Gary And Pennie Abramson Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2.5-2.8 million
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: Rolling basis
• Grant Range: Varies (average ~$26,000; up to $125,000+)
• Geographic Focus: Maryland, Florida, New York, with national/international reach

Contact Details

• Website: None
• Phone: Not publicly available
• Email: Not publicly available
• Address: 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard, Ninth Floor, Rockville, MD 20852

Overview

The Gary and Pennie Abramson Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1999 with assets of approximately $47 million. The foundation distributes $2.5-2.8 million annually to charitable organizations across education, healthcare, and human services sectors, with particular emphasis on Jewish causes and Israeli institutions. Founded by real estate executive Gary Abramson and his wife Pennie, who serves as President of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, the foundation operates through trustee discretion without accepting unsolicited applications. Their philanthropic approach combines major institutional support with smaller community grants, focusing on organizations within their established network.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single discretionary grant program:

• General Charitable Grants: Varies from smaller amounts to $125,000+ (distributed at trustee discretion)
• Application method: Pre-selected organizations only; no public application process

Priority Areas

• Education (higher education, scientific research, scholarships)
• Healthcare institutions and medical research
• Jewish organizations and Israeli institutions
• Human services and social welfare
• Arts and cultural organizations

What They Don't Fund

• Organizations not known to the trustees
• Unsolicited grant requests
• Individual requests

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

• Gary M. Abramson - Partner in The Tower Companies, Chairman Emeritus of American University Board, Chairman of Heifetz International School of Music, Member of International Board of Weizmann Institute of Science
• Pennie M. Abramson - President of American Committee for Weizmann Institute of Science, Member of International Board of Weizmann Institute, PhD honoris causa from Weizmann Institute (2010)

The foundation operates with no employees and is managed directly by the two trustees from their Rockville, Maryland office.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. According to their IRS filings, the foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are awarded through trustee discretion to organizations with pre-existing relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

Organizations seeking support should focus on building relationships through the trustees' known affiliations:

• Gary serves on boards at American University and Heifetz International School of Music
• Pennie leads the American Committee for Weizmann Institute of Science's Mid-Atlantic region
• Both are active in Jewish philanthropic circles in the Washington DC area
• The Abramsons attend events at organizations they already support, particularly in education and healthcare sectors

Decision Timeline

Grants are made on a rolling basis throughout the year with no fixed deadlines or formal review schedule.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only funding model.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations receive ongoing support based on trustee relationships.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation only funds pre-selected organizations, success depends entirely on existing relationships with the trustees. Based on their giving patterns:

• Organizations in their recent grant portfolio include Greater Miami Jewish Federation ($125,000), Suburban Hospital Foundation ($100,000), and World Jewish Relief USA ($100,000)
• The foundation provides primarily unrestricted operating support, indicating trust in organizational leadership
• Multi-year relationships are common with favored organizations
• Major gifts tend to go to institutions where the trustees have board involvement or deep personal connections
• The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make transformational gifts, such as funding an entire residence hall at Weizmann Institute

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only funder with no public application process
• Focus areas strongly align with Jewish causes, higher education, and healthcare in Maryland/DC area
• Building relationships through the trustees' existing affiliations is the only path to funding
• The foundation prefers unrestricted operating support over project-specific grants
• Average grant size is approximately $26,000 but can exceed $125,000 for major initiatives
• Gary Abramson's business connections through The Tower Companies may provide networking opportunities
• The foundation maintains consistent annual giving despite market fluctuations

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Form 990-PF filings for EIN 52-2102799 (2011-2023)
• IRS Form 990-PF filed November 13, 2024 (Tax Year 2023)
• Weizmann Institute of Science - Donor Recognition Pages (accessed February 7, 2026)
• The Tower Companies - Gary Abramson Executive Biography (accessed February 7, 2026)
• American Committee for Weizmann Institute of Science - Leadership Profiles (accessed February 7, 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory - Gary And Pennie Abramson Charitable Foundation Profile (accessed February 7, 2026)