Joel Dean Foundation

BETHESDA, MD EIN: 13-6097306

The Joel Dean Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Bethesda, Maryland. Designated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, the foundation has been operating since July 1957. The foundation supports arts and culture initiatives as well as educational programs across multiple levels and geographic regions.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.1M

+1.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$462K

-1.9% YoY

Grant Count

+12.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

-12.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joel Dean Foundation reported a distributable amount of $543K 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

The foundation focuses on funding initiatives in:

Arts and Culture
Education (multiple levels)
- Elementary and secondary education
- Higher education and university education

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$32

Average Grant

$32

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across numerous states and cities throughout the United States, including:

California
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Illinois
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington

Major urban centers supported include New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

Grant Distribution by State

New York $641K (32%)

California $596K (30%)

Ohio $342K (17%)

Maryland $180K (9%)

Kentucky $51K (3%)

Pennsylvania $44K (2%)

Massachusetts $39K (2%)

Texas $22K (1%)

+11 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Illinois Kentucky Massachusetts Maryland Maine Minnesota New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Rhode Island Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington

Cities

ArlingtonAustinBaltimoreBar HarborBereaBostonCambridgeCape ElizabethCharlestownChicagoClaremontClarksvilleClevelandDallasDeerfieldDobbs FerryHamdenHastingsonhudsonHighlandsLewisburg

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Resources (2023):

Total assets: $4,058,374
Total liabilities: $0
Annual revenue: $239,722
Annual expenses: $482,023

The foundation maintains a healthy asset base with no outstanding liabilities.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,112,831	$4,058,374	$4,300,675
Revenue	$521,347	$239,722	$480,001
Expenses	$466,890	$482,023	$514,926
Qualifying Distributions	$464,445	$473,105	$506,231
Net Investment Income	$518,902	$237,617	$478,669
Distributable Amount	$542,919	$465,426	$470,079

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

243 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Berea College ($51,000), Columbia University ($31,000), Friends and Benefactors of Marymount International School of Paris ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALPERT MEDICAL SCHOOL OF BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$1,000
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$5,000
AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS PRINCETON, NJ	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$1,000
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB BOSTON, MA	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$3,000
AUSTIN PETS ALIVE AUSTIN, TX	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$2,000
BEREA COLLEGE BEREA, KY	ENDOWMENT	$51,000
BREAKTHROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS AUSTIN, TX	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$2,000
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY LEWISBURG, PA	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$1,000
CAMP JOY FOUNDATION CLARKSVILLE, OH	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$11,050
CAPE ELIZABETH LAND TRUST CAPE ELIZABETH, ME	PROGRAM SUPPORT	$2,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key personnel serving in voluntary (unpaid) roles:

Jurrien Dean — President and Treasurer
Gillian Dean — Vice President and Director
Joel Dean Jr. — Vice President and Director

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JURRIEN DEAN	PRES., TREAS.	2	—
GILLIAN DEAN	V. PRES.,DIR.	2	—
JOEL DEAN JR	V. PRES.,DIR.	2	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Joel Dean Foundation fund?

The foundation focuses on funding initiatives in: • **Arts and Culture** • **Education** (multiple levels) • Elementary and secondary education • Higher education and university education

How do I apply for a grant from Joel Dean Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total awarded in previous year: $471,000 • Average grant size: $32 • Total grants awarded (previous year): 10,784 • Open to new applicants: Yes • Percentage of new applicants funded: 12% **Financial Activity (2023):** • Revenue: $239,722 • Expenses: $482,023

Where does Joel Dean Foundation make grants?

The foundation supports projects across numerous states and cities throughout the United States, including: • California • Connecticut • District of Columbia • Illinois • Maryland • Massachusetts • Minnesota • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New York • Ohio • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • Tennessee • Texas • Virginia • Washington Major urban centers supported include New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

What size grants does Joel Dean Foundation award?

In 2024, Joel Dean Foundation awarded 72 grants totaling $462K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Joel Dean Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Joel Dean Foundation reported a distributable amount of $543K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.