WSFS Cares Foundation
The WSFS CARES Foundation is the charitable giving arm of WSFS Bank, based in Wilmington, Delaware. It is a private foundation that supports qualified nonprofit service organizations in its regional footprint, with funding focused on community improvement, inclusion and diversity, and the foundation’s stated areas of focus.
WSFS Cares Foundation at a glance
In short: WSFS Cares Foundation gave $2.7M across 323 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,711,908
- -0.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 323
- +32200.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,396
- -99.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $12,253,619
- +31.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (51% 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 WSFS Cares Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing lists no required form or materials. The foundation’s website directs applicants to its grant and sponsorship application portal.
- Review Cycle
- The website listed October 1 as the deadline for 2026 funding requests. That deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- The website listed October 1 as the deadline for 2026 funding requests.
- Contact
Application contact: Vernita Dorsey
Mailing address: 500 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 571-5277
Email: vdorsey@wsfsbank.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from WSFS Cares Foundation
Who WSFS Cares Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Be Ready Community Development Corporation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $643K.
Grant Size Distribution
996 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 972 grants of 996 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its service area as ten counties across Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, within the Greater Philadelphia and Delaware regions. The 2024 filing restricts awards to those three states. In 2024, 51% of grant dollars went to Pennsylvania recipients, 40% to Delaware recipients, and 9% to New Jersey recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 323 itemized grants.
Cities
How WSFS Cares Foundation gives
- Giving grew 53% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 434% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $475K (2020) to $2.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 323 grants totaling $2.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Be Ready Community Development Corporation Wilmington, DE | Affordable Housing | $100,000 |
| Teensharp - Wilmington DE Wilmington, DE | Education & Leadership Development | $100,000 |
| Pathways to Success Inc Georgetown, DE | Strengthening Those in Need (Health & Human Services) | $80,000 |
| Distance Learning Center Inc Philadelphia, PA | Education & Leadership Development | $55,000 |
| Delaware Prosperity Partnership Inc Wilmington, DE | Revitalization and Business Economic Empowerment | $50,000 |
| Delaware Prosperity Partnership Inc Wilmington, DE | Revitalization and Business Economic Empowerment | $50,000 |
| Philadelphia Academies Philadelphia, PA | Education & Leadership Development | $50,000 |
| United Way of Delaware Wilmington, DE | Affordable Housing | $40,000 |
| United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern NJ Philadelphia, PA | Strengthening Those in Need (Health & Human Services) | $40,000 |
| Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School Philadelphia, PA | Education & Leadership Development | $38,000 |
Ready to take the next step with WSFS Cares Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing reports 323 grants in 2024 and 348 in 2022. For 2023, it reports one grant.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,253,619 | $5,697,368 | $2,794,012 | $2,711,908 | 323 | $2,711,908 | $310,509 | $625,121 |
| 2023 | $9,350,263 | $3,305,158 | $2,946,940 | $2,719,328 | 1 | $2,719,328 | $201,945 | $459,195 |
| 2022 | $9,037,633 | $3,117,359 | $2,632,790 | $2,449,270 | 348 | $2,499,367 | $225,555 | $472,814 |
| 2021 | $8,682,388 | $1,163,294 | $2,012,425 | $1,774,967 | 315 | $1,904,641 | $131,910 | $317,451 |
| 2020 | $1,117,742 | $62,018 | $485,916 | $474,693 | 9 | — | $51,965 | $75,508 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, WSFS Cares Foundation reported a distributable amount of $625K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support qualified nonprofit service organizations in its regional footprint that work to improve communities, foster inclusion and diversity, and align with its transformational vision. Its focus areas are community investment; affordable housing; revitalization and business economic empowerment; education and leadership development; and services for those in need. It says grants support initiatives that are innovative, creative, sustainable, and replicable.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work funded. Be Ready Community Development Corporation, which received $100,000 in 2024, describes its work as providing housing, education, social services, recreation, and economic development to revitalize local communities and serve at-risk youth and families. Pathways to Success, which received $80,000, says it prepares youth, adults, and families for successful lives through academic, personal, and career-development programs. Distance Learning Center, which received $55,000, says its STEMPrep project aims to prepare minority students to become researchers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. Philadelphia Academies, which received $50,000, describes its work as improving outcomes for Philadelphia’s young people.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 323 grants totaling $2,711,908. Awards ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $5,000. The foundation’s 2025 community impact report states that WSFS donated over $3.4 million to more than 500 organizations that year; this figure covers grants and donations.
Among the largest reported 2024 awards were $100,000 to Be Ready Community Development Corporation and $100,000 to TeenSHARP; $80,000 to Pathways to Success; $55,000 to Distance Learning Center; $50,000 to Philadelphia Academies; $40,000 to United Way of Delaware; and $38,000 to Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School. The filing also lists two $50,000 grants to Delaware Prosperity Partnership.
The 2024 filing says there is no prescribed application form or required materials and identifies Vernita Dorsey as the contact. It states that awards are restricted to Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patrick Ward as president, Vernita Dorsey as vice president, Robert Juliano as secretary, and Michael Griffe as treasurer. Directors listed are Ron Dutton, Justin Dunn, Jennifer Davis, Elizabeth Wagner, Robert Schneider, and Karen Bucholz.
WSFS Cares Foundation is led by Patrick Ward, President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); 1 of 15 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patrick Ward
President
Board Member → President, 2022
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Davis
Director
Director → Board Member, 2021
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Candice Caruso
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Olsen
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Bucholz
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Malina Robbins
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Acevado
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Schneider
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ron Dutton
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terence Young
Director
Board Member → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Wagner
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justin Dunn
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Juliano
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
$6K (2024)
Vernita Dorsey
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Griffe
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Richard Wright (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Charles Mosher (2020) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $6K, to Robert Juliano (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about WSFS Cares Foundation
How much does WSFS Cares Foundation give each year?
WSFS Cares Foundation gave $2.7M across 323 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.7M across 1 grant.
What is WSFS Cares Foundation's typical grant size?
WSFS Cares Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $8,396, across 323 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does WSFS Cares Foundation give grants?
WSFS Cares Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Delaware (40%) and New Jersey (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (120 grants), Wilmington, DE (61 grants), Camden, NJ (9 grants) and Newark, DE (9 grants).
Does WSFS Cares Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 323 grants with a stated purpose on WSFS Cares Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education & Leadership Development" (117 grants), "Strengthening Those in Need (Health & Human Services)" (116 grants) and "Affordable Housing" (33 grants).
Who are WSFS Cares Foundation's largest grantees?
WSFS Cares Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Be Ready Community Development Corporation ($100,000), Delaware Prosperity Partnership Inc ($100,000 across 2 grants) and Teensharp - Wilmington DE ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is WSFS Cares Foundation?
WSFS Cares Foundation reported $12.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $625K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does WSFS Cares Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support qualified nonprofit service organizations in its regional footprint that work to improve communities, foster inclusion and diversity, and align with its transformational vision. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from WSFS Cares Foundation?
The 2024 filing lists no required form or materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is WSFS Cares Foundation's EIN?
WSFS Cares Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-4229063. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in WSFS Cares Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). WSFS Cares Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wsfs-cares-foundation-morg_fd847f1e209c45b6894ed2f1b743ccf9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_134229063_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{WSFS Cares Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wsfs-cares-foundation-morg_fd847f1e209c45b6894ed2f1b743ccf9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 WSFS Cares Foundation'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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