The Ralph and Shirley Klein
The Ralph and Shirley Klein is a private foundation based in Forest Hill, Maryland. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Maryland.
The Ralph and Shirley Klein at a glance
In short: The Ralph and Shirley Klein gave $376K across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in Maryland. 35% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $376,115
- +6.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- +27.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,353
- -16.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,461,093
- +8.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (8 of 23, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (94% 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 Ralph and Shirley Klein
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2011 Klein Plaza Dr, Forest Hill, MD 21050
Phone: (410) 515-9303
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ralph and Shirley Klein funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation ($113K). Together the top 10 received $338K.
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 97 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grants were concentrated in Maryland: the reported share of grant dollars was 94% for Maryland recipients, 5% for New York, 1% for Texas, and 1% for North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Ralph and Shirley Klein open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 23 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 127% 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 $306K (2022) to $626K (2021). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $376K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation Bel Air, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $112,500 |
| McDonogh School Owing Mills, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $90,865 |
| Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore Baltimore, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $50,000 |
| John Carroll School Bel Air, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $20,000 |
| Harford Day School Bel Air, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $17,500 |
| The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland Baltimore, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $15,500 |
| Harlem Lacrosse New York, NY | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $10,000 |
| Jewish National Fund Pikesville, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $8,500 |
| Ladew Gardens Monkton, MD | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $7,500 |
| Friends of the Israel Defense Forces New York, NY | To Further the Organization's Exempt Purpose. | $6,000 |
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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 | $4,461,093 | $798,727 | $432,734 | $376,115 | 23 | $376,115 | $363,730 | $296,606 |
| 2023 | $4,095,100 | $787,202 | $390,886 | $353,915 | 18 | $353,915 | $358,240 | $258,253 |
| 2022 | $3,698,784 | $516,290 | $342,557 | $306,250 | 20 | $306,250 | $89,082 | $251,562 |
| 2021 | $3,525,051 | $510,939 | $659,219 | $625,750 | 21 | $625,750 | $85,069 | $250,912 |
| 2020 | $3,673,331 | $583,900 | $569,715 | $539,110 | 15 | — | $160,944 | $227,769 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ralph and Shirley Klein reported a distributable amount of $297K 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
The foundation’s mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants went to organizations in areas including healthcare, education, Jewish community life, wildlife protection, and humanitarian aid. For example, Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation describes its work as supporting improvements to healthcare services in Harford County, while McDonogh School describes itself as a college-preparatory school. Jewish National Fund says it works to build a prosperous future for Israel and its people, and Susquehannock Wildlife Society says it works to protect wildlife.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $376,115. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $112,500, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest reported grants included $112,500 to Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation, $90,865 to McDonogh School, $50,000 to Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore, $20,000 to John Carroll School, and $17,500 to Harford Day School. Other recipients included Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland ($15,500), Harlem Lacrosse ($10,000), Jewish National Fund ($8,500), Ladew Gardens ($7,500), and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ($6,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael J. Klein as president, Marshall J. Klein as vice president, and Jacob I. Klein as secretary/treasurer.
The Ralph and Shirley Klein is led by Michael J. Klein, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael J. Klein
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marshall J. Klein
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacob I. Klein
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Howard S. Klein (2020) — Secretary & Treasurer
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 Ralph and Shirley Klein
How much does The Ralph and Shirley Klein give each year?
The Ralph and Shirley Klein gave $376K across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $354K across 18 grants.
What is The Ralph and Shirley Klein's typical grant size?
The Ralph and Shirley Klein's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $16,353, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ralph and Shirley Klein that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Ralph and Shirley Klein give grants?
The Ralph and Shirley Klein gives mostly in Maryland: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (5 grants), Bel Air, MD (4 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Who are The Ralph and Shirley Klein's largest grantees?
The Ralph and Shirley Klein's largest 2024 grantees include Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation ($112,500), McDonogh School ($90,865) and Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ralph and Shirley Klein?
The Ralph and Shirley Klein reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $376K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $297K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ralph and Shirley Klein fund?
The foundation’s mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grants went to organizations in areas including healthcare, education, Jewish community life, wildlife protection, and humanitarian aid. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ralph and Shirley Klein?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ralph and Shirley Klein's EIN?
The Ralph and Shirley Klein's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1763518. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ralph and Shirley Klein accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 Ralph and Shirley Klein funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ralph-and-shirley-klein-morg_96db180b0bb347ba9191c9db18f96061
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521763518_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ralph and Shirley Klein funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ralph-and-shirley-klein-morg_96db180b0bb347ba9191c9db18f96061},
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 Ralph and Shirley Klein'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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