Phillips Charitable Foundation
Phillips Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a private foundation based in Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 2016 by Eileen Gross at the request of benefactor Howard W. Phillips Jr., it supports organizations working to improve the lives of vulnerable populations by solving problems and removing obstacles to lasting solutions.
Phillips Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Phillips Charitable Foundation gave $880K across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in Maryland. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $880,150
- -40.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- -5.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $26,671
- -36.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $25,045,371
- -0.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (17 of 32, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Phillips Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Grants are by invitation, with formal application invitations sent by email and specifying a deadline. Organizations that meet its geographic and mission-driven areas may use its contact form to request consideration for the foundation’s research list; submissions are reviewed periodically, generally monthly. The foundation says this is not a grant application, submission does not guarantee funding consideration, and it may contact organizations only if it wants additional information. Prior grantees are asked to contact their foundation representative directly.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 21431, Charleston, SC 29413
Phone: (443) 996-5013
Website: https://www.phillipsgrants.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Phillips Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (Crab) ($100K). Together the top 10 received $504K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 123 grants of 150 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it awards grants to organizations serving populations in an individual recipient County, Maryland; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; New York City; and Charleston, South Carolina. It occasionally awards grants in other geographic areas. In 2024, 51% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland, 23% to New York, 13% to Pennsylvania, 9% to South Carolina, and 3% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Phillips Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 32 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $26K repeat.
- 16% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $218K (2020) to $1.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $880K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (Crab) Annapolis, MD | Sponsorship of the 2024 Group Sail Program | $100,000 |
| Nontraditional Employment for Women New York, NY | Cash Donation - Outreach and Recruitment Ad Campaign | $85,000 |
| The Light House Inc Annapolis, MD | Cash Donation - Workforce Development Programs | $75,000 |
| Healing Farms Mt Pleasant, SC | Cash Donation to Purchase 15 Passenger Van | $46,500 |
| Benedictine School Ridgely, MD | Cash Donation for the Purchase of One Mini-Van | $37,300 |
| Xavier Society for the Blind New York, NY | Cash for the provision of books and mass propers in braille | $35,000 |
| Bello Machre Inc Glen Burnie, MD | Cash Donation - Establish a Home Maintenance Fund | $35,000 |
| The Reading Team New York, NY | Cash Contribution for Programming Costs After-School Program | $30,000 |
| Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | Cash donation to assist in the purchase of a vehicle and other auto related expenses | $30,000 |
| American Veterans Center Arlington, VA | Cash Donation - 2024 Veteran Oral History Program | $30,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts are reported by filing year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,045,371 | $1,577,321 | $1,728,002 | $880,150 | 33 | $1,494,713 | $1,301,054 | $1,618,889 |
| 2023 | $25,205,482 | $1,834,862 | $2,299,094 | $1,477,777 | 35 | $2,082,178 | $1,569,444 | $1,603,834 |
| 2022 | $25,670,328 | $969,383 | $1,841,523 | $1,164,357 | 31 | $1,630,122 | $763,784 | $1,752,562 |
| 2021 | $26,703,466 | $953,580 | $1,641,925 | $992,513 | 28 | $1,592,908 | $606,331 | $1,788,181 |
| 2020 | $27,391,811 | $899,630 | $948,798 | $217,700 | 23 | — | $550,804 | $1,527,279 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Phillips Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support organizations that provide necessary change in the lives of vulnerable populations by solving problems and removing obstacles that lead to lasting solutions.
Its website lists youth and adults with disabilities, foster and homeless children, veterans and first responders, people in medical crisis, and economically disadvantaged people among the populations served by its 2025 funding. Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work: Nontraditional Employment for Women says it prepares, trains, and places women in skilled construction, utility, and maintenance careers; The Light House says it provides shelter, prevents homelessness, and helps people in an individual recipient County work toward self-sufficiency; and Bello Machre says it provides care, opportunity, and guidance for people with developmental disabilities in Maryland.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $880,150. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $20,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $100,000 to Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating for its 2024 group sail program; $85,000 to Nontraditional Employment for Women for outreach and recruitment; and $75,000 to The Light House for workforce development programs. Other grants included $46,500 to Healing Farms for a passenger van, $37,300 to Benedictine School for a minivan, and $35,000 each to Xavier Society for the Blind and Bello Machre. Additional awards included $30,000 each to The Reading Team, Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, American Veterans Center, and Snack & Friends, and $26,000 to Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eileen M. Gross as president and treasurer, Jennifer C. Good as vice president and secretary, and Alexandra D. Crowley as director. The foundation’s team page identifies Gross as founder and board chair, Good as a board member and vice president, Crowley as a board member and program director, and Patricia Napolitano as director of grants and due diligence.
Phillips Charitable Foundation is led by Eileen M. Gross, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eileen M. Gross
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$140K (2020) → $180K (2024)
Alexandra D. Crowley
Director
Trustee → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$33K (2020) → $130K (2024)
Jennifer C. Good
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$110K (2020) → $130K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $180K, to Eileen M Gross (President/Treasurer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Phillips Charitable Foundation
How much does Phillips Charitable Foundation give each year?
Phillips Charitable Foundation gave $880K across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 35 grants.
What is Phillips Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Phillips Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $26,671, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Phillips Charitable Foundation that year got $23K on average.
Where does Phillips Charitable Foundation give grants?
Phillips Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (23%) and Pennsylvania (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Annapolis, MD (6 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Pittsburgh, PA (5 grants).
Does Phillips Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on Phillips Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Cash for Charitable Programs" (3 grants).
Who are Phillips Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Phillips Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (Crab) ($100,000), Nontraditional Employment for Women ($85,000) and The Light House Inc ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Phillips Charitable Foundation?
Phillips Charitable Foundation reported $25.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (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 Phillips Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support organizations that provide necessary change in the lives of vulnerable populations by solving problems and removing obstacles that lead to lasting solutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Phillips Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Phillips Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Phillips Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2618658. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Phillips Charitable 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Phillips Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/phillips-charitable-foundation-morg_347251d824d348749249c55cf166c931
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_812618658_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Phillips Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/phillips-charitable-foundation-morg_347251d824d348749249c55cf166c931},
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 Phillips Charitable 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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