Association Ridgely, MD | Operating Funds | $500 |
| Mary DM Reynolds Memorial Giving Fund Tequesta, FL | Operating Funds | $500 |
| Shorerivers Easton, MD | Operating Funds | $500 |
| University of Maryland Memorial Hospital Foundation Easton, MD | Operating Funds | $500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,069,589 | $243,326 | $51,145 | $43,594 | 34 | $43,594 | $39,477 | $42,456 |
| 2024 | $877,408 | $137,777 | $121,103 | $117,104 | 46 | $117,104 | $31,908 | $38,675 |
| 2023 | $860,734 | $58,883 | $68,886 | $65,347 | 51 | $65,347 | $30,303 | $36,954 |
| 2022 | $871,765 | $124,504 | $82,836 | $79,667 | 77 | $79,667 | $62,459 | $42,027 |
| 2021 | $831,422 | $201,557 | $200,206 | $198,929 | 78 | — | $43,557 | $43,019 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Friel Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $42K for 2025 — 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 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the Diocese of Wilmington describes its mission as helping people in need and poverty; Radcliffe Creek School says it provides an academic program for children with learning disabilities or other learning concerns; and ShoreRivers says it protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. Talisman Therapeutic Riding describes its work as serving and empowering people through horses and the natural environment.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 34 grants totaling $43,594. Grant amounts ranged from $25 to $25,983, with a median grant of $250. The largest grants included $25,983 to Our Mother of Sorrows Church for operating funds, $5,074 to the Diocese of Wilmington for operating funds, and $2,500 to Queenstown Volunteer Fire CompanyEMS for operating funds. Other listed recipients included Chesterwye Foundation ($1,000), Radcliffe Creek School ($1,000), Talisman Therapeutic Riding ($500), ShoreRivers ($500), World Central Kitchen ($500), and Easton Volunteer Fire Department ($200).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James R Friel III as president and treasurer, Robert U Friel as director, and Samuel JP Friel as secretary.
Friel Foundation Inc is led by James R. Friel III, President & Treasurer since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
James R. Friel III
President & Treasurer
Director → President & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert U. Friel
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samuel Jp Friel
Secretary
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: James R. Friel Jr. (2021–2024) — President & Treasurer
- Former: Dorothy M. Zeller (2021–2023) — Secretary
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.
Frequently asked questions about Friel Foundation Inc
How much does Friel Foundation Inc give each year?
Friel Foundation Inc gave $44K across 34 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $117K across 46 grants.
What is Friel Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Friel Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $250, and its average grant was $1,282, across 34 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Friel Foundation Inc that year got $236 on average.
Where does Friel Foundation Inc give grants?
Friel Foundation Inc gives mostly in Maryland: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Delaware (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Grasonville, MD (4 grants), Centreville, MD (3 grants), Wilmington, DE (3 grants) and Easton, MD (3 grants).
Does Friel Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Friel Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (34 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Friel Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Friel Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Our Mother of Sorrows Church ($25,983), Diocese of Wilmington ($5,074) and Queenstown Vol Fire Companyems ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Friel Foundation Inc?
Friel Foundation Inc reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $44K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $42K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Friel Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Friel 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 Friel Foundation Inc's EIN?
Friel Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-6045458. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Friel 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 2021–2025
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