Pollyanna Foundation
The Pollyanna Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware, established in 1992. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with no employees and focuses on grantmaking to support various charitable causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7M
+3.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$210K
+7.7% YoY
Grant Count
15
+1400.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
-92.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pollyanna Foundation reported a distributable amount of $198K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds general purposes, track programs, the National Ramah Commission, and matching campaigns. Its grantmaking focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 20 grants in 2024. Recent grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking extends to Delaware, Oregon, and the District of Columbia, with a notable concentration of grants to Delaware-based organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2024:
- Total Assets: $2,719,902
- Total Revenues: $433,405
- Total Expenses: $215,663
- Total Grants and Contributions: $216,051
- Investment Income and Dividends: $187,144
- Total Giving: $210,000
The foundation experienced a 34.9% increase in grants and contributions compared to the prior year and a 9.3% increase in investment income.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,719,902 | $2,624,493 | $2,326,623 |
| Revenue | $433,405 | $551,286 | $333,631 |
| Expenses | $215,663 | $201,826 | $194,485 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $210,000 | $195,000 | $190,440 |
| Net Investment Income | $211,691 | $384,348 | $139,351 |
| Distributable Amount | $198,228 | $174,997 | $198,606 |
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
67 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Community Center - Delaware ($65,000), Congregation Beth Shalom ($35,000), Hillel of University of Delaware ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $35,000 |
| HILLEL OF UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EUGENE, OR | GENERAL PURPOSES | $2,500 |
| HILLEL OF UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE NEWARK, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $30,000 |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER - DELAWARE WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $65,000 |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES DELAWARE WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $26,000 |
| JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $2,500 |
| KUTZ HOME AUXILIARY WILMINGTON, DE | MATCHING CAMPAIGN | $5,000 |
| THE LAWFARE PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL PURPOSES | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORMAN AERENSON | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| PHYLLIS AERENSON | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pollyanna Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds general purposes, track programs, the National Ramah Commission, and matching campaigns. Its grantmaking focuses on Education, Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, and Human Services.
How do I apply for a grant from Pollyanna Foundation?
The foundation made 20 grants in 2024. Recent grants include: • The Bernard and Ruth Siegel Jewish Community Center of Delaware: $65,000 (General Purposes) • Congregation Beth Shalom: $35,000 (General Purposes) • Jewish Family Services of Delaware: $26,000 (General Purposes) Typical grant awards range from $2,000 to $195,000.
Where does Pollyanna Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking extends to Delaware, Oregon, and the District of Columbia, with a notable concentration of grants to Delaware-based organizations.
What size grants does Pollyanna Foundation award?
In 2024, Pollyanna Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $210K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Pollyanna Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Pollyanna Foundation reported a distributable amount of $198K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Pollyanna Foundation's EIN?
Pollyanna Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0343343. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pollyanna 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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