The Helena Foundation Inc
The Helena Foundation Inc is a private foundation located in Annapolis, Maryland. Its 2023 filing is marked as a final return, indicating that it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
The Helena Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Helena Foundation Inc gave $4.0M across 3 grants in 2023 (avg $1.3M), mostly in Maryland. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $3,990,420
- +43.0% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 3
- -90.0% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $1,330,140
- +1329.6% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $1,330,140
- Primary geography
- Maryland (67% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Helena Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 1209 River Crescent Dr, Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: (410) 356-5900
Website: https://helena.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Helena Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was The Blue Waters Foundation Inc ($1.3M). Together the top 3 received $4.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 101 (62%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2023 grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland (67%) and California (33%). The filing lists the recipients in Annapolis and Edgewater, Maryland, and Malibu, California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Helena Foundation Inc gives
- Giving grew 52% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out 671% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $2.6M (2021) to $4.0M (2023). In 2023 it made 3 grants totaling $4.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Blue Waters Foundation Inc Annapolis, MD | Operating | $1,330,140 |
| The Dovana Foundation Inc Malibu, CA | Operating | $1,330,140 |
| The MHE Foundationinc Edgewater, MD | Operating | $1,330,140 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $3,301 | $4,039,347 | $3,990,420 | 3 | $3,990,420 | — | $595,045 |
| 2022 | $2,508,393 | $50,543 | $2,794,322 | $2,791,192 | 30 | $2,791,192 | $47,413 | $3,294,058 |
| 2021 | $2,767,487 | $354,772 | $2,612,327 | $2,608,172 | 31 | $2,608,172 | $350,617 | $3,172,218 |
| 2020 | $2,690,365 | $296,361 | $2,627,678 | $2,624,986 | 37 | — | $294,281 | $2,416,669 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Helena Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $595K for 2023 — 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 filing describes its purpose as identifying and implementing solutions to critical societal challenges facing humanity over the next 50 years. Helena’s website says its projects use first-principles analysis and may pursue nonprofit or for-profit approaches. Website examples include projects related to governance and democracy, climate technology and sustainability, and marine science.
The 2023 filing lists three operating grants to other foundations. The available information does not state those grantees’ missions, so their program areas cannot be characterized here.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2023, the foundation reported three grants totaling $3,990,420. Each was $1,330,140:
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its 2023 filing is marked final, so this policy should not be treated as a current application opportunity.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists James A. Earl as president, treasurer, and director, and Sylvia Earl as vice president, secretary, and director.
The Helena Foundation Inc is led by James A. Earl, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2023 report compensation.
Officers on the 2023 filing
James A. Earl
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvia Earl
Vice President, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "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 Helena Foundation Inc
How much does The Helena Foundation Inc give each year?
The Helena Foundation Inc gave $4.0M across 3 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $2.8M across 30 grants.
What is The Helena Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Helena Foundation Inc's median grant in 2023 was $1,330,140, and its average grant was $1,330,140, across 3 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Helena Foundation Inc give grants?
The Helena Foundation Inc gives mostly in Maryland: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (33%).
Does The Helena Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Helena Foundation Inc's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
What does The Helena Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its purpose as identifying and implementing solutions to critical societal challenges facing humanity over the next 50 years. Helena’s website says its projects use first-principles analysis and may pursue nonprofit or for-profit approaches. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Helena Foundation Inc?
The Helena Foundation Inc does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check helena.org for any change to that policy.
How much is The Helena Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, The Helena Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $595K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Helena Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Helena Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1522573. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does The Helena 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 2020–2023
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Helena Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-helena-foundation-inc-morg_6220be0ab82c42089b9631bfd291746d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521522573_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Helena Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-helena-foundation-inc-morg_6220be0ab82c42089b9631bfd291746d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Helena 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.
The Helena Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?