Appreciation of Earth and Animal

Private foundation · Grantmaker Middleburg, VA EIN: 54-1687076

Appreciation of Earth and Animal is a private foundation based in Middleburg, Virginia. It makes grants to organizations, including wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, education, and human-service organizations.

Key facts about Appreciation of Earth and Animal

In short: Appreciation of Earth and Animal gave $255K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), top state Florida. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
54-1687076
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$255,000
Grants made (2025)
25
Average grant
$10,200
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
32% first-time grantees (8 of 25, 2025)
Total assets
$4,345,345
Primary geography
Florida (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply
Contact Nancy L Cooper with a written request, current literature, and financial information. Full details ↓
Deadline
None.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.3M

-3.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$255K

+22.6% YoY

Grant Count

25

+25.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

-1.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Appreciation of Earth and Animal reported a distributable amount of $261K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Appreciation of Earth and Animal open to new grantees?

32%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 8 of 25 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $10K. How we count

Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 49% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. For example, the Florida Wild Mammal Association says it rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals with the goal of returning them to their native habitat, and Blue Ridge Wildlife Center says it rescues and rehabilitates native wildlife for release back into the wild. 1000 Friends of Florida describes its mission as “Building Better Communities and Saving Special Places,” while the American Horticultural Society says it works to inspire gardening and horticultural practices that sustain healthy communities and a livable planet.

Other 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions concern higher education, support for wounded service members’ families, and posttraumatic growth.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 25 grants totaling $255,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $40,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Among the largest were $40,000 to Clemson University Foundation, $25,000 to Florida Wild Mammal Association, and $20,000 each to Dogs Inc, Gary Sinise Foundation, and Student Conservation Association. The listed grant purposes were general support.

Review Cycle

None.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 filing’s grant-dollar distribution included Florida (27%), Virginia (21%), South Carolina (18%), Washington, DC (12%), and California (8%). Grants also went to organizations in other states, including New Hampshire, New York, and Ohio.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.

Cities

WashingtonMiddleburgTallahasseeClemsonBoyceCrawfordvilleNew YorkPalmettoAlexandriaCharlestownLeesburgSt MarksWoodland HillsRockvillePurcellvilleBluemontCamdentonUppervilleAnnapolisAthens

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K20 grants2020 12 grants2021 19 grants2022 17 grants2023 20 grants2024 25 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $95K (2021) to $255K (2025). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $255K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Clemson University Foundation: $40KClemson University Foundation$40KFlorida Wild Mammal Association: $25KFlorida Wild MammalAssociation$25KDogs Inc: $20KDogs Inc$20KGary Sinise Foundation: $20KGary Sinise Foundation$20KStudent Conservation Association: $20KStudent ConservationAssociation$20K1000 Friends of Florida: $10K1000 Friends of Florida$10KAmerica First Legal: $10KAmerica First Legal$10KBoulder Crest Foundation: $10KBoulder Crest Foundation$10KDoctors Without Borders USA: $10KDoctors Without Borders USA$10KLoudoun Abused Women's Shelter: $10KLoudoun Abused Women's Shelter$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Clemson University Foundation ($40K). Together the top 10 received $175K.

Grant Size Distribution

93 grants across all recorded years

92<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 92 grants of 93 (99%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Clemson University Foundation Clemson, SCGeneral Support$40,000
Florida Wild Mammal Association Crawfordville, FLGeneral Support$25,000
Dogs Inc Palmetto, FLGeneral Support$20,000
Gary Sinise Foundation Woodland Hills, CAGeneral Support$20,000
Student Conservation Association Charlestown, NHGeneral Support$20,000
1000 Friends of Florida Tallahassee, FLGeneral Support$10,000
America First Legal Washington, DCGeneral Support$10,000
Boulder Crest Foundation Bluemont, VAGeneral Support$10,000
Doctors Without Borders USA New York, NYGeneral Support$10,000
Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter Leesburg, VAGeneral Support$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $4,345,345 $143,171 $302,783 $255,000
2024 $4,504,957 $833,418 $232,545 $208,000
2023 $3,953,411 $683,040 $241,573 $210,000
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$4,345,345$4,504,957$3,953,411
Revenue$143,171$833,418$683,040
Expenses$302,783$232,545$241,573
Qualifying Distributions$255,000$208,000$210,000
Net Investment Income$742,764$948,918$308,834
Distributable Amount$261,452$230,609$204,189

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Nancy L Cooper as director and president; Nell C Stager as director and vice president; Robert B Dale III as director, secretary, and treasurer; and Nettie C Wheatstone as director.

Appreciation of Earth and Animal's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Nettie C. Wheatstone

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nancy L. Cooper

    Dir-Pres

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nell C. Stager

    Dir-Vp

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert B. Dale III

    Dir-Sec & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Application contact: Nancy L Cooper
Mailing address: 1112 Coconut Row, Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone: (540) 687-6381

Frequently asked questions about Appreciation of Earth and Animal

How much does Appreciation of Earth and Animal give each year?

Appreciation of Earth and Animal gave $255K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $208K across 20 grants.

What is Appreciation of Earth and Animal's typical grant size?

Appreciation of Earth and Animal's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,200, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Appreciation of Earth and Animal that year got $12K on average.

Where does Appreciation of Earth and Animal give grants?

Appreciation of Earth and Animal's top state is Florida, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (21%) and South Carolina (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (4 grants), Clemson, SC (2 grants), Tallahassee, FL (2 grants) and Purcellville, VA (2 grants).

Does Appreciation of Earth and Animal give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Appreciation of Earth and Animal's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Appreciation of Earth and Animal's largest grantees?

Appreciation of Earth and Animal's largest 2025 grantees include Clemson University Foundation ($40,000), Florida Wild Mammal Association ($25,000) and Dogs Inc ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Appreciation of Earth and Animal?

Appreciation of Earth and Animal reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $255K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $261K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Appreciation of Earth and Animal fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Appreciation of Earth and Animal?

Contact Nancy L Cooper with a written request, current literature, and financial information. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Appreciation of Earth and Animal's EIN?

Appreciation of Earth and Animal's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1687076. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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