Todmorden Foundation

Todmorden Foundation operates as an affordable housing developer and property manager in Wilmington, Delaware — not a traditional philanthropic foundation that accepts unsolicited external grant proposals. Based at 100 W 10th St, Suite 1104 (Wilmington, DE 19801), the organization's core work involves redeveloping and managing affordable rental housing for residents earning 30–60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) per Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) guidelines. The foundation currently serves 221 individuals and families in one-to-three-bedroom rental units, with Section 8 vouchers accepted.

Its flagship initiative, The Flats, is a $100 million, seven-phase redevelopment of 450+ historic mill-worker housing units on Wilmington's west side, launched in 2015. A wholly-owned subsidiary, Todmorden East Foundation LLC, focuses on east-side Wilmington redevelopment. These are long-horizon, capital-intensive infrastructure projects funded through institutional contributions from WSFS CARES Foundation, DSHA, and other partners — not open competitive grantmaking.

The foundation's grantee history confirms this operating model: only two recorded recipients appear in IRS filings — Flats Phase I LP ($20,510 for development) and Temple University ($1,000 for design consulting) — both project-specific technical payments rather than competitive community grants. No published RFP, open application process, or grant program guidelines appear on the website or in any grants database. Application instructions across all major databases are listed as none.

Organizations seeking to engage Todmorden should position themselves as development partners or technical collaborators, not grant recipients. CEO Richard Przywara is the primary decision-maker. VP Donna Gooden, Chair Matt Lynch, and specialist trustees — Jane Vincent (Audit Chair), Thomas White (Finance Chair), John Hundley (Property Chair) — round out senior governance. All officers and trustees serve without compensation, indicating a lean volunteer governance structure.

Partnership proposals should align with Todmorden's mission language: stabilization of neighborhoods, prevention of urban blight, and development of affordable housing within the City of Wilmington. Organizations with offerings in construction, property management, resident support services, historic preservation, or community health are the most natural partners. Initial outreach should go through todmordenfoundation.org/connect-with-us/ or the main line at (302) 655-6215.

Todmorden Foundation's financials reveal the trajectory of a growing housing development organization, not an endowed grantmaker. Total assets grew from $579,448 in 2013 to $23.2 million in 2023 — a 40x increase driven by real estate asset accumulation and institutional contributions rather than investment returns. Net investment income has been negligible throughout: $9,252 in 2019, dropping to $1,104 (2020), $306 (2021), $313 (2022), and $2,509 (2023). The foundation operates on program revenue and contributions, not endowment yield.

Annual contributions received (primary revenue source) show variability consistent with multi-year capital grants: - 2019: $1.57M | 2020: $964K | 2021: $1.94M | 2022: $973K | 2023: $1.35M

Total giving (program-level spending including development investments) jumped sharply in 2023: - 2019: $107,045 | 2020: $96,459 | 2021: $90,488 | 2022: $146,823 | 2023: $545,225

The 272% year-over-year increase in 2023 total giving reflects Phase VI construction ramp-up. However, actual cash grants paid to external entities remain minimal: $20,000 (2019), $20,510 (2020, to Flats Phase I LP), $20,300 (2021), $1,000 (2022, to Temple University for design work), and $600 (2023). Median external grant: approximately $20,000; range: $600–$20,510. These figures confirm that formal external grantmaking is not a material organizational activity — the foundation's disbursements are operational and development-related, not philanthropic distributions.

Historically, officer compensation was $244,687 in 2015 and $126,005 in 2014, but has been $0 since 2019. Total revenue in 2023 was $1.54M against $23.2M in assets, implying the balance sheet is dominated by real estate rather than liquid capital. All documented grantees are in Delaware or Pennsylvania (Temple University, technical work only). No grants to human services nonprofits, education organizations, or community groups appear in any recorded year, further confirming the operating housing model.

