Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Potomac, Maryland. In 2024, it reported 160 grants totaling $270,000 to charitable organizations; the listed grant purposes describe support for section 501(c)(3) organizations.
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc gave $270K across 160 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $270,000
- +1.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 160
- +15900.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,688
- -99.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $537,533
- +0.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (24% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 11401 South Glen Road, Potomac, MD 20854
Phone: (301) 983-8907
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was International Rescue Committee ($12K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $73K.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($11,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
677 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 676 grants of 677 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia (24%), New York (20%), Maryland (17%), Connecticut (9%), and Massachusetts (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 160 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 997% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $228K (2022) to $345K (2020). In 2024 it made 160 grants totaling $270K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Uconn Foundation - Honors Program Vergano Institute for Inclusion Niec Sur Storrs, CT | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $8,000 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $8,500 |
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $6,000 |
| International Rescue Committee New York, NY | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $6,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Inc Washington, DC | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $6,000 |
| Tyree Ame Church Berlin, MD | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $5,000 |
| Billy O Smith Scholarship Fund Berlin, MD | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $5,000 |
| Mercy Corps Portland, OR | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $5,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Washington, DC | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $5,000 |
| Capital Area Food Bank Washington, DC | Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization | $5,000 |
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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 | $537,533 | $283,555 | $282,384 | $270,000 | 160 | $270,000 | $24,671 | $27,073 |
| 2023 | $536,362 | $242,249 | $280,519 | $265,500 | 1 | $265,500 | $12,113 | $28,399 |
| 2022 | $574,632 | $492,657 | $236,754 | $228,174 | 184 | $226,949 | $208,816 | $20,043 |
| 2021 | $318,729 | $357,956 | $324,336 | $314,225 | 169 | $314,225 | $19,772 | $15,948 |
| 2020 | $285,109 | $332,853 | $353,283 | $345,275 | 163 | — | $16,883 | $15,390 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $27K 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 went to organizations whose stated missions include humanitarian crisis response, food assistance, environmental protection, military-family support, and education. For example, the International Rescue Committee says it helps people affected by conflict and disaster survive and recover; Manna Food Center says it works to end hunger through education, advocacy, and food distribution; and Environmental Defense Fund says it works to preserve natural systems. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 160 grants totaling $270,000. Awards ranged from $100 to $8,000, with a median grant of $1,000. Listed grants included $8,000 to UConn Foundation for the Honors Program Vergano Institute for Inclusion NIEC SUR; $7,000 to Alice Lloyd College for Appalachian students; $6,000 to the International Rescue Committee and $6,000 to World Central Kitchen; and $5,000 each to Mercy Corps, Environmental Defense Fund, Capital Area Food Bank, Manna Food Center, and Fisher House Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Debra P. Ekman as president and director, and Robert Ekman as vice president and director.
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc is led by Debra P. Ekman, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Debra P. Ekman
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robert Ekman
Vice President & Director
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 Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc
How much does Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc gave $270K across 160 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $266K across 1 grant.
What is Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,688, across 160 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's top state is District of Columbia, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (20%) and Maryland (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (42 grants), New York, NY (25 grants), Rockville, MD (7 grants) and Arlington, VA (5 grants).
Does Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 160 grants with a stated purpose on Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of Sec 501(C)(3) Organization" (160 grants).
Who are Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include International Rescue Committee ($12,000 across 2 grants), Doctors Without Borders ($10,000 across 2 grants) and Americares Foundation Inc ($10,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($11,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc?
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc reported $538K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $270K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose stated missions include humanitarian crisis response, food assistance, environmental protection, military-family support, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1254096. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lester Poretsky Family 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). Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lester-poretsky-family-foundation-inc-morg_93335aa2e8224f8ba6e04d094a087de6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521254096_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lester Poretsky Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lester-poretsky-family-foundation-inc-morg_93335aa2e8224f8ba6e04d094a087de6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Lester Poretsky Family 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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