Pettit Family Charitable Foundation
The Pettit Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1989 and funded in 1990, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since January 1990. The foundation was created from the estate legacy of John H. Pettit, founder of Pettit & Griffin, Inc., a residential and commercial developer in Montgomery County established in 1963. The foundation continues to serve local, regional, and national organizations with a primary focus on shelter and hunger relief.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.4M
+1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$260K
-0.0% YoY
Grant Count
46
+2.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
-2.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pettit Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $243K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on helping and serving the needs of others in surrounding communities. Primary funding areas include:
- Shelter support
- Hunger relief
- Medical support
- Education support
- Disaster relief
- General support
Grantmaking
The foundation made 45 grants in 2023, with recent notable grants including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations at local, regional, and national levels, with demonstrated giving in Maryland and Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $5,377,836
- Revenue: $393,141
- Expenses: $309,593
- Net Income: $83,548
- Total Liabilities: $81
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $5,294,288
- Total Revenue: $285,009
- Total Expenses: $306,188
The foundation has zero employees and operates with volunteer leadership.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,377,917 | $5,294,288 | $5,316,142 |
| Revenue | $393,141 | $285,009 | $283,932 |
| Expenses | $309,593 | $306,188 | $302,608 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $260,140 | $260,200 | $257,100 |
| Net Investment Income | $350,089 | $243,896 | $243,291 |
| Distributable Amount | $242,670 | $241,979 | $251,665 |
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
223 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Shady Grove Adventist Foundation ($50,000), Montgomery Hospice Foundation ($15,000), Maryland Food Bank ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Middletown Volunteer Fire Dept Middletown, MD | General Support | $1,000 |
| Housing Unlimited Inc Silver Spring, MD | Shelter Support | $8,000 |
| Thereapeutic Recreation Riding Center Inc Glenwood, MD | General Support | $5,000 |
| Mount Airy Youth Athletic Assn Mt Airy, MD | General Support | $1,000 |
| Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless Rockville, MD | Shelter Support | $10,000 |
| Montgomery Housing Partnership Silver Spring, MD | Shelter Support | $2,500 |
| Darnestown Elementary School PTA Inc Gaithersburg, MD | Education Support | $1,500 |
| Housing Unlimited Inc Silver Spring, MD | Shelter Support | $5,000 |
| Days End Horse Rescue Woodbine, MD | General Support | $640 |
| Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless Rockville, MD | Shelter Support | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Richard (Dick) B. Pettit – President
- Brian W. Pettit – Vice President
- Jeanne M. Pettit – Marketing Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard B Pettit | Manager | 1 | — |
| John Stephen Pettit | Trustee | — | — |
| Carol Ann Pettit Fahrner | Trustee | — | — |
| Barbara Lynn Kelly | Manager | — | — |
| Jeanne Marie Pettit | Manager | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 18205d Flower Hill Way, Gaithersburg, MD 20879-5331
Telephone: 301-975-1020
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pettit Family Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on helping and serving the needs of others in surrounding communities. Primary funding areas include: • Shelter support • Hunger relief • Medical support • Education support • Disaster relief • General support
How do I apply for a grant from Pettit Family Charitable Foundation?
The foundation made 45 grants in 2023, with recent notable grants including: • Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove Medical Center Foundation: $50,000 (Medical Support) • Rebuilding Together Montgomery County: $10,000 (Shelter Support) • Gospel Haiti: $10,000 (Educational Support) Recent grant recipients also include the Susan B. Anthony Project, Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, Beardsley Zoo, and Central Connecticut State University's Go Baby Go program.
Where does Pettit Family Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations at local, regional, and national levels, with demonstrated giving in Maryland and Connecticut.
What size grants does Pettit Family Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, Pettit Family Charitable Foundation awarded 46 grants totaling $260K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Pettit Family Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Pettit Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $243K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Pettit Family Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Pettit Family Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1646923. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pettit Family Charitable 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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