Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: $7,518,108 (2024)
- Success Rate: Not publicly available
- Decision Time: Not publicly available
- Grant Range: Not publicly available
- Geographic Focus: Likely national (based in Bethesda, MD)
Contact Details
- Website: None identified
- Phone: Not publicly available
- Email: Not publicly available
- Mailing Address: Bethesda, MD
Overview
The Solon E. Summerfield Foundation Inc. is a private foundation established in 1942 and based in Bethesda, Maryland. With total assets of approximately $33.8 million, the foundation distributes over $7.5 million annually in charitable grants. As a private foundation operating for over 80 years, it maintains a significant endowment primarily invested in securities that generate dividend income and capital gains to support its philanthropic activities. The foundation operates without a public-facing website or published grant guidelines, suggesting a more traditional approach to philanthropy focused on trustee-directed giving.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
Specific grant programs and amounts are not publicly disclosed. The foundation distributed $7,518,108 in charitable disbursements in 2024.
Priority Areas
Funding priorities are not publicly disclosed. Grant-making appears to be at the discretion of the board of directors.
What They Don't Fund
No public information available regarding funding exclusions.
Governance and Leadership
The foundation is governed by a five-member board of directors, each receiving modest compensation of $5,000 annually:
- Cynthia Rivera Weissblum - Director, President
- Karen P. Balliett - Director, Vice President
- Anne E. Treeger - Director, Secretary
- Mark A. Cogen - Director, Treasurer
- Randolph Moore - Director
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
This funder does not have a public application process. Grants appear to be awarded through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships.
Decision Timeline
Not publicly available
Success Rates
Not publicly available
Reapplication Policy
Not publicly available
Application Success Factors
Without published guidelines or a public application process, organizations seeking support from the Solon E. Summerfield Foundation would need to establish connections with board members or be identified through the foundation's own research and network. The substantial annual giving of over $7.5 million suggests active grant-making, though the specific focus areas and selection criteria remain private.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- Private foundation with no public application process - grants awarded through trustee discretion
- Substantial annual giving capacity of over $7.5 million
- Long-established foundation operating since 1942
- Board consists of five directors who oversee all grant decisions
- No website or public grant guidelines available
- Organizations would need existing relationships or connections to be considered for funding
References
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Solon E Summerfield Foundation Inc (EIN: 13-1797260) - Accessed January 2026
- IRS Form 990 Data via ProPublica (2024 filing)
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