The John J Pohanka Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1996 in Maryland. Based in Capitol Heights, MD, the foundation focuses its philanthropic efforts on the arts, education, health organizations, and social services, with particular emphasis on opera and performing arts.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$22.9M
+4.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.9M
+45.2% YoY
Grant Count
91
+49.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
-2.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary giving focuses on:
- The Arts — particularly opera and performing arts
- Education
- Health Organizations
- Social Services
The foundation has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting opera as an art form and has been instrumental in supporting the Washington National Opera.
Grantmaking
Grants have been awarded to organizations in multiple states including California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and New York.
Grant Range
$500–$215,000
Average Grant
amount varies by funding cycle
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations primarily in:
- Maryland
- Virginia
- District of Columbia
- National organizations
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $22,887,990
- Total Giving: $1,867,734 (2024)
- Total Revenue: $1,419,184 (2023)
- Total Expenses: $1,555,884 (2023)
- Tax-Exempt Status: Since May 1997
- EIN: 56-6784266
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,887,990 | $21,866,438 | $22,003,138 |
| Revenue | $3,169,664 | $1,419,184 | $1,327,226 |
| Expenses | $2,148,112 | $1,555,884 | $1,872,841 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,869,234 | $1,287,424 | $1,383,430 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,930,017 | $1,194,652 | $993,759 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,804,905 | $1,586,720 | $1,686,765 |
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
248 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Geoffrey Pohanka — Trustee (0.5 hrs/week)
- Steven Parker — Trustee (0.5 hrs/week)
The foundation was established by John J. Pohanka, who served as Chairman of Pohanka Automotive Group and was a longtime trustee and board chair of the Washington National Opera.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOFFREY POHANKA | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| STEVEN PARKER | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1772 Ritchie Station Court Capitol Heights, MD 20743-5065
Telephone: 301-899-7800
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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