Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation
The Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation is a private charitable foundation located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The foundation distributes grants to support various charitable causes and community organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.1M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$145K
+47.3% YoY
Grant Count
27
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+47.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation reported a distributable amount of $140K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation has demonstrated grantmaking activity across multiple focus areas. Recent giving data indicates:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates in Gaithersburg, Maryland and surrounding areas in Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Based on available data, the foundation has demonstrated consistent grantmaking capacity with annual distributions in the range of $98,200 to $144,600.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,149,189 | $2,137,127 | $2,234,858 |
| Revenue | $198,320 | $44,428 | $151,169 |
| Expenses | $186,258 | $142,159 | $183,552 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $150,363 | $104,712 | $140,776 |
| Net Investment Income | $162,425 | $64,941 | $112,132 |
| Distributable Amount | $140,349 | $131,926 | $132,654 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
156 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Matan ($15,400), Hope Connection for Cancer Support ($10,700), American Friends of Magen David Adom ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION BALTIMORE, MD | TO SUPPORT DIABETES RESEARCH | $2,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TX | FIGHT HEART DISEASE | $2,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE WASHINGTON, DC | TO COMBAT DEFAMATION AND HATE-CRIMES RELATED TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY | $10,000 |
| AQUILINO CANCER CENTER ROCKVILLE, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $6,000 |
| B'NAI B'RITH WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY | $3,000 |
| BNAI ISRAEL ROCKVILLE, MD | PROMOTE RELIGION | $1,500 |
| CARINGMATTERS GAITHERSBURG, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,500 |
| CHARLES E SMITH JEWISH DAY SCHOOL ROCKVILLE, MD | TO SUPPORT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND YOUTH EDUCATION | $7,000 |
| COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES GAITHERSBURG, MD | SUPPORT THE AUTISTIC COMMUNITY | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEVEN FANAROFF | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SONIA POLSKY | OFFICER | 2 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation?
The foundation has demonstrated grantmaking activity across multiple focus areas. Recent giving data indicates: • **Total giving**: $98,200 to $144,600 (varying by reporting period) • **Grant focus areas**: The foundation supports Special Education, Ethnic & Immigrant Centers, and Youth Development initiatives • **Grant activity**: The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with multiple grants distributed annually
Where does Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates in Gaithersburg, Maryland and surrounding areas in Maryland.
What size grants does Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation award?
In 2025, Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $145K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation reported a distributable amount of $140K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation's EIN?
Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1276724. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Louis & Helen Fanaroff Char Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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