The William J J Gordon Family Foundation
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations working in areas including global health and development, youth, immigrant legal services, animal rescue, and homelessness.
Key facts about The William J J Gordon Family Foundation
In short: The William J J Gordon Family Foundation gave $455K across 124 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), top state Maine. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 41-6517207
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $454,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 124
- Average grant
- $3,665
- Median grant
- $2,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (15 of 112, 2024)
- Total assets
- $5,844,335
- Primary geography
- Maine (36% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.8M
+4.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$455K
+2.6% YoY
Grant Count
124
-13.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+19.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William J J Gordon Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $480K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The William J J Gordon Family Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 112 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 81% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 recipients included organizations with varied missions. The Clear Fund says GiveWell identifies and funds giving opportunities in global health and development. Harlem Lacrosse says it empowers youth from underserved communities through academic support, mentorship, and lacrosse. The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project says it helps low-income immigrants improve their legal status and works for more just and humane laws and policies. 13 Hands Equine Rescue says it rescues horses and places them for adoption, while Mobile Loaves & Fishes says it provides food and clothing and promotes dignity for people experiencing homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 124 grants totaling $454,500. Grants ranged from $336 to $30,000, with a median of $2,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Maine received 36% of grant dollars, Texas 13%, New York 12%, California 8%, and Oregon 6%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 124 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $425K (2020) to $570K (2021). In 2024 it made 124 grants totaling $455K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Clear Fund ($30K). Together the top 10 received $154K.
Grant Size Distribution
602 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 602 grants of 602 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Clear Fund Oakland, CA | The Top Charities Fund | $30,000 |
| Jackson Hole Childrens Museum Jackson, WY | General & Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation New York, NY | for Boston Harlem lacrosse contingent to cover cost of busses for PLL game; the rest to be used at director's discretion | $15,000 |
| Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project Portland, ME | General & Unrestricted | $12,000 |
| Partners in Health a Nonprofit Corporation Frederick, MD | General & Unrestricted | $12,000 |
| 13 Hands Equine Rescue Inc Clinton Corners, NY | General & Unrestricted | $10,500 |
| A Mainehealth HCSR Portland, ME | Charitable Event | $10,000 |
| Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation New York, NY | for the Boston location to be used at Pat Cronin discretion | $10,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of the Texas Capital Region Inc Austin, TX | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New New York, NY | to support the Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, at the discretion of the Director of Translational Research, currently Dr. Frederica Perera | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants | Total grant dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 124 | $454,500 |
| 2023 | 144 | $443,000 |
| 2022 | 108 | $452,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,844,335 | $5,608,690 | $5,629,887 |
| Revenue | $858,293 | $571,718 | $309,228 |
| Expenses | $622,648 | $592,915 | $623,645 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $509,685 | $494,855 | $504,459 |
| Net Investment Income | $751,121 | $475,219 | $207,756 |
| Distributable Amount | $480,232 | $422,843 | $423,617 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 7, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Gordon and G David Phelps Hamar as trustees.
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
G David Phelps Hamar
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$16K (2020) → $19K (2024)
Elizabeth Gordon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $19K, to G David Phelps Hamar (Trustee).
Contact
Mailing address: G D Phelps Hamar 300 Park Av Fl 19, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (434) 981-2080
Frequently asked questions about The William J J Gordon Family Foundation
How much does The William J J Gordon Family Foundation give each year?
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation gave $455K across 124 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $443K across 144 grants.
What is The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $3,665, across 124 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The William J J Gordon Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The William J J Gordon Family Foundation give grants?
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's top state is Maine, with 36% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (13%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (13 grants), Portland, ME (10 grants), Kennebunk, ME (10 grants) and Portland, OR (7 grants).
Does The William J J Gordon Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (99 of 124) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Hardship Assistance Grant" (4 grants).
Who are The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Clear Fund ($30,000), Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation ($25,000 across 2 grants) and Jackson Hole Childrens Museum ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The William J J Gordon Family Foundation?
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation reported $5.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $510K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $480K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The William J J Gordon Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 recipients included organizations with varied missions. The Clear Fund says GiveWell identifies and funds giving opportunities in global health and development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The William J J Gordon Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 William J J Gordon Family Foundation's EIN?
The William J J Gordon Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-6517207. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The William J J Gordon Family Foundation 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.
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