William S Abell Foundation Inc
The William S. Abell Foundation is a private family foundation headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Established in 1985 by William S. Abell and Patricia O'Callaghan Abell, the foundation supports qualified organizations providing aid to people in need in the District of Columbia and nearby Maryland counties. The foundation's resources were significantly expanded by a generous bequest from Margaret Abell Powell, which included funding to support ballet and theater activities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$77.7M
+5.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.8M
-12.4% YoY
Grant Count
81
-17.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$34K
+5.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William S Abell Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The William S. Abell Foundation operates on strictly Catholic principles and provides grants to organizations and programs supporting specific populations in need:
- Hunger Relief & Food Security — Community organizations providing meal programs, meal transport to individuals, and food pantries
- Homelessness — Homeless shelters and transitional housing programs
- Domestic Violence — Emergency services for abused women and children, including social services, housing, financial support, health services, and crisis counseling
- At-Risk Pregnancies — Programs providing prenatal services, general health services including physician and obstetric nursing services
- Intellectual Disabilities — Support programs for persons with intellectual disabilities
- Arts — Ballet and theater activities
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$1,000 to $154,880
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations serving:
- Washington, DC
- Maryland counties: Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $73,635,586
- Total Annual Giving: $3,650,954
- Total Revenue: $1,716,350
- Total Expenses: $4,137,748
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $77,718,218 | $73,635,586 | $68,673,025 |
| Revenue | $1,566,980 | $1,716,350 | $2,936,462 |
| Expenses | $3,558,674 | $4,137,748 | $4,383,476 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,294,584 | $3,650,954 | $3,893,746 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,291,591 | $482,608 | $2,581,495 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,792,662 | $3,525,137 | $3,465,574 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jubilee Association of Maryland ($225,000), Capital Area Food Bank ($125,000), Mamatoto Village Inc ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A WIDER CIRCLE INC SILVER SPRING, MD | HOMELESS GRANT & HOMELESSNESS GRANT | $75,000 |
| AMERICAN MUSLIM SENIOR SOCIETY SILVER SPRING, MD | HUNGRY GRANT | $35,000 |
| ARCADIA CENTER ALEXANDRIA, VA | HUNGRY GRANT | $30,300 |
| ART ENABLES WASHINGTON, DC | INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES GRANT | $26,000 |
| ARTSTREAM INC ROCKVILLE, MD | INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES GRANT | $31,000 |
| ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEGAL RESOURCE WASHINGTON, DC | ABUSED WOMEN & CHILDREN GRANT | $26,000 |
| BARKER FOUNDATION INC BETHESDA, MD | NEEDY PREGNANT WOMEN GRANT | $25,000 |
| BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL INC BALTIMORE, MD | INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES GRANT | $25,000 |
| BISHOP JOHN T WALKER SCHOOL FOR BOYS WASHINGTON, DC | HUNGRY GRANT | $25,000 |
| BRIGHT BEGINNINGS INC WASHINGTON, DC | HOMELESS GRANT | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees:
- Alicia Abell
- Charles Abell
- Luke Abell
- Mary Kathryn Nolan
- Michael Nolan
- Elizabeth Sites
- Jamison Sites
- Aryn Castle
- Christina Castle
- Cindy Work Abell
- Cleo Schneider
- Greg Abell
- Jennifer Shoop
Officers:
- Christina Castle, President (5 hours/week)
- Eleanor Nurmi, Vice President (8 hours/week)
- Janet R. Miller, Executive Director (40 hours/week, compensation: $226,109)
- Janet Miller, Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARYN CASTLE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINA CASTLE | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| CINDY WORK ABELL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CLEO SCHNEIDER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELEANOR NURMI | VICE PRESIDENT | 8 | — |
| ELIZABETH SITES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| GREG ABELL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JAMISON SITES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JANET R MILLER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $215,209 |
| JENNIFER SHOOP | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JESSICA GANJAMIE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KELLEY ABELL | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| KEVIN O'C ABELL | TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| LANDON SHOOP | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MAY KATHRYN NOLAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MIKE NOLAN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 890 Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Phone: 301-652-2224 or (240) 835-1831
Fax: 301-652-9173
Website: williamsabellfoundation.org
EIN: 52-1435573
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William S Abell Foundation Inc fund?
The William S. Abell Foundation operates on strictly Catholic principles and provides grants to organizations and programs supporting specific populations in need: • **Hunger Relief & Food Security** — Community organizations providing meal programs, meal transport to individuals, and food pantries • **Homelessness** — Homeless shelters and transitional housing programs • **Domestic Violence** — Emergency services for abused women and children, including social services, housing, financial supp…
How do I apply for a grant from William S Abell Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $1,000 to $154,880 • Median grant amount: $26,200 • Grants typically do not exceed $25,000 • Grants are not made to individuals • 197 grants awarded (most recent data) • Giving rate: 5.1% **Grant Programs:** • Homeless Grant — $32,575 average, 47 recipients (last awarded 2023) • Hungry Grant — $28,222 average, 34 recipients (last awarded 2023) • Intellectual Disabilities Grant — $27,857 average, 21 recipients (last awarded 2023) • Needy Pregnant Women G…
Where does William S Abell Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation supports organizations serving: • Washington, DC • Maryland counties: Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's
What size grants does William S Abell Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, William S Abell Foundation Inc awarded 81 grants totaling $2.8M — an average of about $34K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William S Abell Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William S Abell Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William S Abell Foundation Inc's EIN?
William S Abell Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1435573. 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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