Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Towson, MD EIN: 81-3437018

The Philip A Zaffere Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Towson, Maryland. Its 2025 grants supported organizations and projects in areas including medicine, education, childcare, youth programs, and community services.

Key facts about Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc

In short: Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc gave $1.5M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $64K), mostly in Maryland. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
81-3437018
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,545,000
Grants made (2025)
24
Average grant
$64,375
Median grant
$15,000
New grantees (estimate)
50% first-time grantees (11 of 22, 2025; small sample)
Total assets
$18,510,220
Primary geography
Maryland (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$18.5M

-1.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.5M

+16.6% YoY

Grant Count

24

+84.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$64K

-36.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

50%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 11 of 22 grantees (50%) 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 $21K; repeat grants $120K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.

  • 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+12%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 88% 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 (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for medical programs and endowments, university facilities, childcare, day camps, and after-school programs.

Grantee descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers, which received grants through Easton Day Care Center, says its mission is to provide quality, financially accessible childcare in a nurturing, diverse, safe, and enriching environment. Loyola University Maryland describes itself as a Jesuit Catholic university committed to liberal education and the development of the whole person. Sunrise Day Camps Association says it brings the joys of childhood to children with cancer and their siblings through camps and year-round programs offered free of charge. First Fruits Farm says it raises and distributes fresh produce to shelters, soup kitchens, and food banks.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $1,545,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $400,000, with a median grant of $15,000.

The largest reported grants included $400,000 to the University of Maryland School of Medicine for the Rural MD Scholars Program; $300,000 to the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center for its Digestive Disease Center; and $200,000 to the University of Maryland School of Medicine for a professorship endowment. Other grants included $100,000 each to Loyola University Maryland for the Donnelly Science Center, GBMC for a percutaneous nephrolithotomy program, Stevenson University for an amphitheater, and Easton Day Care Center for a preschool playground.

How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland, with 1% each going to recipients in New York and Iowa.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.

Cities

BaltimoreEastonAberdeenStevensonTowsonBel AirBooneEarlevilleEdgewoodFrederickFreelandHavre De GraceJoppaStaten IslandTimoniumTopekaWashington

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M11 grants2021 7 grants2022 19 grants2023 13 grants2024 24 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2023) to $1.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 24 grants totaling $1.5M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

University of MD School of Medicine: $600K across 2 grantsUniversity of MD School ofMedicine$600K · 2 grantsUniv of MD St Joseph Medical Ctr: $300KUniv of MD St Joseph MedicalCtr$300KEaston Day Care Center Inc: $110K across 2 grantsEaston Day Care Center Inc$110K · 2 grantsLoyola University Maryland: $100KLoyola University Maryland$100KGBMC: $100KGBMC$100KStevenson University: $100KStevenson University$100KSunrise Day Camps Association: $50KSunrise Day Camps Association$50KBoys & Girls Club Metro Baltimore: $35KBoys & Girls Club MetroBaltimore$35KCommunity Fnd of Harford County: $20KCommunity Fnd of HarfordCounty$20KTunnel to Towers Foundation: $20KTunnel to Towers Foundation$20K

The largest 2025 recipient was University of MD School of Medicine ($600K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.

Grant Size Distribution

74 grants across all recorded years

44<$50K3$50–100K16$100–250K8$250–500K3$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 74 (59%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
University of MD School of Medicine Baltimore, MDRural MD Scholars Program$400,000
Univ of MD St Joseph Medical Ctr Towson, MDDigestive Disease Center$300,000
University of MD School of Medicine Baltimore, MDProfessorship Endowment$200,000
Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MDDonnelly Science Center$100,000
GBMC Baltimore, MDPercutaneous Nephrolithotomy Program$100,000
Stevenson University Stevenson, MDAmphitheater$100,000
Easton Day Care Center Inc Easton, MDPreschool Playgound$100,000
Sunrise Day Camps Association Baltimore, MDHorizon on Wheels Program$50,000
Boys & Girls Club Metro Baltimore Baltimore, MDAfter School Program$35,000
Community Fnd of Harford County Bel Air, MDSupport Community Needs$20,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $18,510,220 $1,434,263 $1,744,321 $1,545,000
2024 $18,820,278 $1,037,992 $1,525,707 $1,325,000
2023 $19,307,993 $823,349 $1,481,318 $1,300,000
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$18,510,220$18,820,278$19,307,993
Revenue$1,434,263$1,037,992$823,349
Expenses$1,744,321$1,525,707$1,481,318
Qualifying Distributions$1,625,000$1,405,000$1,380,000
Net Investment Income$1,331,332$920,991$717,408
Distributable Amount$1,837,081$1,632,614$1,404,352

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Louis F. Friedman as president and treasurer, Phyllis C. Friedman as secretary, and Freddie J. Traub as vice president.

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc is led by Louis F. Friedman, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Louis F. Friedman

    President & Treasurer

    On filings since 2021

    3.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Freddie J. Traub

    Vice President

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Phyllis C. Friedman

    Secretary

    On filings since 2021

    2.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 409 Washington Avenue Suite 900, Towson, MD 21204
Phone: (410) 494-0100

Frequently asked questions about Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc

How much does Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc give each year?

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc gave $1.5M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.3M across 13 grants.

What is Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $64,375, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc that year got $21K on average.

Where does Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc give grants?

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc gives mostly in Maryland: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (9 grants), Easton, MD (3 grants) and Aberdeen, MD (2 grants).

Does Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (10 grants).

Who are Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of MD School of Medicine ($600,000 across 2 grants), Univ of MD St Joseph Medical Ctr ($300,000) and Easton Day Care Center Inc ($110,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc?

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc reported $18.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (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 Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for medical programs and endowments, university facilities, childcare, day camps, and after-school programs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc?

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 Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's EIN?

Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3437018. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does Philip a Zaffere Foundation Inc 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.

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