The John B Parsons Foundation
The John B Parsons Foundation is a private foundation based in Salisbury, Maryland. It funds other organizations and provides specific assistance and administration expenses related to elderly residents in Maryland.
The John B Parsons Foundation at a glance
In short: The John B Parsons Foundation gave $582K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), mostly in Maryland. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $581,908
- +29.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $41,565
- +11.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $27,350
- Total assets
- $12,331,843
- +11.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The John B Parsons Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Cynthia Macdonald as the contact, says there is no set form, and states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Awards are restricted to organizations assisting needy elderly people in obtaining housing, healthcare, clothing, and food through funding other exempt organizations. **Deadline:** No deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: Cynthia Macdonald
Mailing address: 208 Calvert St, Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone: (410) 341-7575
Email: cindy@amacdonaldlaw.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John B Parsons Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mac Inc ($336K across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $582K.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 62 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars listed for 2025 went to recipients in Maryland. The foundation’s filing also describes specific assistance and administration expenses related to elderly residents in Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The John B Parsons Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $68K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $27K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $339K (2019) to $584K (2021). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $582K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mac Inc Salisbury, MD | Senior Support | $124,952 |
| Mac Inc Salisbury, MD | Meals on Wheels | $83,180 |
| Joseph House Salisbury, MD | Senior Care | $62,588 |
| Mac Inc Salisbury, MD | Alzheimer Support | $51,608 |
| Mac Inc Salisbury, MD | Caregivers | $50,108 |
| Shady Pines Salisbury, MD | Adult Medical Daycare | $40,640 |
| Chesapeake Housing Mission Salisbury, MD | Disabled Ramps | $28,700 |
| Mac Inc Salisbury, MD | Prescriptions | $26,000 |
| Coastal Hospice Salisbury, MD | Senior Hospice Care | $26,000 |
| Christian Shelter Inc Salisbury, MD | Emergency Services | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The John B Parsons Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,331,843 | $642,971 | $628,595 | $581,908 | 14 | $581,908 | $516,815 | $562,630 |
| 2024 | $11,089,119 | $669,688 | $483,639 | $448,016 | 12 | $448,016 | $531,384 | $519,389 |
| 2023 | $9,986,293 | $398,464 | $488,280 | $449,266 | 13 | $449,266 | $257,496 | $455,370 |
| 2022 | $8,744,773 | $575,067 | $479,262 | $448,516 | 12 | $449,422 | $386,592 | $451,042 |
| 2021 | $10,897,772 | $431,582 | $622,494 | $583,712 | 11 | $584,592 | $255,310 | $512,337 |
| 2020 | $9,898,462 | $443,951 | $447,146 | $391,588 | 11 | — | $288,303 | $425,799 |
| 2019 | $8,722,742 | $1,783,074 | $357,693 | $338,996 | 11 | — | $1,651,112 | $363,365 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John B Parsons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $563K for 2025 — 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 support for organizations assisting needy elderly people with housing, healthcare, clothing, and food. Its stated charitable activities include contributions for adult medical daycare, hospice, caregiver support, Alzheimer support, prescriptions, Meals on Wheels, senior care, and emergency services.
Among its 2025 grantees, MAC Incorporated describes its mission as offering older persons dignity, security, physical, mental, and social well-being, and full participation in society. Coastal Hospice says it promotes dignity and quality of life for patients and families facing life-limiting conditions. Christian Shelter says it provides emergency food, shelter, clothing, and counseling.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $581,908. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $124,952, with a median of $27,350. The largest listed awards included $124,952 and $83,180 to MAC Inc for senior support and Meals on Wheels, respectively; $62,588 to Joseph House for senior care; and $51,608 to MAC Inc for Alzheimer support. Other listed grants included $40,640 to Shady Pines for adult medical daycare, $28,700 to Chesapeake Housing Mission for disabled ramps, and $26,000 each to MAC Inc for prescriptions and Coastal Hospice for senior hospice care.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ernest I Cornbrooks III, Philip L Bradshaw, Allen Brown, David Downes, Robert Long, Lynne Peverley, Carolyn Stegman, and Jeffrey F Turner as trustees; Robert C Davis as treasurer; and Gayle Widdowson as secretary.
The John B Parsons Foundation is led by Cynthia Macdonald, President since 2025 (on filings since 2022); none of the 15 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cynthia Macdonald
President
Trustee → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Allen Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Carolyn Stegman
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
David Downes
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Ernest I. Cornbrooks III
Trustee
President → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
James E. Martin
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jeffrey F. Turner
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Loudell Insley
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Lynne Peverley
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Philip L. Bradshaw
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Robert Long
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Sharon A. Morris
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Michael Mathers
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Gayle Widdowson
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Robert C. Davis
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Gordon D. Gladden (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jean Laws (2019) — Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 John B Parsons Foundation
How much does The John B Parsons Foundation give each year?
The John B Parsons Foundation gave $582K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $448K across 12 grants.
What is The John B Parsons Foundation's typical grant size?
The John B Parsons Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $27,350, and its average grant was $41,565, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John B Parsons Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does The John B Parsons Foundation give grants?
The John B Parsons Foundation gives mostly in Maryland: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Salisbury, MD (14 grants).
Does The John B Parsons Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on The John B Parsons Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Emergency Services" (3 grants).
Who are The John B Parsons Foundation's largest grantees?
The John B Parsons Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mac Inc ($335,848 across 5 grants), Joseph House ($62,588) and Shady Pines ($40,640), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The John B Parsons Foundation?
The John B Parsons Foundation reported $12.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $582K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $563K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The John B Parsons Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing describes support for organizations assisting needy elderly people with housing, healthcare, clothing, and food. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John B Parsons Foundation?
The filing lists Cynthia Macdonald as the contact, says there is no set form, and states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The John B Parsons Foundation's EIN?
The John B Parsons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-0591626. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 13, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in The John B Parsons Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John B Parsons Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-b-parsons-foundation-morg_c3a5a476ee444617a4f61d8eec4b73da
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_520591626_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John B Parsons Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-b-parsons-foundation-morg_c3a5a476ee444617a4f61d8eec4b73da},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 John B Parsons 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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