McKnight Family Foundation
McKnight Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 grants supported organizations and activities including pancreatic cancer research, allergy and immunology, baseball, and charitable programs.
McKnight Family Foundation at a glance
In short: McKnight Family Foundation gave $121K across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $121,000
- -0.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- -20.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,559
- +25.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $2,220,860
- +15.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Maryland (59% 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 McKnight Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who McKnight Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Johns Hopkins University ($70K). Together the top 10 received $98K.
Grant Size Distribution
161 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 160 grants of 161 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Maryland accounted for 59% of grant dollars, followed by Nevada (13%), Wisconsin (9%), New York (5%), and Virginia (2%). The listed recipients also included organizations in Florida, Washington, D.C., Tennessee, and Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How McKnight Family Foundation gives
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 21% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 81% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $26K (2020) to $132K (2022). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $121K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Pancreatic Cancer Research led by Dr. Daniel Laher AND Dr. Ana De Jesus-Acosta | $70,000 |
| American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology FD Milwaukee, WI | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Las Vegas Scout Baseball Foundation Las Vegas, NV | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| College of Southern Nevada Foundation Inc Las Vegas, NV | For the CSN Baseball Team led by Coach Garritano | $3,000 |
| Little League Baseball Inc Henderson, NV | General & Unrestricted | $2,000 |
| Bridging Voice Inc Brooklyn, NY | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Central Florida Dirt Dogs Inc Winter SPGS, FL | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Olivia Constants Foundation Inc Annapolis, MD | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| Smile Train Inc Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Inc Memphis, TN | General & Unrestricted | $1,500 |
Ready to take the next step with McKnight Family 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 | $2,220,860 | $460,717 | $157,601 | $121,000 | 34 | $138,573 | $455,646 | $171,782 |
| 2023 | $1,916,244 | $35,141 | $153,927 | $122,100 | 43 | $138,007 | $52,031 | $139,106 |
| 2022 | $2,035,030 | $73,228 | $165,651 | $132,230 | 52 | $148,507 | $57,880 | $136,014 |
| 2021 | $2,127,453 | $134,353 | $133,346 | $99,648 | 30 | $115,871 | $117,808 | $149,507 |
| 2020 | $2,126,446 | $58,784 | $55,405 | $25,500 | 2 | — | $44,164 | $116,759 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, McKnight Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $172K 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 formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for research, health-related organizations, youth baseball, and general charitable purposes. The grantees describe their work in their own terms: Johns Hopkins University says its mission includes fostering independent research and bringing the benefits of discovery to the world; Henderson Little League says it promotes baseball while emphasizing character, courage, fun, and loyalty; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says it advances cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
Other 2024 recipients included organizations whose stated missions involve supporting people with ALS, providing cleft care, and advancing education and research at the University of South Florida.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $121,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $70,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest was $70,000 to Johns Hopkins University for pancreatic cancer research led by Dr. Daniel Laher and Dr. Ana De Jesus-Acosta. Other notable grants included $10,000 to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology Foundation for general and unrestricted support; $5,000 to Las Vegas Scout Baseball Foundation for general and unrestricted support; and $3,000 to College of Southern Nevada Foundation for its baseball team.
Additional listed grants included $2,000 to Little League Baseball for general and unrestricted support, and $1,500 each to Bridging Voice, Smile Train, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Team Gleason Foundation, and the University of South Florida Foundation. The University of South Florida grant was for its Allergy and Immunology Alumni Association.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sean McKnight as director and president, and Patrick McKnight as director, secretary, and treasurer.
McKnight Family Foundation is led by Sean McKnight, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sean McKnight
Director & President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick McKnight
Director, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
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 McKnight Family Foundation
How much does McKnight Family Foundation give each year?
McKnight Family Foundation gave $121K across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $122K across 43 grants.
What is McKnight Family Foundation's typical grant size?
McKnight Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,559, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does McKnight Family Foundation give grants?
McKnight Family Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Nevada (13%) and Wisconsin (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Las Vegas, NV (6 grants), Fairfax, VA (3 grants), Milwaukee, WI (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does McKnight Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 88% of McKnight Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 34) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are McKnight Family Foundation's largest grantees?
McKnight Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Johns Hopkins University ($70,000), American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology FD ($10,000) and Las Vegas Scout Baseball Foundation ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is McKnight Family Foundation?
McKnight Family Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $139K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $172K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does McKnight Family Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for research, health-related organizations, youth baseball, and general charitable purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from McKnight Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 McKnight Family Foundation's EIN?
McKnight Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-1936391. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does McKnight Family 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 McKnight Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). McKnight Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mcknight-family-foundation-morg_6d9a17ae459f4e3da149c3fe4f60caeb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_831936391_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{McKnight Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mcknight-family-foundation-morg_6d9a17ae459f4e3da149c3fe4f60caeb},
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 McKnight Family 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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