Welfare Foundation Inc
Welfare Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Formed in 1930 by Pierre S. du Pont, it uses its financial assets and the income they generate to promote social welfare in Delaware and southern Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Welfare Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Welfare Foundation Inc gave $4.7M across 69 grants in 2024 (avg $68K), mostly in Delaware. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,679,375
- -14.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 69
- -2.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $67,817
- -12.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $106,741,777
- +35.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Delaware (87% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Welfare Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its online application system and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. As of 2025, applicants must meet with Foundation staff before submitting an application; staff provide a code required to access the portal. The application checklist calls for an organizational overview, including founding date, mission, services, and demographics served. The Foundation does not provide routine funding: prior recipients must wait at least three years before applying again, unless they have an emergency need and contact the Foundation to arrange a meeting. Awards are limited to Delaware and eligible areas of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania.
- Review Cycle
- The Spring Cycle deadline is April 15 and the Fall Cycle deadline is October 15. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST. Trustees review Spring applications in early June and Fall applications in early December; applicants are typically notified within two weeks of the meeting.
- Deadline
- The Spring Cycle deadline is April 15 and the Fall Cycle deadline is October 15.
- Contact
Application contact: Chris Grundner
Mailing address: 100 W 10Th Street Suite 1109, Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 683-8245
Website: https://welfarefoundationde.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 Welfare Foundation Inc
Who Welfare Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Kingswood Community Center Inc ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($15,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
269 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 269 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Delaware is the Foundation’s primary geographic focus. It also considers organizations serving southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, as defined by the United Way of Southern Chester County. In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in Delaware and 10% to recipients in Pennsylvania; smaller shares went to Maryland and California, with a reported less than 1% to Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
Cities
How Welfare Foundation Inc gives
- 1% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 94% 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 (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 $4.0M (2020) to $5.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 69 grants totaling $4.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kingswood Community Center Inc Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $300,000 |
| YMCA of Delaware Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $300,000 |
| Sanford School Hockessin, DE | GRANT | $200,000 |
| Children & Families First Delaware Inc Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $150,000 |
| Grand Opera House Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $150,000 |
| Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware Inc Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $150,000 |
| West End Neighborhood House Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $150,000 |
| Kennett Library Kennett Square, PA | GRANT | $125,000 |
| Latin American Community Center Wilmington, DE | GRANT | $113,000 |
| Bayhealth Foundation Dover, DE | GRANT | $100,000 |
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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 | $106,741,777 | $27,707,404 | $6,982,234 | $4,679,375 | 69 | $5,020,135 | $26,970,417 | $5,317,764 |
| 2023 | $79,032,992 | $4,894,053 | $5,995,775 | $5,472,119 | 71 | $5,790,723 | $4,113,892 | $5,006,860 |
| 2022 | $81,115,330 | $4,121,970 | $5,778,580 | $5,352,890 | 58 | $5,701,139 | $2,987,101 | $5,079,934 |
| 2021 | $84,851,268 | $6,831,685 | $6,959,881 | $5,066,226 | 70 | $5,381,664 | $6,165,825 | $6,170,621 |
| 2020 | $87,156,225 | $10,088,384 | $5,783,535 | $3,985,892 | 1 | — | $9,589,519 | $4,948,747 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Welfare Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $5.3M 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 stated mission is to promote the social welfare of people and communities in Delaware and southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Its traditional focus areas are social services, housing, health and hospitals, education, environment, civic work, and arts and humanities. It primarily funds capital projects, not endowments; program and capacity-building support is considered occasionally and accounts for less than 10% of funds in a given cycle.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Kingswood Community Center describes its mission as helping people in northeast Wilmington and surrounding communities achieve social, economic, and personal well-being. Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware says it works to strengthen neighborhoods through sustainable housing and homeownership services for low- and moderate-income households. The Grand Opera House describes its work as presenting live performances and educational programs, while Bayhealth Foundation says it raises funds for Bayhealth Medical Center’s community hospitals.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation made 69 grants totaling $4,679,375. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $300,000, with a median award of $50,000.
Among the largest 2024 awards were $300,000 each to Kingswood Community Center and YMCA of Delaware; $200,000 to Sanford School; and $150,000 each to Children & Families First Delaware, Grand Opera House, Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware, and West End Neighborhood House. Other notable awards included $125,000 to Kennett Library and $100,000 each to Bayhealth Foundation, End Community Violence Now, and Laurel Redevelopment Corporation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists E. Bradford du Pont Jr. as chairman and trustee; Christopher Grundner as president, assistant secretary, and trustee; and W. Laird Stabler as vice president and trustee. Other listed trustees are Robert H. Bolling III, Avery Stabler, Margaret L. Laird, R. Huntington Bolling, and D. Trowbridge Elliman. William L. Kitchel III is listed as treasurer and trustee, and Leatrice D. Elliman as secretary and trustee.
The Foundation’s website identifies Christopher T. Grundner as president and CEO and Kristin L. Sommers as grants associate.
Welfare Foundation Inc is led by Christopher Grundner, President, Assistant Secretary & T on every filing since 2020; 1 of 11 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christopher Grundner
President, Assistant Secretary & T
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$222K (2020) → $237K (2024)
E. Bradford Dupont Jr.
Chairman & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leatrice D. Elliman
Secretary & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret L. Laird
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert H. Bolling III
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
W. Laird Stabler
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William L. Kitchel III
Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
D. Trowbridge Elliman
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. Huntington Bolling
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brent W. Dupont
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Avery Stabler
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Avery Stabler Travis (2020–2023) — Trustee
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 $237K, to Christopher Grundner (President/Asst Secretary/T).
Frequently asked questions about Welfare Foundation Inc
How much does Welfare Foundation Inc give each year?
Welfare Foundation Inc gave $4.7M across 69 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.5M across 71 grants.
What is Welfare Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Welfare Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $67,817, across 69 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Welfare Foundation Inc give grants?
Welfare Foundation Inc gives mostly in Delaware: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Pennsylvania (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, DE (35 grants), Newark, DE (5 grants), Kennett Square, PA (3 grants) and Phoenixville, PA (3 grants).
Does Welfare Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 69 grants with a stated purpose on Welfare Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grant" (69 grants).
Who are Welfare Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Welfare Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Kingswood Community Center Inc ($300,000), YMCA of Delaware ($300,000) and Sanford School ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($15,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Welfare Foundation Inc?
Welfare Foundation Inc reported $106.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.3M (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 Welfare Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote the social welfare of people and communities in Delaware and southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Its traditional focus areas are social services, housing, health and hospitals, education, environment, civic work, and arts and humanities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Welfare Foundation Inc?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its online application system and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Welfare Foundation Inc's EIN?
Welfare Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-6015916. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Welfare Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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). Welfare Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/welfare-foundation-inc-morg_14ccce918bb54444bb71cd3d80cc465b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_516015916_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Welfare Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/welfare-foundation-inc-morg_14ccce918bb54444bb71cd3d80cc465b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Welfare Foundation Inc'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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