Carl M. Freeman Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation is best suited to nonprofits based in Montgomery County, Maryland, or Sussex County, Delaware, as its geographic focus and priority area is the Maryland and Delaware area.
- Most of its support runs through FACES grants, awarded twice a year via online application by fixed deadlines, with stated grants of $2,500 to $10,000, so a request in that range is realistic; typical grants across its filings range from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000, so keep expectations modest.
- Its Legacy Grants start from $35,000 but go to organisations with special relationships to the foundation, generally by invitation, so this route is not a general application channel.
- With 99% of grant dollars going to organisations already funded in the two previous filings, this looks like a relationship-led funder where repeat support is common, so new applicants should expect it to be competitive.
- FACES grants are not available to individuals, political associations or candidates, organisations that would disperse funding to others, organisations that discriminate on the stated grounds, or religious organisations for direct religious work, so groups in those categories should not apply.
Overview
Carl M. Freeman Foundation is a US private foundation based in Selbyville, DE.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Carl M. Freeman Foundation supports communities through advisory-panel-driven FACES grants twice a year. FACES is designed to find and fund smaller, overlooked neighbourhood projects. Eligible applicants are IRS-recognised 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits or public agencies specifically serving residents of the funding areas; they must be based in Montgomery County, Maryland, or Sussex County, Delaware, with county-specific operating-budget caps. A volunteer advisory board of community leaders evaluates applications and recommends funding choices, using insight into local needs and priorities. The Foundation occasionally awards legacy grants to organisations with which it has special relationships; these recipients are generally invited to apply or receive awards in honour of Freeman family members. Its grant record is concentrated in the arts, social services and education, with additional giving for health and environmental purposes.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Arts
- Social services
- Education
Geographic Focus
Montgomery County, Maryland; Sussex County, Delaware. Priority: Maryland and Delaware area.
What They Don't Fund
- FACES grants only: Individuals; Political associations or candidates; Organizations that would disperse the funding to others; Organizations that discriminate by race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability or national origin; religious organizations for direct religious work
How to apply
FACES grant applicants submit online by the posted deadline for their grant cycle.
Deadlines: FACES grant cycles run twice a year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 99% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 372 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Applicants should follow the specific guidelines and provide thorough answers to every question.
- Applications should clearly and concisely describe the organisation, its history and its mission.
- Applicants should explain exactly how the funds will be used, with greater specificity.
- Applicants should state the number of people served directly and the grant's impact.
- Applicants should explain what is unique about their group, project and service area.
- For continuing programmes, applicants should report lessons learned; for new programmes, they should explain other funding and partners already recruited.
- FACES grants are intended for programmes or projects undertaken in the short term.
- Grant recipients must provide a report six months after receiving the funds.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 1%
- The largest single recipient received 29% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to organisations Carl M. Freeman Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 26% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 43 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $6,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Joshua M Freeman Foundation · Arts - jmff$3,000,0002024 tax year
- Beebe Medical Foundation · Health$125,0002024 tax year
- Jewish Federation Of Greater Washington (Bender JCC) · Social services$50,0002024 tax year
- James Beard Foundation · Education$35,0002024 tax year
- Athletes for Hope · Social services$35,0002024 tax year
- Montgomery County Beef 4-H Club · Social services$34,5602024 tax year
- Georgetown University · Education$25,0002024 tax year
- BZ Media · Arts$25,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Nicholas Freeman — Secretary / Director
- Christine A Shreve — Treasurer / Vice Chairman / Director
- Patti Grimes — Executive Director
- Michelle L Freeman — Chairman / President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,921,502 | $2,957,244 | $107,719,665 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,461,686 | $5,499,016 | $110,783,277 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,517,673 | $4,494,842 | $114,137,601 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Carl M. Freeman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (302) 654-8500
- example@example.com
- lrichard@freemanfoundation.org
- Selbyville, DE
- carlmfreemanfoundation.org
Applying to Carl M. Freeman Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (302) 654-8500
- example@example.com
- lrichard@freemanfoundation.org
- Selbyville, DE
- carlmfreemanfoundation.org