The Mary J Donnelly Foundation appears focused on supporting local direct-service programs for women in crisis, with its single recorded grant providing substantial unrestricted support to a Pittsburgh-area women’s shelter. Its giving is highly targeted geographically (Pittsburgh) and programmatic (shelter and services for survivors of domestic violence). This suggests a philanthropy oriented toward immediate safety and stabilization for vulnerable women in its home community.
Highly concentrated: a single, relatively large grant to one local grantee. The foundation makes targeted, one-off support rather than broad or diversified giving, emphasizing core operating needs for a specific organization.
Mary J Donnelly Foundation’s clearest pattern is sustained support for women’s crisis services in Pittsburgh. The foundation gave $50,000 in both 2025 and 2023 to Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, the largest grants in the recent record, signaling a consistent relationship with a local provider of emergency shelter and domestic violence services. That local emphasis sits alongside a broader set of Catholic and Jesuit-related grants, including support for Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Carlow University, Duquesne University, and religious or mission-based organizations such as St Paul Cathedral Parish and the Gregorian University Foundation. The foundation’s recent giving also reaches beyond Pittsburgh through grants to Catholic Relief Services, Jesuit Refugee Service, and Hope Border Institute. Most awards are structured simply as support “to further the purpose of the donee org.,” which points to flexible institutional funding rather than tightly restricted project grants. The recent record shows a small foundation with a concentrated grantmaking pattern, but one that extends from immediate human services into education, faith-based service, and international relief organizations.
Women’s crisis response is the most visible topic area in the record. Mary J Donnelly Foundation gave $50,000 to Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh in 2025 and again in 2023 for general institutional support. Education is another recurring area: the foundation awarded $20,000 to Rosemont College in 2025 and $15,000 in 2023, plus $10,000 to Oakland Catholic High School in both 2023 and 2025. Faith-linked service organizations also appear repeatedly. In 2025, the foundation gave $20,000 to Jesuit Volunteer Corps, $10,000 to Jesuit Refugee Service, and $5,000 to Just Faith Ministries. Local Catholic institutions in Pittsburgh also received support, including St Mary Magdelene Parish and St Paul Cathedral Parish.
Typical awards are tightly clustered at $5,000: the p25, median, and p75 are all $5,000. That makes the $10,000 and $20,000 grants stand out as above-pattern, while the $50,000 gifts are exceptional in the recent file. The record also shows repeat giving over multiple years to several organizations, including Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Rosemont College, Oakland Catholic High School, Carlow University, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and St Paul Cathedral Parish. The foundation is a private family foundation with no program-related investments and no individual grants recorded. Most awards are framed as unrestricted support “to further the purpose of the donee org.”
$300K
$1.9M
$291K
$332K
Most grants fall between $5K and $5K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$5K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Grantmaking is heavily centered in Pennsylvania, which accounts for 52% of grants and is the top giving state. Pittsburgh appears frequently among recipient locations, including Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, St Mary Magdelene Parish, Carlow University, Duquesne University, and several parish and school grantees. Outside Pennsylvania, the foundation has also granted to organizations in Baltimore, Washington, DC, El Paso, Brighton, Ossining, and Louisville. All recorded grants in the recent file went to US recipients.
The recent record shows support for women’s crisis services, Catholic and Jesuit-related organizations, schools, food assistance, and faith-based service groups. Named recipients include Rosemont College, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Catholic Relief Services, and Hope Border Institute.
Its typical grant size is $5,000, with p25, median, and p75 all at that level. Larger awards in the file include $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, and $50,000.
Yes. The record includes repeated support across 2023 and 2025 to Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Rosemont College, Oakland Catholic High School, Carlow University, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and St Paul Cathedral Parish.
Pennsylvania is the top giving state, with 52% of grants going to recipients in that state. Pittsburgh is the most common city among recipient locations in the recent grant list.
The grant descriptions are largely framed the same way: “to further the purpose of the donee org.” That indicates broad support for recipient organizations rather than narrowly specified project funding.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOMEN'S CENTER AND SHELTER OF GREATER PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| JESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS | PITTSBURGH, PA | $20,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ROSEMONT COLLEGE | BRYN MAWR, PA | $20,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ST MARY MAGDELENE PARISH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $15,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ST PAUL CATHEDRAL PARISH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| HOPE BORDER INSTIUTE | EL PASO, TX | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CARLOW UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | DUQUESNE, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| OAKLAND CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| FADICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $6,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA | TUCSON, AZ | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| FUTURE CHURCH | CLEVELAND, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY | BRIGHTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| MARYKNOLL LAY MISSIONERS | MARYKNOLL, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CATHOLIC EXTENSION | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| JUST FAITH MINISTRIES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| TAASC INTERNATIONAL | WASHINGTON DC, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| FOCUS ON RENEWAL | MCKEES ROCK, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY | MCCALLEN, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| HOPITAL ALBERT SCHWEITZER HAITI | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE ON CHURCH MGMT | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| VINCENTIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| MARYKNOLL SISTERS | OSSINING, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ELIZABETH SETON CENTER | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| BREAD FOR THE WORLD INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| HOLY FAMILY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $3,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| NEW WAYS MINISTRY | MT RAINIER, MD | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| NPH USA | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| DISCERNING DEACONS | DURNHAM, NC | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| MARY QUEEN OF PEACE PARISH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ANGEL'S PLACE | PITTSBURGH, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| NATIONAL CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CROWNSVILLE, MD | $2,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| FAMILY LINKS FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| WOMEN'S CENTER AND SHELTER OF GREATER PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ST MARY MAGDELENE PARISH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $15,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ROSEMONT COLLEGE | BRYN MAWR, PA | $15,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| OAKLAND CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| JESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CARLOW UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| ST PAUL CATHEDRAL PARISH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | DUQUESNE, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| FOCUS ON RENEWAL | MCKEES ROCK, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
| MARYKNOLL LAY MISSIONERS | MARYKNOLL, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG. |
WOMEN'S CENTER AND SHELTER OF GREATER PITTSBURGH
$50,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
JESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS
$20,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
ROSEMONT COLLEGE
$20,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
ST MARY MAGDELENE PARISH
$15,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
ST PAUL CATHEDRAL PARISH
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
HOPE BORDER INSTIUTE
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
CARLOW UNIVERSITY
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
OAKLAND CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
FADICA
$6,500TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
FUTURE CHURCH
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
MARYKNOLL LAY MISSIONERS
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
CATHOLIC EXTENSION
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
JUST FAITH MINISTRIES
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
TAASC INTERNATIONAL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
FOCUS ON RENEWAL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
HOPITAL ALBERT SCHWEITZER HAITI
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE ON CHURCH MGMT
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
VINCENTIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF PITTSBURGH
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
MARYKNOLL SISTERS
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
ELIZABETH SETON CENTER
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
NEW WAYS MINISTRY
$3,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
NPH USA
$2,500TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
DISCERNING DEACONS
$2,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
MARY QUEEN OF PEACE PARISH
$2,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
WOMEN'S CENTER AND SHELTER OF GREATER PITTSBURGH
$50,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
ST MARY MAGDELENE PARISH
$15,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
OAKLAND CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
JESUIT VOLUNTEER CORPS
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
ST PAUL CATHEDRAL PARISH
$10,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
FOCUS ON RENEWAL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
JESUIT REFUGEE SERVICE
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.
MARYKNOLL LAY MISSIONERS
$5,000TO FURTHER THE PURPOSE OF THE DONEE ORG.