James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation
JAMES J AND SHARON R ABEL FOUNDATIO is a private foundation based in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including recipients in Ohio and other states.
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation at a glance
In short: James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation gave $95K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Ohio. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $94,950
- +7.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +14.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,956
- -6.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,250
- Total assets
- $1,276,336
- -1.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (2 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (50% 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 James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. The filing lists Andrew L. Henton, CPA, as the contact for how to apply.
- Contact
Application contact: Andrew L Henton Cpa
Mailing address: 2012 West 25Th Street, Suite 509, Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone: (216) 589-0068
Email: ahenton@hentoncpas.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Purdue Foundation ($28K). Together the top 10 received $78K.
Grant Size Distribution
116 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 116 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 50% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 29% to Indiana, and 5% each to Arizona, Tennessee, and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 24 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 79% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 129% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $89K (2023) to $110K (2022). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $95K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Purdue Foundation West Lafayette, IN | General Fund | $28,000 |
| Catholic Community Foundation Cleveland, OH | General Fund | $8,400 |
| Gesu Church University Heights, OH | General Fund | $8,000 |
| Greater Cleveland Food Bank Cleveland, OH | General Fund | $7,000 |
| Carmel of the Holy Family Cleveland HTS, OH | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Diocese of Cleveland Cleveland, OH | General Fund | $5,000 |
| Diocese of Phoenix CDA Phoenix, AZ | General Fund | $4,500 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospita Memphis, TN | General Fund | $4,500 |
| Legatus Rockford, MI | General Fund | $4,300 |
| St Ignatius High School Cleveland, OH | General Fund | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation?
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 | $1,276,336 | $94,803 | $110,199 | $94,950 | 24 | $94,950 | $77,207 | $73,584 |
| 2023 | $1,291,732 | $61,590 | $102,583 | $88,700 | 21 | $88,700 | $47,707 | $64,767 |
| 2022 | $1,332,725 | $69,539 | $127,710 | $110,000 | 21 | $110,000 | $54,329 | $66,660 |
| 2021 | $1,664,188 | $196,817 | $126,327 | $107,100 | 27 | $107,100 | $180,659 | $74,184 |
| 2020 | $1,504,316 | $49,827 | $106,935 | $92,300 | 23 | — | $35,192 | $65,142 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $74K 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 include support for religious, educational, hunger-relief, health, and other charitable organizations. The Catholic Community Foundation describes its mission as fostering faith-based stewardship for spiritual, educational, and charitable benefit. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank says it provides nutritious food and essential resources so neighbors facing hunger can thrive. Legatus says it helps business and organizational leaders study, live, and spread the Catholic faith. The American Diabetes Association describes its mission as preventing and curing diabetes and improving the lives of people affected by diabetes.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 24 grants totaling $94,950. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $28,000, with a median grant of $2,250. Its largest listed grants included $28,000 to Purdue Foundation, $8,400 to Catholic Community Foundation, $8,000 to Gesu Church, and $7,000 to Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Other listed grants included $5,000 each to Carmel of the Holy Family and the Diocese of Cleveland, and $4,500 each to Diocese of Phoenix CDA and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists James J. Abel as president and treasurer, Sharon R. Abel as vice president, and Catherine E. Abel as secretary.
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation is led by James J. Abel, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James J. Abel
President
President & Treasurer → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Catherine E. Abel
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sharon R. Abel
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation
How much does James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation give each year?
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation gave $95K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $89K across 21 grants.
What is James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's typical grant size?
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,250, and its average grant was $3,956, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation that year got $500 on average.
Where does James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation give grants?
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Indiana (29%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (9 grants).
Does James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's largest grantees?
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Purdue Foundation ($28,000), Catholic Community Foundation ($8,400) and Gesu Church ($8,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 47% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation?
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $95K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $74K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for religious, educational, hunger-relief, health, and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's EIN?
James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1248696. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation 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
Live grants for the work James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-j-and-sharon-r-abel-foundation-morg_87691bbf75bc4b8eb0f12e7ab498ee62
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261248696_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-j-and-sharon-r-abel-foundation-morg_87691bbf75bc4b8eb0f12e7ab498ee62},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 James J and Sharon R Abel Foundation'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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