The Community Foundation of Howard
The Community Foundation of Howard County (CFHC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity incorporated in 1969 as the Columbia Foundation. The organization rebranded in 2013 to reflect the broader geographic area it serves. Based in Columbia, Maryland, CFHC operates as a community foundation dedicated to improving quality of life in Howard County through endowment building and coordinated grant-making services.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · 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
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Inspiring lifelong giving and connecting people, places and organizations to worthy causes across Howard County and beyond.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Education and scholarships for students pursuing higher education or trade school
- Human services and community development
- Culture and civic organizations
- Philanthropy and voluntarism promotion
The foundation works to build endowments and coordinate grant-making services while collaborating with donors, nonprofits, local businesses, and community leaders to address key community issues.
Grantmaking
CFHC operates multiple grant and scholarship programs:
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $5,105 to $5,300,000, with 21 live grant opportunities reported.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily serves Howard County, Maryland, with some funding extending to Virginia and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $38,619,179
- Total Revenue: $3,964,530
- Total Expenses: $2,906,065
- Annual Income: $7.3 million
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $35.2 million
- Total Revenue: $2.76 million
- Total Expenses: $2.58 million
- Total Liabilities: $77,900
Staffing: 6 employees (as of 2024)
| 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 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,792,007 | $662,674 | $-112,946 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
20 open opportunities from The Community Foundation of Howard
2026 Scholarships
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Closed
Aaron Worley Scholarship Grant
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Bob Kittleman Scholarship Grant
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD
Amount
Up to US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President & CEO: Melissa Curtin
The organization is governed by a local volunteer Board of Trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEVERLY WHITE-SEALS ESQ | PRESIDENT AND CEO | 40 | $179,965 |
| BARBARA RISHEL | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| HIMA JAIN | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| TIM WARD CPA | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| RUSSELL B BERGER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| REGINA CLAY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GEORGE CHIP DOETSCH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LISA EDWARDS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LANCE E JOHNSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WENDY L KROUSE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARCY LEONARD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SANG W OH ESQ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CARLOS RODRIGUEZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STEVEN D SASS ESQ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STEVEN A SINGH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARK STINSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SABRINA TAJ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER B WALTER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced 2025 Community Grants, continuing its annual cycle of funding for nonprofit organizations and student scholarships. In 2024, CFHC awarded $2.5 million to nonprofits and students combined. The organization also announced recipients of Collaborative Impact Grants, awarding nearly half a million dollars through this initiative.
Community Foundation of Howard County Announces Recipients of ...Contact Information
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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