The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation is a private foundation based in Washington, DC. It made 48 grants totaling $82,000 in 2024 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, wildlife conservation, humanitarian aid, and services for young adults with autism.
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation gave $82K across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state Virginia. 47% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $82,000
- +13.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +23.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,708
- -7.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $783,203
- +15.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (20 of 43, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (23% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4955 Glenbrook Road Nw, Washington, DC 20016
Phone: (202) 263-0423
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of St Andrews American Foundation Inc ($7K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $42K.
Grant Size Distribution
195 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 195 grants of 195 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that recipients in Virginia received 23% of grant dollars, recipients in New York 17%, recipients in Pennsylvania 7%, and recipients in Washington, DC 7%. The filing also lists an unidentified state category at 9%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 43 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2020) to $95K (2022). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $82K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orangutan Outreach Hudson, NY | General Support | $6,000 |
| University of St Andrews American Foundation Inc | General Support | $6,000 |
| New York University New York, NE | General Support | $5,000 |
| Romanian Christian Enterprises - Sonrise School Middleburg, VA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Oglala Lakota College Kyle, SD | General Support | $4,000 |
| Anglican Relief & Development Foundation (Ukraine Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $3,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | General Support | $3,000 |
| St Jude's Children Reseach Hospital Memphis, TN | General Support | $2,500 |
| Romanian Christian Enterprises - Annual Fund Middleburg, VA | General Support | $2,500 |
| Care USA Atlanta, GA | General Support | $2,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $783,203 | $211,021 | $107,951 | $82,000 | 48 | $86,878 | $204,958 | $86,728 |
| 2023 | $678,248 | $116,448 | $94,970 | $72,000 | 39 | $77,993 | $99,471 | $75,820 |
| 2022 | $656,770 | $52,328 | $120,602 | $95,000 | 38 | $101,801 | $34,195 | $76,636 |
| 2021 | $725,044 | $140,712 | $80,702 | $60,000 | 35 | $65,422 | $125,431 | $84,311 |
| 2020 | $665,034 | $90,886 | $85,808 | $60,000 | 35 | — | $75,057 | $69,157 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $87K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. Orangutan Outreach describes its work as promoting orangutan conservation through public awareness and community involvement. Oglala Lakota College says it educates students for professional and vocational opportunities in Lakota country, with teaching in Lakota culture and language. Hidden Wings describes its work as developing the academic and vocational potential of young adults with autism and supporting their transition from high school to work.
Other 2024 recipients included Samaritan’s Purse, which describes itself as providing spiritual and physical aid to people around the world, and Wild Bird Fund, which says it provides veterinary care and rehabilitation for New York City wildlife and educates the public about local wildlife.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $82,000 through 48 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $6,000, with a median grant of $1,000. Its largest grants included $6,000 each to Orangutan Outreach and the University of St Andrews American Foundation, and $5,000 each to New York University and Romanian Christian Enterprises – Sonrise School. Other notable grants included $4,000 to Oglala Lakota College; $3,000 each to Anglican Relief & Development Foundation and Samaritan’s Purse; and $2,500 to St Jude’s Children Research Hospital.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ellen Wills Martin, John Wills Martin, Williams S. Martin IV, and Elizabeth A. Chapman as trustees.
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
elizabeth a chapman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ellen Wills Martin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
john wills martin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
williams s martin IV
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation
How much does The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation give each year?
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation gave $82K across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $72K across 39 grants.
What is The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,708, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation give grants?
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (17%) and Pennsylvania (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Arlington, VA (4 grants) and Norfolk, CT (4 grants).
Does The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (48 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of St Andrews American Foundation Inc ($7,000 across 2 grants), Orangutan Outreach ($6,000) and Anglican Relief & Development Foundation (Ukraine ($5,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation?
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation reported $783K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $87K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $87K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. Orangutan Outreach describes its work as promoting orangutan conservation through public awareness and community involvement. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's EIN?
The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1770268. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation 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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ellen-wills-martin-foundation-morg_461926dcea964da39e862200174fd563
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521770268_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ellen Wills Martin Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ellen-wills-martin-foundation-morg_461926dcea964da39e862200174fd563},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Ellen Wills Martin Foundation'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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