The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
The Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHC) is a public charity based in Columbia, Maryland. It works to improve quality of life in Howard County through endowment building and coordinated grantmaking, connecting donors and charitable resources with community needs.
Key facts about The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
In short: The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc gave $1.4M across 65 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Maryland. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 52-0937644
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,399,200
- Grants made (2024)
- 65
- Average grant
- $21,526
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (19 of 65, 2024)
- Total assets
- $38,619,179
- Primary geography
- Maryland (82% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- CFHC provides application information and deadlines on its website and invites nonprofits to sign up for email alerts. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- For 2026 Community Grants, applications open October 1, 2026, and are due November 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.; decisions…
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$38.6M
+9.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+25.6% YoY
Grant Count
65
+18.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$22K
+6.3% YoY
Is The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 65 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $16K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
CFHC’s mission is “inspiring life-long giving and connecting people, places and organizations to worthy causes across Howard County and beyond.” Its grantmaking supports organizations and services addressing community needs in Howard County, including human services, arts and culture, education, civic activities, and the environment. Its Community Grants information also identifies housing, food security, health, youth and families, and other areas.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of supported work. Bridges to Housing Stability describes its mission as preventing and ending homelessness through affordable housing solutions and advocacy in Howard County. Neighbor Ride says it provides affordable, passenger-focused transportation to enhance the health and quality of life of Howard County seniors. Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center describes its work as providing behavioral health, crisis intervention, and homeless services. Other 2024 grantees include organizations whose stated missions involve childhood hunger and education, student support, and visual arts.
Grantmaking
CFHC’s 2024 filing reports 65 grants totaling $1,399,200. Grant amounts ranged from $5,105 to $204,300, with a median of $10,000.
Review Cycle
. Small Grants are described as rolling, first-come, first-served awards for one-time opportunities or short-term crises, not recurring costs or general operations. An organization may receive one Small Grant in a calendar year and may not receive one the following calendar year.
Open Grants
19 open opportunities from The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
Aaron Worley Scholarship Grant
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Bob Kittleman Scholarship Grant
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
Amount
Up to US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
C. Merritt Pumphrey Scholarship Grant
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CFHC’s grant programs primarily support nonprofits serving Howard County, Maryland. In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland; the remaining reported shares went to Virginia (7%), California (5%), Massachusetts (3%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 65 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2023) to $6.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 65 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Community Action Council of Howard County ($204K). Together the top 10 received $775K.
Grant Size Distribution
317 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 285 grants of 317 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Action Council of Howard County Columbia, MD | Human Service | $204,300 |
| Howard Community College Educational Foundation Columbia, MD | Educational | $124,500 |
| Bridges to Housing Stability Columbia, MD | Housing, Shelter | $73,350 |
| Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Fremont, CA | Food, Nutrition | $69,500 |
| Neighbor Ride Inc Columbia, MD | Human Service | $67,000 |
| Wheels Global Foundation McLean, VA | Health, General | $66,000 |
| Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts Columbia, MD | Arts, Culture | $56,000 |
| Ohana of Howard County Inc Columbia, MD | Youth Devel | $46,300 |
| Provincetown Art Association and Museum Provincetown, MA | Arts, Culture | $35,000 |
| Community Ecology Institute (The) Columbia, MD | Environmental | $33,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $38,619,179 | $3,964,530 | $2,906,065 | $1,399,200 | 65 |
| 2023 | $35,214,773 | $2,755,738 | $2,577,255 | $1,113,830 | 55 |
| 2022 | $31,135,492 | $3,115,031 | $7,988,172 | $6,623,198 | 56 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $38,619,179 | $35,214,773 | $31,135,492 |
| Revenue | $3,964,530 | $2,755,738 | $3,115,031 |
| Expenses | $2,906,065 | $2,577,255 | $7,988,172 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,792,007 | $662,674 | $-112,946 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 26, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Beverly White-Seals, Esq. as President and CEO; Barbara Rishel as Chair; Hima Jain as Secretary; and Tim Ward, CPA, as Treasurer. Trustees listed are Russell B. Berger, Regina Clay, George Chip Doetsch, Lisa Edwards, Lance E. Johnson, and Wendy L. Krouse.
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc is led by Beverly White-Seals Esq., President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 18 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Beverly White-Seals Esq.
President & CEO
President & CEO → Ex-Officio, 2021
Ex-Officio → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$163K (2020) → $180K (2024)
Barbara Rishel
Chair
Trustee → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sang W. Oh Esq.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven D. Sass Esq.
Trustee
Vice Chair & Secretary → Chair, 2022
Chair → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy L. Krouse
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carlos Rodriguez
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Edwards
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Regina Clay
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marcy Leonard
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven A. Singh
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George Chip Doetsch
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher B. Walter
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lance E. Johnson
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Stinson
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Russell B. Berger
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sabrina Taj
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hima Jain
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Ward CPA
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: James Sanders (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Jason W. Weszka Aif (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Khalid Abedin (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Steven R. Porter (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Chris Walter (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Chip Doetsch (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Helaine Barry (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jennifer McManus Esq. (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Kimberly Prescott (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Marc Levin (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Mireille Grangenois (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Peter Panepento (2020–2021) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Ryan Miller (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Chiimaobi Chijioke (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Daniel Medinger (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Marjorie Valin (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Scot Millen (2020) — Immediate Past Chair
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 Beverly White-Seals ESQ (President and CEO).
Contact
Mailing address: 6680 Martin Rd, Columbia, MD 21044
Phone: (410) 730-7840
Website: https://cfhoco.org
Frequently asked questions about The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc
How much does The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc give each year?
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc gave $1.4M across 65 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 55 grants.
What is The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's typical grant size?
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $21,526, across 65 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc that year got $16K on average.
Where does The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc give grants?
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc gives mostly in Maryland: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbia, MD (29 grants), Ellicott City, MD (10 grants), Baltimore, MD (7 grants) and Rockville, MD (2 grants).
Does The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 65) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Human Service" (25 grants), "Educational" (11 grants) and "Arts, Culture" (6 grants).
Who are The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's largest grantees?
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Community Action Council of Howard County ($204,300), Howard Community College Educational Foundation ($124,500) and Bridges to Housing Stability ($73,350), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc?
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc reported $38.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.0M.
What does The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc fund?
CFHC’s mission is “inspiring life-long giving and connecting people, places and organizations to worthy causes across Howard County and beyond.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc?
CFHC provides application information and deadlines on its website and invites nonprofits to sign up for email alerts. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's EIN?
The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-0937644. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Community Foundation of Howard County Inc by hand.
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