The Marion I & Henry J Knott
The Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation is a Catholic family foundation based in Baltimore, Maryland. Established in 1977 by Henry and Marion Knott, it supports grants and loans for community programs, with giving focused on strengthening communities in central and western Maryland.
The Marion I & Henry J Knott at a glance
In short: The Marion I & Henry J Knott gave $2.2M across 100 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Maryland. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,207,773
- -23.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 100
- -8.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $22,078
- -16.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $85,272,792
- +33.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (30 of 100, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (97% 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 Marion I & Henry J Knott
- Invitation Only
-
The General Fund process begins with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Eligible nonprofits may submit one LOI per year; applications are accepted in February, June, and October. Organizations invited to submit a full proposal receive instructions by phone and email, and site visits are required at that stage. The foundation also offers invitation-only, multi-year Strategic Initiative grants and rolling discretionary grants of $500 to $2,500. Its eligibility guidelines exclude, among other things, unrestricted grants, endowments, scholarships, public school education, public sector agencies, charter schools, and organizations operating for less than one year.
- Review Cycle
- The published 2026 General Fund LOI dates were June 1 and October 5; June 1 is past, and October 5, 2026 is upcoming. The next listed LOI deadline after that is February 1, 2027.
- Deadline
- The published 2026 General Fund LOI dates were June 1 and October 5; June 1 is past, and October 5, 2026 is upcoming.
- Contact
Application contact: Kathleen Mccarthy Executive Directo
Mailing address: 3904 Hickory Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211
Phone: (410) 235-7068
Website: https://knottfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Marion I & Henry J Knott
Who The Marion I & Henry J Knott funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Vincent Depaul of Baltimore ($89K). Together the top 10 received $759K.
Grant Size Distribution
495 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 383 grants of 495 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation accepts requests from organizations and programs serving the Archdiocese of Baltimore, including Baltimore City and Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington counties in Maryland. Its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to Maryland recipients: 97% to Maryland, 1% each to the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, and less than 1% to Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 100 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Marion I & Henry J Knott open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 30 of 100 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 79% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $2.0M (2020) to $3.2M (2022). In 2024 it made 100 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Vincent Depaul of Baltimore Baltimore, MD | Operations | $89,000 |
| Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore Baltimore, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School Baltimore, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| Franciscan Center Baltimore, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| Intersection of Change Baltimore, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| Project Jumpstart Baltimore, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| St Ignatius Loyola Academy Baltimore, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| The Religious Coalition Frederick, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| Vehicles for Change Halethorpe, MD | Operations | $75,000 |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Baltimore, MD | Operations | $70,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Marion I & Henry J Knott?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing identifies the organization as a private foundation filing Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $85,272,792 | $19,981,567 | $4,182,110 | $2,207,773 | 100 | $2,769,272 | $19,433,842 | $3,513,469 |
| 2023 | $63,879,478 | $754,428 | $3,616,907 | $2,867,688 | 109 | $3,359,653 | $687,712 | $3,087,710 |
| 2022 | $60,371,555 | $716,672 | $3,844,607 | $3,194,149 | 105 | $3,746,271 | $1,855,661 | $3,260,398 |
| 2021 | $73,035,836 | $7,246,101 | $3,413,680 | $2,627,647 | 92 | $3,187,657 | $7,449,929 | $3,341,004 |
| 2020 | $64,725,563 | $1,033,147 | $2,240,039 | $2,011,557 | 89 | — | $630,126 | $2,890,806 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Marion I & Henry J Knott reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation describes its mission as honoring its founders’ legacy of generosity to strengthen the community. Its guiding principles include aligning giving with Catholic values, providing opportunities for people to succeed, supporting accountable organizations, and giving locally.
