The McGrath-Spellman
The McGrath-Spellman is a private foundation based in Sanibel, Florida. Its 2024 filing reports 30 grants totaling $385,800 to organizations in several states, including universities, churches, and community organizations.
The McGrath-Spellman at a glance
In short: The McGrath-Spellman gave $386K across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), top state Ohio. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $385,800
- +230.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- +25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,860
- +164.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $955,944
- -26.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (5 of 30, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (42% 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 McGrath-Spellman
- How to Apply
-
Contact John E McGrath III. The filing lists no specific form or materials.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: John E Mcgrath Iii
Mailing address: 3429 West Gulf Drive, Sanibel, FL 33957
Phone: (239) 472-6062
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The McGrath-Spellman funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Seton Hill University ($60K). Together the top 10 received $306K.
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 142 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to organizations in Ohio (42%), followed by New Jersey (16%), Florida (13%), Pennsylvania (12%), and Indiana (10%). The listed grants also include recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The McGrath-Spellman open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 30 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 73% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 112% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 442% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $117K (2023) to $386K (2024). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $386K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Seton Hill University S Orange, NJ | Philanthropic | $60,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Philanthropic | $45,000 |
| University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | Philanthropic | $40,000 |
| Club 24 Cleveland Heights, OH | Philanthropic | $25,000 |
| Courage to Caregivers Chagrin Falls, OH | Philanthropic | $25,000 |
| Ernies Law Foundation Elgin, IL | Philanthropic | $25,000 |
| St Isabel Catholic Church Sanibel, FL | Philanthropic | $24,000 |
| Joseph's Home Cleveland, OH | Philanthropic | $22,000 |
| Fish Sanibel Captavia Inc Sanibel, FL | Philanthropic | $20,000 |
| St Dominic's Church Shaker HTS, OH | Philanthropic | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The McGrath-Spellman?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $955,944 | $35,952 | $386,500 | $385,800 | 30 | $385,800 | $35,752 | $87,369 |
| 2023 | $1,306,492 | $37,982 | $119,590 | $116,800 | 24 | $117,000 | $37,982 | $88,490 |
| 2022 | $1,388,100 | $102,855 | $174,000 | $172,300 | 29 | $172,500 | $102,855 | $92,903 |
| 2021 | $1,459,245 | $159,441 | $189,482 | $181,700 | 30 | $188,282 | $159,441 | $103,917 |
| 2020 | $1,500,439 | $148,971 | $296,058 | $284,199 | 29 | — | $148,971 | $90,640 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The McGrath-Spellman reported a distributable amount of $87K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included educational, social-service, health-related, arts, and religious organizations. For example, Carnegie Mellon University describes its mission as providing a transformative educational experience and cultivating a collaborative university community. Courage to Caregivers says it works to empower and equip caregivers and prevent caregiver burnout. Joseph’s Home describes providing a caring environment for people without resources who have acute medical needs. Great Lakes Theater Festival says it shares live theater through productions and educational programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $385,800. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $60,000, with a median of $4,500. The largest grants listed were $60,000 to Seton Hill University, $45,000 to Carnegie Mellon University, and $40,000 to the University of Notre Dame. Other listed grants included $25,000 each to Club 24, Courage to Caregivers, and Ernies Law Foundation; $24,000 to St Isabel Catholic Church; and $22,000 to Joseph’s Home.
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists no specific application guidelines, no deadlines, and no restrictions on awards.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
John E McGrath III is listed on the 2024 filing as president, treasurer, and secretary.
The McGrath-Spellman is led by John E. McGrath III, President, Treasurer & Secretary on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John E. McGrath III
President, Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The McGrath-Spellman
How much does The McGrath-Spellman give each year?
The McGrath-Spellman gave $386K across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $117K across 24 grants.
What is The McGrath-Spellman's typical grant size?
The McGrath-Spellman's median grant in 2024 was $4,500, and its average grant was $12,860, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The McGrath-Spellman that year got $12K on average.
Where does The McGrath-Spellman give grants?
The McGrath-Spellman's top state is Ohio, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Jersey (16%) and Florida (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (14 grants), Sanibel, FL (3 grants) and Shaker HTS, OH (2 grants).
Does The McGrath-Spellman give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on The McGrath-Spellman's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Philanthropic" (29 grants).
Who are The McGrath-Spellman's largest grantees?
The McGrath-Spellman's largest 2024 grantees include Seton Hill University ($60,000), Carnegie Mellon University ($45,000) and University of Notre Dame ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The McGrath-Spellman?
The McGrath-Spellman reported $956K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $386K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $87K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The McGrath-Spellman fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included educational, social-service, health-related, arts, and religious organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The McGrath-Spellman?
Contact John E McGrath III. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The McGrath-Spellman's EIN?
The McGrath-Spellman's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0891942. 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 September 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 McGrath-Spellman funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mcgrath-spellman-morg_5f0e0c292f0140258af7d5dc9c9ab9b1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_270891942_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The McGrath-Spellman funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mcgrath-spellman-morg_5f0e0c292f0140258af7d5dc9c9ab9b1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 McGrath-Spellman'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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