Agua Fund Inc is a private independent foundation established in 2002 (originally founded in 2000 as a donor-advised fund at Tides Foundation before becoming independent in 2003). Based in Front Royal, Virginia with an office in Washington, DC, the foundation serves as a philanthropic vehicle for Catherine Mellon Conover, an heiress to the Mellon fortune and environmental advocate. Since its inception, Agua has invested over $55 million in nonprofit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.1M
-22.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
-5.7% YoY
Grant Count
74
+5.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
-10.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to improve quality of life through support for efforts to:
- Protect the natural environment
- Help the disadvantaged and underserved
- Give voice to the underserved
- Promote democratic values and full participation in civic life
Environmental Grants: Focus on protecting the watershed of the Shenandoah River in Virginia by addressing issues of land, water, and food. Grants support organizations that advocate for resource protection, sustainable agriculture, and locally-produced food. Environmental grants for Florida emphasize protection of the Gulf Coast.
Social Service Grants: Primarily address the vulnerable elderly in southwest Florida and Washington, DC.
Board-Directed Grants: Support arts and culture, disaster relief, women's rights in the Middle East, mental health care for returning veterans, and solar cooking.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $5,000 to $200,000
How to Apply
** Agua only considers invited proposals. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- Mid-Atlantic region (Virginia, Washington DC)
- Western Colorado
- Indian Country (Native American communities)
- Florida (Gulf Coast protection and southwest Florida social services)
- Multiple states including Arkansas, Arizona, California, and others
The foundation is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network and collaborates with other foundations on regional environmental initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $8.1 million to $10.4 million (varies by reporting year)
Annual Giving: $3.0 million to $3.1 million
Total Revenues (2024): $1,629,789
Total Expenses (2024): $3,818,435
Staff: 2 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,142,737 | $10,435,633 | $11,066,361 |
| Revenue | $1,629,789 | $3,254,507 | $3,641,785 |
| Expenses | $3,818,435 | $3,983,885 | $3,977,477 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,767,934 | $3,918,986 | $3,868,616 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,594,984 | $2,293,772 | $2,858,822 |
| Distributable Amount | $488,268 | $644,857 | $663,137 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ann Mills – Executive Director
- Compensation: $198,281 (2024)
- Contact: mills@aguafundinc.org
Moshe Z Pasternak – Secretary
- Compensation: $65,390 (2023)
Catherine Mellon Conover – Listed director and philanthropic vehicle for the foundation; co-founder of the environmental publisher Island Press
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE M CONOVER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LINDA LOCKE | TREASURER | 6 | — |
| ANN MILLS | PRESIDENT | 40 | $216,835 |
| JOY A HORWITZ ESQ | CHAIR & DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| MEGAN GALLAGHER | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| MOSHE Z PASTERNAK | SECRETARY | 40 | $69,313 |
| KENYON FIELDS | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| EMILY FRANCIS | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
Contact Information
Primary Address: 203 Milldale Hollow Rd Front Royal, VA 22630-7305
Washington, DC Office: 1010 Wisconsin Ave NW #550 Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 944-9623
Website: www.aguafund.org
EIN: 11-3659697
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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