Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable
The Peggy and Yale Gordon Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Towson, Maryland. Established in 1980 as a gift from Yale Gordon to his wife Peggy Friedmann Gordon on their 20th anniversary, the trust operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the arts and cultural life of the Baltimore region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.2M
+1.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$307K
-5.1% YoY
Grant Count
23
+9.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
-13.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable reported a distributable amount of $410K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The primary purpose of the trust is to foster and promote the advancement and performance of classical music in the Metropolitan Baltimore area. The trust has supported world-class musical performances rendered by musicians of local, national, and international renown for more than 35 years.
The trust's funding priorities include:
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Grantmaking
The trust also sponsors guest artist residencies in classical music, including recent programming at Towson University.
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $50,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust focuses its grantmaking in the Metropolitan Baltimore area and the state of Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $3,192,158
- Total Annual Giving: $306,500 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,192,158 | $3,151,136 | $3,291,402 |
| Revenue | $432,956 | $267,390 | $405,505 |
| Expenses | $391,934 | $407,656 | $427,854 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $343,109 | $359,590 | $370,090 |
| Net Investment Income | $385,331 | $224,324 | $355,930 |
| Distributable Amount | $409,783 | $343,169 | $340,422 |
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
94 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jcc of Greater Baltimore ($32,500), Baltimore Hebrew Congregation ($30,000), Baltimore Symphony Orchestra ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BACH CONCERT SERIES BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT | $6,000 |
| BACH CONCERT SERIES BALTIMORE, MD | MUSIC PROGRAM | $6,000 |
| BALTIMORE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TOWSON, MD | GENERAL PURPOSES | $1,000 |
| BALTIMORE CHORAL ARTS SOCIETY BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,500 |
| BALTIMORE HEBREW CONGREGATION BALTIMORE, MD | MUSIC PROGRAM | $30,000 |
| B'NAI ISRAEL CONGREGATION BALTIMORE, MD | MUSIC PROGRAM | $3,500 |
| BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FOR YOUNG ARTIST FUND | $30,000 |
| BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BALTIMORE, MD | ORCHKIDS PROGRAM | $15,000 |
| CHILDREN'S CHORUS OF MARYLAND TOWSON, MD | GENERAL PURPOSES | $2,500 |
| COMMUNITY CONCERTS AT SECOND BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSES | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHYLLIS C FRIEDMAN | EXEC DIR/TTE | 5 | — |
| LOUIS F FRIEDMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CHARLES J BISHOW | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW N DAVIS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARA R FULD | TRUSTEE | 0.25 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The trust continues to support classical music programming in the region. Recent activity includes sponsoring the Peggy and Yale Gordon Trust Guest Artist in Classical Music Residency, which brought the Arcis Saxophone Quartet to Towson University in March 2026 for performances and educational residency activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable fund?
The primary purpose of the trust is to foster and promote the advancement and performance of classical music in the Metropolitan Baltimore area. The trust has supported world-class musical performances rendered by musicians of local, national, and international renown for more than 35 years. The trust's funding priorities include: • Arts, Culture & Humanities • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $50,000. **Recent Activity:** The trust made grants totaling $306,500 in its most recent fiscal year (2024). **Beneficiaries:** Regular recipients of trust support have included: • Peabody Institute • Baltimore Symphony Orchestra • Shriver Hall Concert Series at The Johns Hopkins University • Gordon Performing Arts Center at the JCC • Concert Artists of Baltimore • Bach Concert Series • Peggy Friedmann Gordon Music Competition at Towson Unive…
Where does Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable make grants?
The trust focuses its grantmaking in the Metropolitan Baltimore area and the state of Maryland.
What size grants does Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable award?
In 2024, Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable awarded 23 grants totaling $307K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable reported a distributable amount of $410K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable's EIN?
Peggy & Yale Gordon Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1174287. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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