The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation
The Ellen WP Wasserman Foundation is a private, independent foundation established in 1997 and based in Baltimore, Maryland. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.7M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
+48.7% YoY
Grant Count
18
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$171K
+40.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Arts and Culture
- Education
- Health
- Human Services
- Children and Youth
- Jewish causes and services
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Maryland, with particular emphasis on the Baltimore area.
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts applications.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $996,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Maryland, with emphasis on the Baltimore area. However, grantmaking also extends to Maine and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $23.4–$23.7 million
- Total Annual Giving: $3,081,607
- Total Revenues: $2,426,503
- Total Expenses: $2,381,955
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Giving Rate: 13.0% of assets
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Total grants and contributions: $750,152
- Investment income and dividends: $594,807
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,712,105 | $23,387,685 | $22,138,017 |
| Revenue | $2,035,074 | $2,426,503 | $1,899,558 |
| Expenses | $3,444,577 | $2,381,955 | $2,813,357 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,081,607 | $2,071,863 | $2,518,534 |
| Net Investment Income | $944,500 | $1,374,399 | $1,123,713 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,524,341 | $2,194,244 | $2,029,783 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Sinai Hospital ($996,175), The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore ($693,640), Patient Airlift Services ($349,517).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BAIS YAAKOV OF BALTIMORE BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $5,096 |
| BALTIMORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $10,238 |
| BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $10,234 |
| BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $74,061 |
| CENTER FOR HOPE BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $163,806 |
| DYSLEXIA TUTORING PROGRAM BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $39,580 |
| HEROES HELPING HEROES BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $5,096 |
| KENNEDY KRIEGER INSTITUTE BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $5,203 |
| MAINE MUSEUM OF INNOVCATION LEARNING & LABOR LEWISTON, ME | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $334,193 |
| PATIENT AIRLIFT SERVICES FARMINGDALE, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE OF RECIPIENT | $349,517 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELLEN WP WASSERMAN | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant commitments to medical education. Ellen W.P. Wasserman made a $10 million gift to LifeBridge Health to create an endowment funding scholarships for medical students training at the George Washington University Medical School's Regional Medical Campus at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. This gift raised her total giving to the foundation to $24 million.
$10 million new gift from Ellen W.P. Wasserman will create an endowment\The foundation also supported the creation of the Wasserman Scholarship Fund through College Now.
College Now Announces Creation of the Wasserman Scholarship FundSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • Arts and Culture • Education • Health • Human Services • Children and Youth • Jewish causes and services • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in Maryland, with particular emphasis on the Baltimore area.
How do I apply for a grant from The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: approximately $3.1 million • Number of grants: 16-18 grants annually • Grant range: $5,000 to $996,000 • Median grant size: $15,000 • Typical awards: $4,739–$1,920,985 **Types of Support:** • Project support • General operating support **Application Process:** The foundation accepts applications. **Recent Grant Recipients (2024):** • The Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore: $672,910 • Patient AirLift Services (PALS): $357,436 • University at …
Where does The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Maryland, with emphasis on the Baltimore area. However, grantmaking also extends to Maine and New York.
What size grants does The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation award?
In 2025, The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $3.1M — an average of about $171K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation's EIN?
The Ellen Wp Wasserman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2038129. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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