The Adler Foundation Inc
The Adler Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Fairfax, Virginia, established in 2004 by Len Adler. It supports vocational education, community-serving organizations, and the Northern Virginia region.
The Adler Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Adler Foundation Inc gave $396K across 58 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $395,565
- +15.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 58
- +163.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,820
- -56.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,720,680
- +1.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Virginia (46% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Adler Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 11350 Random Hills Rd Ste 720, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 591-0345
Website: https://theadlerfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Adler Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cornerstone Craftsman ($60K). Together the top 10 received $229K.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 115 grants of 122 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies the Northern Virginia region as a focus, describing it as the Adler family’s longtime home. In 2025, Virginia recipients accounted for 46% of grant dollars, followed by Maryland (11%), Connecticut (10%), Colorado (10%), and New York (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Adler Foundation Inc gives
- 26% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2023) to $396K (2025). In 2025 it made 58 grants totaling $396K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Craftsman Alexandria, VA | General Support | $60,000 |
| Ace Scholarship and Training Denver, CO | Educational Support | $38,500 |
| Coast Guard Foundation Stonington, CT | General Support | $35,000 |
| Shepherd's Center of Northern Virginia Vienna, VA | General Support | $25,400 |
| Capital Caring Falls Church, VA | Elderly Care | $25,000 |
| Foundation for Applied Technical Education Fairfax, VA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Glady Volunteer Fire Dept Gladys, VA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Plainfield Christian Science Church Plainfield, NJ | General Support | $10,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | General Support | $10,000 |
| 4PAWS Rescue Team Merrifield, VA | General Support | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,720,680 | $487,217 | $399,515 | $395,565 | 58 | $398,039 | $485,741 | $419,715 |
| 2024 | $4,632,978 | $256,664 | $350,041 | $341,198 | 22 | $346,107 | $252,730 | $409,129 |
| 2023 | $4,726,355 | $62,075 | $133,075 | $129,550 | 16 | $131,785 | $199,009 | $379,507 |
| 2022 | $4,797,355 | $641,863 | $319,246 | $317,221 | 18 | $318,246 | $157,067 | $368,973 |
| 2021 | $4,474,738 | $255,511 | $187,936 | $184,600 | 8 | — | $254,511 | $273,575 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Adler Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $420K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support vocational education, community-serving organizations, and the Northern Virginia region. Its vocational education interests include programs and individuals working to expand opportunities through trades education, including training in plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC. It also describes support for community organizations involved in areas such as hospice care, services for older adults, and support for active military and veteran families.
Its 2025 grants illustrate a range of recipients. Cornerstone Craftsman, which received $60,000, describes its mission as providing youth with instruction, tools, and mentoring to help them earn a livable wage and build careers in the skilled trades. The Coast Guard Foundation, which received $35,000, says it supports Coast Guard members through education, morale, wellness, and recognition programs, and provides grants to Coast Guard spouses for college degrees or professional certifications. Other 2025 recipients included the National Council for Adoption, which focuses on the needs of children and families touched by adoption; Ten Ten Life, which provides trauma-informed counseling for military personnel, veterans, and first responders; and Pacific Wildlife Care, which supports wildlife rehabilitation and education in San Luis Obispo County. Each received $5,000.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 58 grants totaling $395,565. Grant amounts ranged from $25 to $60,000, with a median of $5,000. Among its largest reported grants were $60,000 to Cornerstone Craftsman for general support; $38,500 to ACE Scholarship and Training for educational support; $35,000 to the Coast Guard Foundation for general support; $25,400 to Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia for general support; and $25,000 to Capital Caring for elderly care. Other reported grants included $10,000 to the Foundation for Applied Technical Education and $5,000 each to 4Paws Rescue Team and Adaptive Rowing Annapolis.
The foundation’s website also describes support for Fairfax County Adult & Community Education scholarships and training equipment, vocational education at the Emil and Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center, scholarships through the Coast Guard Foundation, and scholarships and project grants associated with the University of Virginia. These descriptions include support for programs and participants; they do not establish an application program for outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Leonard Adler as president, Daniel S. Adler as treasurer/secretary, Robert M. Gottschalk as vice president, and John Burns as director. The foundation’s website lists Len Adler, Dan Adler, Bob Gottschalk, and John Burns as directors.
The Adler Foundation Inc is led by Leonard Adler, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leonard Adler
President
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Burns
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel S. Adler
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert M. Gottschalk
Vice President
On filings since 2021
0.5 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.
Frequently asked questions about The Adler Foundation Inc
How much does The Adler Foundation Inc give each year?
The Adler Foundation Inc gave $396K across 58 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $341K across 22 grants.
What is The Adler Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Adler Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,820, across 58 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Adler Foundation Inc give grants?
The Adler Foundation Inc's top state is Virginia, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maryland (11%) and Connecticut (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fairfax, VA (4 grants), Alexandria, VA (2 grants), Bethesda, MD (2 grants) and Silver Spring, MD (2 grants).
Does The Adler Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 97% of The Adler Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (56 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Adler Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Adler Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Cornerstone Craftsman ($60,000), Ace Scholarship and Training ($38,500) and Coast Guard Foundation ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Adler Foundation Inc?
The Adler Foundation Inc reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $398K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $420K (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 Adler Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support vocational education, community-serving organizations, and the Northern Virginia region. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Adler Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 The Adler Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Adler Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0797192. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Adler 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.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Adler Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Adler Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-adler-foundation-inc-morg_900cdfcf6c884518af13a942c4124e79
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200797192_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Adler Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-adler-foundation-inc-morg_900cdfcf6c884518af13a942c4124e79},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Adler Foundation Inc'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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