The Orokawa Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 2005 and based in Towson, Maryland. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a primary focus on philanthropic grantmaking across health, education, and human services sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$98.2M
+3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.4M
+3.8% YoY
Grant Count
58
+3.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$93K
+0.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Orokawa Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's giving priorities include:
- Leukemia and lymphoma research (primary focus)
- Camp for children with life-threatening illnesses
- Health associations
- Human services
- Education
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
$96,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Maryland, with significant grantmaking activity in:
- Maryland (primary focus)
- Illinois
- New York
- North Carolina
- California
- Colorado
- Washington
Maryland, Illinois, and New York account for 82% of all grants. The foundation has supported 79 unique organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of fiscal year ending June 2023):
- Total assets: $94.7 million
- Total revenues: $9.8 million
- Total expenses: $5.6 million
- Investment income and dividends: $676,570
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $5.3 million
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $58.5 million in 2010 to $94.7 million in 2023.
Staffing: The foundation operates with 1 employee.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $98,201,406 | $94,689,252 | $93,013,788 |
| Revenue | $5,206,026 | $9,772,442 | $12,858,912 |
| Expenses | $5,825,513 | $5,649,188 | $6,051,782 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,370,971 | $5,175,744 | $5,359,142 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,040,735 | $9,568,324 | $12,381,745 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,680,444 | $4,506,899 | $4,876,387 |
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
249 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Living Classrooms Foundation ($375,000), Chesapeake Bay Foundation ($350,000), Habitat for Humanity ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMERS ASSOCIATION TIMONIUM, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $50,000 |
| ASSOCIATED CATHOLIC CHARITIES INC BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $100,000 |
| ATHLETES SERVING ATHLETES LUTHERVILLE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $25,000 |
| AVALON FOUNDATION EASTON, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $10,000 |
| BALTIMORE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $75,000 |
| BALTIMORE EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP TRUST INC BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $40,000 |
| BALTIMORE HOMECOMING INC BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $25,000 |
| BALTIMORE HUNGER PROJECT TIMONIUM, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $20,000 |
| BALTIMORE SQUASHWISE INC BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $100,000 |
| B'MORE CLUBHOUSE BALTIMORE, MD | ENDOWMENT FUND | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Isobel Cleland – President & Secretary (serves without compensation)
- Samantha Cleland – Vice President ($125,000 annual compensation)
- Jeffrey L Hill – Treasurer (serves without compensation)
- Bruce Cleland – Co-founder (retired president and CEO of Campbell & Co.; deceased as of August 2021)
The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAMANTHA CLELAND | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | $125,000 |
| ISOBEL CLELAND | PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY L HILL | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 1 W Pennsylvania Ave Ste 800, Towson, MD 21204-5032
- Telephone: 410-337-7575
- EIN: 20-1850543
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Orokawa Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's giving priorities include: • **Leukemia and lymphoma research** (primary focus) • **Camp for children with life-threatening illnesses** • Health associations • Human services • Education • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from The Orokawa Foundation Inc?
**Grant Activity:** • Total grants made: 206 grants totaling $19.8 million (as of available records) • Annual distribution: Between $4.6 million and $5.4 million annually from 2020 to 2023 • Highest grantmaking activity in 2022 with $5.4 million distributed across 50 grants • Most recent year (2023): 51 grants totaling $5.2 million **Grant Sizes:** • Median grant: $40,000–$45,000 • Average grant: $96,000 • Range: $250 to $1.2 million • Individual grants have included awards such as $350,000 (Ch…
Where does The Orokawa Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in Maryland, with significant grantmaking activity in: • Maryland (primary focus) • Illinois • New York • North Carolina • California • Colorado • Washington Maryland, Illinois, and New York account for 82% of all grants. The foundation has supported 79 unique organizations.
What size grants does The Orokawa Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Orokawa Foundation Inc awarded 58 grants totaling $5.4M — an average of about $93K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Orokawa Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Orokawa Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Orokawa Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Orokawa Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1850543. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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