The following peer organizations share similar asset scales ($21–25M) and Human Services / affordable housing NTEE classifications:

Among these peers, Todmorden is the most organizationally transparent: it maintains an active website, publishes bi-annual reports, and has documented press coverage in 2025. Its $545K in 2023 program giving is the only confirmed figure among this peer group. What most distinguishes Todmorden from its peers is its development-oriented operating model — a $100M multi-phase capital program — rather than a traditional grant distribution function. Lake View Towers West Affordable Housing Corp (Illinois, $22M assets) is the closest structural analog: another operating affordable housing nonprofit at comparable scale. Ronald L McDaniel Foundation (rlm-foundation.org) is the only other peer with a confirmed web presence, though its grantmaking focus differs. Franklin Home For The Aged represents the senior-housing adjacent space, and LCU Fund reflects how Human Services NTEE classifications can encompass dramatically different missions at similar asset levels.

The most significant recent development is the November 18, 2025 announcement that WSFS CARES Foundation committed a $150,000 grant to Todmorden Foundation, distributed over three years, to fund construction of 30 affordable housing units expected to open in summer 2027. This grant supports Phase VI of The Flats, which will deliver 180 new residences serving approximately 300 individuals. WSFS Executive Vice President Patrick J. Ward stated the bank has "supported this critically important project since the beginning." CEO Richard Przywara emphasized dual impact: "This project will help low- and moderate-income individuals and families, but it will also create jobs in construction, maintenance, and property management."

As of the latest available reporting, Phases I through V of The Flats have delivered 326 of 453 planned homes. The full seven-phase project will ultimately house over 1,000 Wilmington residents in units originally built 1903–1918 for mill workers. Todmorden preserves the historic architectural character (brick exteriors, human-scaled design) while adding modern amenities: air conditioning, WiFi, dishwashers, microwaves, off-street parking, 24-hour maintenance, on-site support services, and a community center.

The foundation published a 2025 bi-annual report downloadable from todmordenfoundation.org, and maintains active social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. No leadership changes were identified in web or IRS research — Richard Przywara continues as CEO, Donna Gooden as VP, and Matt Lynch as Chair. Beyond the WSFS grant, no other 2025–2026 funding announcements were publicly identified, though Phase VI construction activity confirms ongoing capital deployment through at least summer 2027.

Because Todmorden Foundation is an operating affordable housing organization rather than a traditional external grantmaker, the following tips address partnership strategy and relationship-building:

Understand the relationship model. Todmorden's documented partners fill project-specific roles: HDC MidAtlantic manages properties and resident services; Woodlawn Trustees Inc. provides historic preservation expertise; Temple University contributed design consulting at $1,000. Position your organization as filling a specific operational gap, not as a grant recipient seeking unrestricted funding.

Align language precisely. Use Todmorden's own mission framing: stabilization of neighborhoods, prevention of urban blight, and affordable housing for residents earning 30–60% AMI per DSHA guidelines. Reference Section 8 voucher acceptance and federal income guidelines. Generic community benefit language will not resonate with this operationally focused team.

Time outreach to the development cycle. Phase VI targets 30 units opening summer 2027. Organizations with construction capacity, resident wraparound services, community health programs, or maintenance expertise should initiate contact in 2025–2026 to align with this active window. Phase VII planning will likely begin in 2026–2027.

Contact the right people directly. CEO Richard Przywara is the primary decision-maker. VP Donna Gooden handles operational matters. Trustee John Hundley chairs the Property Committee, making him relevant for real estate or construction conversations. Use the Connect page at todmordenfoundation.org/connect-with-us/ or call (302) 655-6215.

Build warm introductions. Demonstrating existing relationships with DSHA, HDC MidAtlantic (info@hdcweb.org, 302-656-0801), or WSFS CARES Foundation signals credibility within Todmorden's institutional funding network.

Explore Todmorden East. This newer LLC subsidiary focused on east-side Wilmington is in earlier development stages and may offer more open-ended partnership opportunities than the structured, near-complete Flats project.

Read the 2025 bi-annual report before any outreach — it likely contains priority areas and future phase timelines not published elsewhere.