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
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
No grants recorded for .
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
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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