The O'Leary Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing states that The O'Leary Foundation accepts no unsolicited requests and gives no route for an organisation to seek selection, so an organisation without an existing link to the foundation should not send it a cold application.
- Its grants cover education, arts and culture, libraries, health, community services, animal welfare and religious bodies, though no field priorities are stated, so check the fit against the grants listed in the filing.
- Typical grants have fallen between $8,100 and $58,500, and half of its 28 organisation grants were about $23,500 or less, so any request should sit in that region rather than at the top of the range.
- In the most recent filing, 100% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations also funded in the filing before it, so a new applicant has little recorded opportunity.
Overview
The O'Leary Foundation is a US private foundation administered by its trustee, Bessemer Trust of Florida, in Naples, FL.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 13 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings describe each organisation grant as general support. Recipients range across educational institutions, arts and cultural organisations, libraries, cancer organisations and a cancer centre, hospitals, animal-welfare and domestic-violence charities, a parish, and YMCA organisations. This record spans education, culture, health, community services, animal welfare and religious organisations rather than a single named field. Maine accounts for the largest recorded share, with additional grants to Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York and Virginia. The filings do not state field priorities, applicant eligibility or selection criteria.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Maine, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York.
How to apply
The return states that only preselected charitable organisations receive contributions and that unsolicited requests are not accepted. It gives no route for an organisation to seek selection.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 28 grants to organisations were about $23,500 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations The O'Leary Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 14% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 14 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $23,347 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Susan Curtis Charitable Foundation · General support$58,3662025 tax year
- Marginal Way Preservation Fund · General support$58,3662025 tax year
- Maine Maritime Academy · General support$58,3662025 tax year
- Clair & John Bertucci Center for Genitourinary Cancers · General support$46,6932025 tax year
- Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals · General support$23,3472025 tax year
- Ogunquit Museum of American Art · General support$23,3472025 tax year
- Shelter for Abused Women and Children · General support$23,3472025 tax year
- Ogunquit Playhouse Foundation · General support$23,3472025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
Administered by its trustee, Bessemer Trust of Florida.
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $20,091 | $0 | $7,497,573 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $364,523 | $292,784 | $9,735,346 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $521,450 | $420,242 | $12,355,025 | Filing for 2025 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
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At a glance
Applying to The O'Leary Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Naples, FL (office of its trustee, Bessemer Trust of Florida)
Applying to The O'Leary Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Naples, FL (office of its trustee, Bessemer Trust of Florida)