Ben Conley Charitable & Education
The Ben D. Conley Charitable and Educational Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Richmond, Virginia on December 1, 1986. Based in Kilmarnock, Virginia, the foundation was organized exclusively for charitable purposes and operates two primary funding programs: educational scholarships for students and grants to nonprofit organizations serving the Northern Neck region of Virginia.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.5M
+13.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$155K
+14.5% YoY
Grant Count
30
+15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
-0.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ben Conley Charitable & Education reported a distributable amount of $112K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports education, religious, health, youth, safety, mentoring, library, and environmental initiatives. Its grantmaking is divided into two distinct programs:
- Educational Assistance Program: Scholarships for graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students
- Charitable Grants: Funding for nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation made 23 grants in 2023. Recent grantees include:
Review Cycle
**: April 15th annually
Grant Types
How to Apply
**Application Deadline**: April 15th annually
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation exclusively serves residents and organizations in Lancaster and Northumberland Counties, Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of November 2023:
- Total Assets: $2,167,075
- Total Revenues: $133,941
- Total Expenses: $164,796
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,465,689 | $2,167,075 | $2,153,751 |
| Revenue | $156,961 | $133,941 | $27,651 |
| Expenses | $187,589 | $164,796 | $167,268 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $154,900 | $135,285 | $131,500 |
| Net Investment Income | $124,272 | $104,638 | $19,382 |
| Distributable Amount | $112,355 | $104,946 | $117,054 |
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
126 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include James Madison University ($21,000), Virginia Wesleyan Univ ($14,000), Boys and Girls Club ($12,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NEW YORK, NY | EDUCATION | $3,500 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB KILMARNOCK, VA | SAFETY, EDUCATION | $12,000 |
| CHOWAN UNIVERSITY MURFREESBORO, NC | EDUCATION | $3,500 |
| CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY NEWPORT NEWS, VA | EDUCATION | $3,500 |
| COLLEGE OF WILLIAM MARY WILLIAMSBURG, VA | EDUCATIONAL | $3,500 |
| EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY GREENVILLE, NC | EDUCATION | $3,500 |
| FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY BOCA RATON, FL | EDUCATION | $1,000 |
| HEALTHY HARVEST FOOD BANK WARSAW, VA | FOOD BANK | $8,000 |
| HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY HIGH POINT, NC | EDUCATION | $3,500 |
| JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY HARRISONBURG, VA | EDUCATION | $21,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- C. Dwight Clarke – President
- James Conley – Vice President
- Vera Lee – Secretary & Treasurer
- Welby Saunders – Member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES CONLEY | VICE PRES. | 0.25 | — |
| JEAN H LIGHT | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| VERA LEE | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| C WELBY SAUNDERS | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| C DWIGHT CLARKE | TREASURER | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 97 N. Main Street P.O. Box 1419 Kilmarnock, VA 22482
Phone: 804-435-3652 Fax: 804-435-0777 Email: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ben Conley Charitable & Education fund?
The foundation supports education, religious, health, youth, safety, mentoring, library, and environmental initiatives. Its grantmaking is divided into two distinct programs: • **Educational Assistance Program**: Scholarships for graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students • **Charitable Grants**: Funding for nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations
How do I apply for a grant from Ben Conley Charitable & Education?
The foundation made 23 grants in 2023. Recent grantees include: • Virginia Wesleyan University ($7,000 for education) • Association for Computing Machinery / Christopher Newport University ($7,000 for education) • The Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic ($5,000 for health) • Boys and Girls Club **Application Deadline**: April 15th annually **Educational Scholarships** require: • Two written personal recommendations from teachers, school officials, or other reliable sources (dated within …
Where does Ben Conley Charitable & Education make grants?
The foundation exclusively serves residents and organizations in **Lancaster and Northumberland Counties, Virginia**.
What size grants does Ben Conley Charitable & Education award?
In 2024, Ben Conley Charitable & Education awarded 30 grants totaling $155K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ben Conley Charitable & Education required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ben Conley Charitable & Education reported a distributable amount of $112K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ben Conley Charitable & Education's EIN?
Ben Conley Charitable & Education's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1398809. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.