Arlington Community Foundation
Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) is a 501(c)(3) public charity and community foundation established in 1991, based in Arlington, Virginia. The organization serves as a philanthropic leader and community convener, connecting people and resources to improve quality of life in Arlington and beyond. ACF operates as an independent charitable organization that actively promotes, protects, and improves conditions for those who live or work in Arlington County.
Key facts about Arlington Community Foundation
- EIN
- 54-1602838
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,552,564
- Grants made (2024)
- 107
- Average grant
- $33,202
- Median grant
- $15,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (65 of 107, 2024)
- Total assets
- $35,102,656
- Primary geography
- Virginia (32% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Arlington Community Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Arlington Community Foundation's 107 itemized 2024 grants were Virginia (32%), District of Columbia (21%) and Missouri (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Arlington, VA (40 grants), Washington, DC (16 grants), Seattle, WA (4 grants) and Alexandria, VA (3 grants). None of its 107 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (20 grants), "To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization" (17 grants) and "Healthcare" (15 grants).
Is Arlington Community Foundation open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 65 of 107 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 28% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Arlington Community Foundation
- How to evaluate Arlington Community Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$35.1M
+15.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.6M
+86.1% YoY
Grant Count
107
+87.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
-0.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Arlington Community Foundation uses the power of philanthropy and its role as community convener and catalyst to improve the quality of life in Arlington and beyond. As a grantmaker, convener, and leader of programmatic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the needs of Arlingtonians, and address the most critical issues of our time to ensure that our community provides opportunity for everyone.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Economic Mobility & Workforce Development
- Education
- Homelessness Prevention
- Arts
- Youth and Families in Need
- Voluntarism & Philanthropy
Strategic Priorities: The Foundation aims to strengthen the community by expanding economic opportunity, preventing displacement, and ensuring all Arlingtonians—especially neighbors making 30% or less of the area median income (AMI)—can experience a true sense of belonging, dignity, and power.
Key Program Areas:
- Deeply affordable housing
- Economic mobility
- Accessible childcare
- Demonstration pilots and initiatives that mitigate displacement of low-income residents
Grantmaking
ACF employs a dual approach combining discretionary awards aligned with strategic initiatives and grants made in partnership with donors through field-of-interest and donor-advised funds. Individuals, families, and businesses use the Foundation as a platform to explore and implement their own charitable goals, supported by staff guidance as desired.
Ready to take the next step with Arlington Community Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary focus: Arlington, Virginia
Secondary focus areas: District of Columbia and Maryland
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 107 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $35.1 million
- Total Revenue: $7.57 million
- Total Expenses: $6.13 million
- Total Liabilities: $6.48 million
- Total Giving: $3,059,957 (based on 2023 data)
Organizational Structure:
- Staff: 9-10 employees
- Permanent endowment of more than 120 funds
Tax Status:
- Tax-exempt since March 1992
- EIN: 54-1602838
- Designated as 501(c)(3) organization
- Donations are tax-deductible
Rating: The organization holds a Four-Star rating with a 97% overall score, reflecting strong performance in Accountability & Finance, Impact & Measurement, Leadership & Adaptability, and Culture & Community.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $35,102,656 | $30,338,018 | $28,029,567 |
| Revenue | $7,573,791 | $4,354,054 | $17,611,148 |
| Expenses | $6,130,237 | $5,677,561 | $4,957,339 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $252,218 | $-1,287,749 | $5,161,499 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
310 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
8 open opportunities from Arlington Community Foundation
Arlington Community Foundation Capacity Building Grants
Arlington Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arlington Community Foundation Technical Education Scholarship
Arlington Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arlington Community Foundation Youth & Education STEAM Fellowship
Arlington Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include United Way of Greater St Louis Inc ($247,652), Paypal Giving Fund ($225,000), United Way of Greater St Joseph Inc ($181,249).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER ST LOUIS INC Saint Louis, MO | HUMAN SERVICES | $247,652 |
| PAYPAL GIVING FUND Washington, DC | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $225,000 |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER ST JOSEPH INC Saint Joseph, MO | HUMAN SERVICES | $181,249 |
| SIBLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION Washington, DC | HEALTHCARE | $177,400 |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Honolulu, HI | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $175,100 |
| MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY Arlington, VA | EDUCATION | $151,500 |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY INC Kennesaw, GA | HEALTHCARE | $138,969 |
| GOODWIN LIVING FOUNDATION Alexandria, VA | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $128,290 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON Washington, DC | RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION | $101,050 |
| GREATER CLEVELAND FOOD BANK INC Cleveland, OH | FOOD INSECURITY AND NUTRITION | $81,361 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Leadership:
- Jennifer Owens, President & CEO (woman-led organization)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tanja Castro | Chair | 4 | — |
| Patricia Rodriguez | Vice Chair | 4 | — |
| John Benton | Vice Chair (Until 9/23) | 4 | — |
| Michael George | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Deb Gandy | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Susan T Anderson | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Dulce Carrillo | Trustee | 1 | — |
| William Dolan | Trustee (Until 5/24) | 1 | — |
| Ashley Goff | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jade Gong | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kevin Jones | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Krysta Jones | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Dana Laidhold | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Madelka McCalla | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Nancy McEldowney | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Joe McMahon Jr | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Carmen Oviedo | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Ambari Pinto | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jennifer Owens | President & CEO | 40 | $239,994 |
| Anne Vor Der Bruegge | Dir Grants/Initiatives (Thru 12/23) | 40 | $133,299 |
| Christina Cole | Dir of Philanthropy | 30 | $127,019 |
| Brian Marroquin | Dir Grants/Initiatives | 40 | $102,069 |
Contact Information
Address: 4601 Fairfax Drive, Suite 1050 Arlington, VA 22203-1500
Phone: 703-243-4785
Website: www.arlcf.org
Email: info@arlcf.org, giving@arlcf.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Arlington Community Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** Arlington Community Foundation uses the power of philanthropy and its role as community convener and catalyst to improve the quality of life in Arlington and beyond. As a grantmaker, convener, and leader of programmatic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the needs of Arlingtonians, and address the most critical issues of our time to ensure that our community provides opportunity for everyone. **P…
How do I apply for a grant from Arlington Community Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $5,050–$386,000 • Administers approximately 200 scholarships annually through a well-established scholarship program • Since 1991, the Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in grants and scholarships **Grantmaking Approach:** ACF employs a dual approach combining discretionary awards aligned with strategic initiatives and grants made in partnership with donors through field-of-interest and donor-advised funds. Individuals, families, and b…
Where does Arlington Community Foundation make grants?
Primary focus: Arlington, Virginia Secondary focus areas: District of Columbia and Maryland
What size grants does Arlington Community Foundation award?
In 2024, Arlington Community Foundation awarded 107 grants totaling $3.6M — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Arlington Community Foundation's EIN?
Arlington Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1602838. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Arlington Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.