McNamara Foundation 3
McNamara Foundation 3 is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. Its 2025 IRS filing states that it supports organizations in a variety of areas, including environmental and educational initiatives.
McNamara Foundation 3 at a glance
In short: McNamara Foundation 3 gave $123K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state District of Columbia. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $122,759
- +22.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,337
- +11.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $1,429,773
- -0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (6 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to McNamara Foundation 3
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation contributes only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1558 34Th Street Nw, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 337-7298
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who McNamara Foundation 3 funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Voces Unidas ($20K). Together the top 10 received $78K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($16,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 110 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in DC (33%), Colorado (31%), Massachusetts (14%), California (11%), and Virginia (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is McNamara Foundation 3 open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 22 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 62% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $65K (2023) to $135K (2021). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $123K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Voces Unidas Glenwood Springs, CO | General Support | $20,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $16,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Activities | $11,259 |
| Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center West Tisbury, MA | General Support | $8,000 |
| Women's Earth Alliance Berkeley, CA | Women Empowerment/Climate Change Support | $8,000 |
| Seed Peace Draper, VA | General Support | $6,000 |
| Center for Land Based Learning Winters, CA | General Activities | $5,000 |
| Wilderness Workshop Carbondale, CO | General Activities | $5,000 |
| KDNK Community Radio Carbondale, CO | General Support | $5,000 |
| Martha's Vinyard Community Foundation West Tisbury, MA | General Support | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,429,773 | $127,661 | $138,927 | $122,759 | 23 | $122,759 | $114,573 | $107,507 |
| 2024 | $1,441,039 | $251,692 | $121,987 | $100,521 | 21 | $100,521 | $230,226 | $95,466 |
| 2023 | $1,311,334 | $244,321 | $72,275 | $65,000 | 19 | $65,000 | $237,046 | $75,630 |
| 2022 | $1,139,288 | $-103,559 | $103,145 | $76,001 | 21 | $76,001 | — | $69,910 |
| 2021 | $1,345,992 | $202,080 | $177,357 | $135,000 | 26 | $135,000 | $159,723 | $109,617 |
| 2020 | $1,321,269 | $246,757 | $111,116 | $76,500 | 23 | — | $212,141 | $100,556 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, McNamara Foundation 3 reported a distributable amount of $108K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes support for environmental and educational initiatives. Its 2025 grants also went to organizations working in areas including food access, humanitarian response, youth development, and community support. For example, World Central Kitchen describes its work as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises; Wilderness Workshop says it works to protect western Colorado’s public lands; and Capital Area Food Bank describes its mission as expanding equitable access to food and opportunity.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $122,759 through 23 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median of $4,500. Among its largest grants were $20,000 to VOCES UNIDAS for general support, $16,000 to an individual recipient for general activities and international scholarships, and $11,259 to World Central Kitchen for general activities. Other grants included $8,000 to Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center for general support and $8,000 to Women’s Earth Alliance for women’s empowerment and climate change support.
Among other 2025 grantees, Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center describes its work as providing a nurturing environment where horses and humans work together to transform lives. Island Grown Initiative says it works to build a regenerative and equitable food system on Martha’s Vineyard, and Rios to Rivers says it supports underserved and Indigenous youth as environmental stewards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kathleen McNamara as president, Morgan Hodgson as secretary/treasurer, and Natalie Spears as director.
McNamara Foundation 3 is led by Kathleen McNamara, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kathleen McNamara
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natalie Spears
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Morgan Hodgson
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 McNamara Foundation 3
How much does McNamara Foundation 3 give each year?
McNamara Foundation 3 gave $123K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $101K across 21 grants.
What is McNamara Foundation 3's typical grant size?
McNamara Foundation 3's median grant in 2025 was $4,500, and its average grant was $5,337, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from McNamara Foundation 3 that year got $4K on average.
Where does McNamara Foundation 3 give grants?
McNamara Foundation 3's top state is District of Columbia, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (31%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants), Glenwood Springs, CO (2 grants), West Tisbury, MA (2 grants) and Carbondale, CO (2 grants).
Does McNamara Foundation 3 give general operating support?
Yes: 78% of McNamara Foundation 3's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are McNamara Foundation 3's largest grantees?
McNamara Foundation 3's largest 2025 grantees include Voces Unidas ($20,000), World Central Kitchen ($11,259) and Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center ($8,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($16,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is McNamara Foundation 3?
McNamara Foundation 3 reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $123K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $108K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does McNamara Foundation 3 fund?
The foundation’s filing describes support for environmental and educational initiatives. Its 2025 grants also went to organizations working in areas including food access, humanitarian response, youth development, and community support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from McNamara Foundation 3?
The foundation contributes 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 McNamara Foundation 3's EIN?
McNamara Foundation 3's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3949004. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does McNamara Foundation 3 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). McNamara Foundation 3 funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mcnamara-foundation-3-morg_4805022cf1de43f78df4fcb009598c41
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_273949004_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{McNamara Foundation 3 funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mcnamara-foundation-3-morg_4805022cf1de43f78df4fcb009598c41},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 McNamara Foundation 3'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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