The Ward Oaks Foundation concentrates its giving on institutions that build local community capacity and youth opportunity, with a particularly large commitment to independent K–12 education. While a single large gift dominates the portfolio, remaining grants support community foundations, youth development through sports and parks, regional conservation, health, and arts organizations — often as general/unrestricted support. Grantees span local Maryland organizations and a handful of regional or national cultural and conservation groups, suggesting a blend of place-based and interest-driven philanthropy.
A $200,000 general-purpose grant to McDonogh School Inc stands out as the largest recent gift from The Ward Oaks Foundation Inc and points to a clear commitment to independent K–12 education. Beyond that anchor, the foundation backs a mix of community infrastructure and youth-serving organizations, with grants to Roland Park Community Foundation Inc, Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation Inc, and Chesapeake Charities reflecting a place-based interest in Maryland institutions. The portfolio also reaches into sports, parks, conservation, and arts organizations, including Portland Community Squash, Maine Conservation Alliance, Parks & People Inc, New York Theatre Workshop, and Sundance Institute. Most awards in the recent file are general purpose, which suggests flexible support rather than tightly restricted project funding. The pattern is not confined to one type of institution: schools, health-related charities, community foundations, and cultural groups all appear among recipients. Taken together, the grants show a funder that combines a major school investment with smaller, recurring support for civic, youth, and cultural organizations.
Independent education is a central thread in the recent record, led by the $200,000 general-purpose grant to McDonogh School Inc. Community foundations and civic intermediaries are another visible area: Roland Park Community Foundation Inc received $50,000 for general purposes, and Chesapeake Charities received $6,400 for the same broad use. Youth development appears through support for Elite Women of Excellence, which received $31,500, and through Portland Community Squash, which was funded in both 2023 and 2024 at $10,900 each year. The foundation also supports conservation and the arts, with grants to Maine Conservation Alliance, New York Theatre Workshop, and Sundance Institute all described as general-purpose support.
The recent grants cluster around a median size of $10,000, with a lower quartile of $6,400 and an upper quartile of $25,000. That spread is shaped by one outsized award, but the rest of the portfolio sits in a smaller, repeatable range. Portland Community Squash appears in both 2023 and 2024, showing at least one recurring recipient. The foundation makes program-related investments and is not a funder of individuals. Recent awards are generally listed as general-purpose support, indicating flexible grants rather than narrowly restricted project awards.
$257K
$4.2M
$116K
$499K
Most grants fall between $6K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 46% of grants go to recipients in TX.
MICHAEL FALCONE
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Concentrated giving with one very large education grant alongside multiple small-to-mid sized, mostly unrestricted general purpose grants; mix of repeat modest support (some grantees funded more than once) and one-off gifts; geographically centered on Maryland but with select regional and national cultural/conservation recipients.
Notable grantees: McDonogh School Inc, Roland Park Community Foundation Inc, Portland Community Squash, Parks & People Inc, Maine Conservation Alliance
Giving is regional and lands entirely in the US in the recent sample. Maryland receives the largest share of grants by count, including recipients in Owings Mills, Baltimore, Bel Air, Middle River, and Stevensville. Outside Maryland, the foundation gave to organizations in Portland, Maine; Augusta, Maine; New York, New York; Park City, Utah; Smyrna, Georgia; and Austin, Texas. The recipient map shows a broad Mid-Atlantic core with additional grants reaching a few other states.
The recent grants include an independent K–12 school, community foundations, a health foundation, a squash program, a conservation alliance, and arts institutions. Examples include McDonogh School Inc, Roland Park Community Foundation Inc, Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation Inc, Portland Community Squash, Maine Conservation Alliance, New York Theatre Workshop, and Sundance Institute.
Typical awards are modest relative to the $200,000 peak grant: the p25 is $6,400, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $25,000. That pattern indicates a portfolio with one very large award and many smaller general-purpose grants.
Yes. Portland Community Squash appears in both 2023 and 2024, with $10,900 granted in each year. Most other recipients in the recent list appear once, but that repeated award shows at least some ongoing support.
Most grants by count go to Texas? No—the top state by grant count is Texas only in the overall data, but the recent grant list is dominated by Maryland recipients. Maryland organizations appear in Owings Mills, Baltimore, Bel Air, Middle River, and Stevensville, while grants outside Maryland go to a handful of other U.S. states.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCDONOGH SCHOOL INC | OWINGS MILLS, MD | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ELITE WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE | SMYRNA, GA | $31,500 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PORTLAND COMMUNITY SQUASH | PORTLAND, ME | $10,900 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SUNDANCE INSTITUTE | PARK CITY, UT | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| SHALOM AUSTIN | TEXAS, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| ROLAND PARK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| UPPER CHESAPEAKE HEALTH FOUNDATION INC | BEL AIR, MD | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PORTLAND COMMUNITY SQUASH | PORTLAND, ME | $10,900 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| PARKS & PEOPLE INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MAINE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE | AUGUSTA, ME | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| MICHAEL ZITO FOUNDATION | MIDDLE RIVER, MD | $10,000 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
| CHESAPEAKE CHARITIES | STEVENSVILLE, MD | $6,400 | 2023 | GENERAL PURPOSE |
MCDONOGH SCHOOL INC
$200,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ELITE WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE
$31,500GENERAL PURPOSE
PORTLAND COMMUNITY SQUASH
$10,900GENERAL PURPOSE
SUNDANCE INSTITUTE
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
SHALOM AUSTIN
$5,000GENERAL PURPOSE
ROLAND PARK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC
GENERAL PURPOSE
UPPER CHESAPEAKE HEALTH FOUNDATION INC
$25,000GENERAL PURPOSE
PORTLAND COMMUNITY SQUASH
$10,900GENERAL PURPOSE
PARKS & PEOPLE INC
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MAINE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
MICHAEL ZITO FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL PURPOSE
CHESAPEAKE CHARITIES
$6,400GENERAL PURPOSE