The Abelard Foundation Inc
The Abelard Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington, that supports progressive social change through grants to nonprofit organizations. The foundation says it has made grants across the United States since 1958 and focuses on early-stage grassroots groups and community organizers.
Key facts about The Abelard Foundation Inc
In short: The Abelard Foundation Inc gave $476K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $43K), mostly in Massachusetts. 73% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 13-6064580
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $476,281
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- Average grant
- $43,298
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 73% first-time grantees (8 of 11, 2025)
- Total assets
- $8,140,255
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Applications mailed by March 15 are reviewed for the spring meeting; those mailed by September 15 are reviewed for the…
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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
$8.1M
+3.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$476K
+20.3% YoY
Grant Count
11
-21.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$43K
+53.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Abelard Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $566K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Abelard Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
73%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 11 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $119K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 27% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 59% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% 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 (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports local progressive social change that advances civil liberties and civil and human rights, and strengthens community involvement in decisions affecting people’s lives. For Abelard East, community organizing is central; complementary strategies may include advocacy, electoral participation, and research. The foundation looks for work that develops local leadership and connects local efforts with broader policy issues.
Eligible organizations should be associated with a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3). The foundation gives priority to projects in their early years of development and, on its website, to projects with budgets under $300,000. It primarily supports local organizations, though some state and regional efforts may be considered if they have a strong local membership base.
Grantees’ work illustrates the range of groups supported. Philly Black Worker Project says it leads campaigns to empower Black workers and improve job quality. Working Family Solidarity describes its work as building unity among low- and moderate-income families to advance racial equity and economic justice. People First Wisconsin says it provides opportunities for people with disabilities to speak up on issues including health care, voting, employment, housing, and transportation. Action Institute NC describes organizing residents of low-wealth communities, many of whom are people of color, through grassroots outreach, leadership development, and campaigns. PRISM FL says it works to expand LGBTQ+-inclusive education and sexual-health resources for youth in South Florida.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $476,281. The median grant was $15,000; the largest was $326,281. The foundation’s website says it makes approximately 15 grants annually, generally including five new grants, and that most are for general support. Its About page lists an average grant of $10,000; its East grant-program description lists an average of approximately $12,000.
Average Grant
of $10,000; its East grant-program description lists an average of approximately $12,000.
Review Cycle
Applications mailed by March 15 are reviewed for the spring meeting; those mailed by September 15 are reviewed for the fall meeting.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Abelard Foundation Inc
Ready to take the next step with The Abelard Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation divides grantmaking by the Mississippi River. Abelard East considers applicants located east of the Mississippi; groups west of the river may be eligible for Abelard West. The foundation primarily supports local organizations. In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states, with the largest reported shares going to Massachusetts (69%), Florida (6%), Illinois (6%), New York (3%), and Pennsylvania (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $144K (2023) to $476K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $476K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund ($326K). Together the top 10 received $461K.
Grant Size Distribution
102 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 100 grants of 102 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund Boston, MA | General Charitable Purposes | $326,281 |
| Adelante Student Voices Poughkeepsie, NY | Support | $15,000 |
| Decarcerate Miami - for Beyond the Bars Miami, FL | Support | $15,000 |
| Philly Black Worker Project Philadelphia, PA | Support | $15,000 |
| Action Institute NC Charlotte, NC | Support | $15,000 |
| Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment Chicago, IL | Support | $15,000 |
| Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center Cincinnati, OH | Support | $15,000 |
| Nashville Organized for Action & Hope Nashville, TN | Support | $15,000 |
| People First Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI | Support | $15,000 |
| Prism FL Pompano Beach, FL | Support | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,140,255 | $919,043 | $633,603 | $476,281 | 11 |
| 2024 | $7,854,815 | $634,465 | $519,673 | $396,000 | 14 |
| 2023 | $7,740,023 | $752,302 | $280,096 | $144,000 | 11 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,140,255 | $7,854,815 | $7,740,023 |
| Revenue | $919,043 | $634,465 | $752,302 |
| Expenses | $633,603 | $519,673 | $280,096 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $529,071 | $433,416 | $188,793 |
| Net Investment Income | $824,638 | $559,188 | $660,999 |
| Distributable Amount | $566,433 | $544,534 | $491,729 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Pat Flowers, Rachael Blessing, Sara Blessing, Kristen Wells, Heather Buck, Haleryn Dunlap, Adam Dunlap, George Wells, and Shea Breaux Wells as board members. Travis Buck is listed as treasurer.
The Abelard Foundation Inc is led by Ashley Crawford, Co-President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 45 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ashley Crawford
Co-President
Board Member → Co-President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Hamlin Schreck
Vice President & Co-President
Vice President & President → Vice President & Co-President, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adele Bernhard
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Buddy Bernhard
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anna Bernhard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Audrey Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Collins
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cecil Crawford
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Celeste Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Claire Stapleton
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald Collins
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Garrett Collins
Board Member
Immediate Past President → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George Wells
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Buck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Bernhard
Secretary & Ass't Treasurer
Assistant Secretary → Secretary & Ass't Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julia Bernhard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Wells
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lena Neufeld
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mason Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Bernhard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Bernhard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Doll
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pat Flowers
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Hewitt
Board Member
Secretary & Ass't Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Carty
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Neufeld
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Workman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rachael Blessing
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Renteria Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sara Blessing
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shane Neufeld
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shea Breaux Wells
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheryl Bernhard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Bernhard
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Collins
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teresa Juarez Schreck
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Ag Schreck
Vice President & Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Travis Buck
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Dunlap
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Haleryn Dunlap
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cj Crawford
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dave Gutman
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alice Hough
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Frances Magee (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Melissa Blessing (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Susan M. Wells (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Albert Schreck (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Haleryn Buck (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Susan Collins
Mailing address: 16 Grasshopper Lane, Lincoln, MA 01773
Phone: (781) 259-8470
Website: https://abelardfoundation.com
Frequently asked questions about The Abelard Foundation Inc
How much does The Abelard Foundation Inc give each year?
The Abelard Foundation Inc gave $476K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $396K across 14 grants.
What is The Abelard Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Abelard Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $43,298, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Abelard Foundation Inc that year got $15K on average.
Where does The Abelard Foundation Inc give grants?
The Abelard Foundation Inc gives mostly in Massachusetts: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (6%) and Illinois (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does The Abelard Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 9% of The Abelard Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Support" (10 grants).
Who are The Abelard Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Abelard Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund ($326,281), Adelante Student Voices ($15,000) and Decarcerate Miami - for Beyond the Bars ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Abelard Foundation Inc?
The Abelard Foundation Inc reported $8.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $529K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $566K (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 The Abelard Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation supports local progressive social change that advances civil liberties and civil and human rights, and strengthens community involvement in decisions affecting people’s lives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Abelard Foundation Inc?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Abelard Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Abelard Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6064580. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Abelard Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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