Herbert Bearman Foundation

BROOKLANDVILLE, MD EIN: 31-1602562 Website

The Herbert Bearman Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1998 and based in Brooklandville, Maryland. The foundation was created by Herbert Bearman, a Baltimore native and successful investor, to provide a resource for continued charitable giving following his death in 2002.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$33.6M

+4.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.9M

-0.3% YoY

Grant Count

-15.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$26K

+18.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Herbert Bearman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Primary funding areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation made 41 grants totaling $1,851,875 in 2024. Recent grantees include:

Grant Range

approximately $94–$18,500

Average Grant

approximately $94–$18,500

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The Herbert Bearman Foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in:

Baltimore, Maryland
Palm Beach County, Florida
Israel

Other geographic areas may be considered under exceptional circumstances. The foundation also supports organizations in major U.S. cities including New York, Los Angeles, and other locations across multiple states.

Grant Distribution by State

Maryland $3.0M (59%)

Florida $998K (19%)

New York $346K (7%)

Illinois $183K (4%)

Pennsylvania $156K (3%)

New Jersey $130K (3%)

District of Columbia $116K (2%)

California $61K (1%)

+9 more states

States

Alabama California Colorado District of Columbia Delaware Florida Illinois Maryland North Carolina New Jersey New York Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island Texas Wisconsin

Cities

AuroraBaltimoreBergenfieldBethesdaBeverly HillsBltimoreBoca RatonBoynton BeachBrooklandvilleCatonsvilleCharlotteCheltenhamChevy ChaseChicagoColumbianaColumnianaCrownsvilleDallasDeerfield BeachDenville

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $33,558,416
Total Giving: $1,851,875
Total Revenues: $3,046,327
Total Expenses: $2,455,785
Number of Employees: 0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$33,558,416	$32,169,305	$33,735,485
Revenue	$3,046,327	$896,810	$614,358
Expenses	$2,455,785	$2,486,774	$2,319,247
Qualifying Distributions	$2,128,917	$2,177,798	$1,993,609
Net Investment Income	$2,643,030	$931,305	$863,864
Distributable Amount	$2,217,438	$2,071,981	$2,058,431

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

250 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Herbert Bearman Foundation

Foundation

Herbert Bearman Foundation Grant

HERBERT BEARMAN FOUNDATION

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Federation of Palm Beach Cou ($145,439), Chizuk Amuno Congregation ($100,000), Living Classrooms Foundation ($75,500).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LEKET ISRAEL TEANECK, NJ	HUNGER RELIEF	$8,100
ATEF COLUMNIANA, AL	GENERAL	$25,000
ART WITH A HEART BALTIMORE, MD	GENERAL	$15,000
BALTIMORE HEBREW CONGREGATION BALTIMORE, MD	SYNAGOGUE	$20,000
BALTIMORE HUNGER PROJECT TIMONIUM, MD	GENERAL	$25,000
BALTIMORE ANIMAL RESCUE AND CARE SH BALTIMORE, MD	GENERAL	$25,000
BETH EL CONGREGATION PIKESVILLE, MD	GENERAL PURPOSE	$6,200
BALTIMORE SYPHONY ORCHESTRA ORCHKID BALTIMORE, MD	GENERAL PURPOSE	$25,000
BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE BALTIMORE BALTIMORE, MD	GENERAL PURPOSE	$5,000
BRIDGES BALTIMORE BALTIMORE, MD	GENERAL PURPOSE	$60,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Sheldon Bearman, MD — President & Treasurer Dr. Bearman is trained in radiology at Johns Hopkins University and a Fellow of the American College of Radiology. He has served as President of the Medical Staff of Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore County and Chairman of the Department of Radiology of Northwest Hospital Center. He serves on the boards of the Jewish Museum of Maryland and Hands Across the Americas.

Arlene Bearman — Vice President & Secretary

Mark Bearman — Chief Operating Officer Compensation: $157,412 (2024) Contact: 410-215-8027 | mbearman@comcast.net

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
SHELDON BEARMAN	President	20	—
ARLENE BEARMAN	Vice Pres.	15	—
MARK BEARMAN	COO	40	$161,504

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has provided grants to support various community initiatives, including:

The Herbert Bearman Foundation Supports MSH Baltimore City Housing Initiative

Fitness program upgrades at Kennedy Krieger Institute ($14,641)

Herbert Bearman Foundation Provides $14,641 for Fitness Program Upgrades

Main Street Housing's Baltimore City Housing Initiative

The Herbert Bearman Foundation Supports MSH Baltimore City Housing Initiative

Support for organizations focused on health, education, and community development

Contact Information

The Herbert Bearman Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 1428 Brooklandville, MD 21022

Phone: 410-215-8027 Email: mbearman@comcast.net Website: www.herbertbearmanfoundation.org

EIN: 31-1602562

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Herbert Bearman Foundation fund?

The Herbert Bearman Foundation funds projects that can make a difference to the well-being of individuals, either by enriching the lives of people in disadvantaged circumstances or benefiting the general community. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Herbert Bearman Foundation?

**Grant Amounts:** • Typical awards range from $19 to $255,120 • Average grant size: approximately $94–$18,500 • Median grant size: $10,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 41 grants totaling $1,851,875 in 2024. Recent grantees include: • The Johns Hopkins Hospital ($100,000 for Histosonics Edison Device and Neurology Feldman Lab) • Chizuk Amuno Congregation ($100,000 for General Purpose) • Bridges Baltimore ($60,000 for General Purpose) The foundation is open to new applicants.

Where does Herbert Bearman Foundation make grants?

The Herbert Bearman Foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in: • Baltimore, Maryland • Palm Beach County, Florida • Israel Other geographic areas may be considered under exceptional circumstances. The foundation also supports organizations in major U.S. cities including New York, Los Angeles, and other locations across multiple states.

What size grants does Herbert Bearman Foundation award?

In 2024, Herbert Bearman Foundation awarded 70 grants totaling $1.9M — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Herbert Bearman Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Herbert Bearman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.