Examples from the foundation’s 2024 grants illustrate the range of organizations it supports. Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound describes its work as fostering character development and self-discovery through challenge and adventure. Intersection of Change says it provides programs addressing the economic, social, and spiritual needs of people dealing with poverty-related issues in Sandtown-Winchester and surrounding communities. Project Jumpstart describes its mission as equipping unemployed and underemployed people with construction skills and support to access jobs. These are grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 100 grants totaling $2,207,773. The grants ranged from $40 to $89,000, with a median of $5,000. The foundation’s website says General Fund awards have a median of $45,000, with a minimum request of $10,000; General Fund awards are one-year grants, and multi-year grants are not considered through that program.
Among the largest reported grants in 2024 were $89,000 to St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore for operations; $75,000 each to Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore, Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, Franciscan Center, Intersection of Change, Project Jumpstart, St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, The Religious Coalition, and Vehicles for Change, all for operations; and $70,000 each to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and NPower Maryland for operations. Cardinal Shehan School received $68,750 for operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Andrew Ellis, Brian McDonald, Brooke Rodgers, Carroll McGill, Dan Gallagher, David Gallagher, David L. Porter, E. B. Harris, and Emily Hanssen as members. Emmett Voelkel is listed as secretary.
The Marion I & Henry J Knott is led by Colleen Q. Kilduff, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 1 of 35 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Colleen Q. Kilduff
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$106K (2023) → $196K (2024)
Martin G. Knott
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian McDonald
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brooke Rodgers
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carroll McGill
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Gallagher
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Gallagher
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David L. Porter
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
E. B. Harris
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily Hanssen
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emmett Voelkel
Secretary
Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin C. Knott
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin Tielsch
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geralynn Smyth
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Stodd
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joanna O. Porter
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John H. Riehl IV
Treasurer
Member → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Smyth
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Harris
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laurel Porter
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lindsay Gallagher
Member
President → Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margie M. Riehl
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marion Hashim
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marion I. Knott
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martin Knott Jr.
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martin Porter
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meghan McDonald
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Gallagher
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Owen M. Knott
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Rodgers
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter R. McGill
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teresa Knott
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Harris
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Ellis
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Morgan Riina
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Morgan Voelkel (2022–2023) — Member
- Former: Kelly Medinger (2020–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Carlisle Hashim (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Michael Riehl (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Ryan Voelkel (2020–2021) — Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $196K, to Colleen Q Kilduff (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Marion I & Henry J Knott
How much does The Marion I & Henry J Knott give each year?
The Marion I & Henry J Knott gave $2.2M across 100 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.9M across 109 grants.
What is The Marion I & Henry J Knott's typical grant size?
The Marion I & Henry J Knott's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $22,078, across 100 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Marion I & Henry J Knott that year got $25K on average.
Where does The Marion I & Henry J Knott give grants?
The Marion I & Henry J Knott gives mostly in Maryland: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (57 grants), Cockeysville, MD (4 grants), Hagerstown, MD (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Marion I & Henry J Knott give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 100 grants with a stated purpose on The Marion I & Henry J Knott's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (100 grants).
Who are The Marion I & Henry J Knott's largest grantees?
The Marion I & Henry J Knott's largest 2024 grantees include St Vincent Depaul of Baltimore ($89,000), Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore ($75,000) and Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Marion I & Henry J Knott?
The Marion I & Henry J Knott reported $85.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Marion I & Henry J Knott fund?
The foundation describes its mission as honoring its founders’ legacy of generosity to strengthen the community. Its guiding principles include aligning giving with Catholic values, providing opportunities for people to succeed, supporting accountable organizations, and giving locally. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Marion I & Henry J Knott?
The General Fund process begins with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Marion I & Henry J Knott's EIN?
The Marion I & Henry J Knott's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1517876. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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 Marion I & Henry J Knott funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-marion-i-and-henry-j-knott-morg_9d8be685f00a46c9bc596d44267b90b3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521517876_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Marion I \& Henry J Knott funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-marion-i-and-henry-j-knott-morg_9d8be685f00a46c9bc596d44267b90b3},
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 Marion I & Henry J Knott'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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